Opening night cast delivers strong vocal performances in 'Manon'

Jules Massenet's "Manon," which opened Friday night at the Musical Arts Center, is melodrama of the highest degree. Its tale of youthful love and folly, with accompanying displays of overwrought anguish and excessive jubilance, is at once an achievement of musical art and a pinnacle of theatrical camp.\nManon Lescaut, performed by graduate student Betsy Uschkrat, is the epitome of self-absorbed hedonism. She consistently exploits the love and devotion of her lover, Chevalier des Grieux -- sung beautifully by graduate student Brian Arreola -- for the sake of wealth and luxury. Only at the brink of death does she acknowledge her folly, denying both herself and her lover the happiness he so desired and she never deserved.\nUschkrat, a lovely young woman with a jewel of a voice, established a solid rapport on stage with Arreola, who turned out a fine vocal performance with lyricism and passion. The two made quite the young (and foolish) couple, even though their sound could not pierce some of the orchestra's fuller moments. Uschkrat's shimmering soprano was agile and light, befitting the coquette she was portraying, and Arreola's performance displayed great emotional strength and nuance.\nTheir love affair faced considerable resistance from a number of characters, not the least entertaining of whom was Guillot de Morfontaine, a classic dandy of a nobleman, played by graduate student Daniel Shirley. Also discouraging the young lovers were tax-collector \nDe Bretigny, played by graduate student Jonathan Green, whose full baritone was among the strongest voices to grace the stage, and Count des Grieux, Chevelier's father, played by graduate student John Huckle. Huckle's thunderous bass has filled the MAC for several years, and the hall welcomed him as warmly as ever.\nThe only ally the couple could rely on was Manon's own cousin, Lescaut, performed by graduate student Michael Weyandt. Weyandt played Lescaut to gentlemanly perfection, employing a lovely, lyrical sound that revealed a softness and sympathy underneath his decidedly masculine exterior.\nThough framed by an \noccasionally ill-fitting set piece, and encumbered by often less-than-inspired staging, this remarkably strong cast delivered a fine performance, reminding at least this critic just how extraordinary the opportunities at IU are. The opera will be performed again at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and should prove to be a satisfying adventure -- though at three-and-a-half hours long, it's certainly not for the faint of spirit.