Aprile Millo. Photo by Christian Steiner.

Giacomo Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West” (“The Girl of the Golden West”), starring Aprile Millo and opening Eve Queler’s Opera Orchestra of New York’s (OONY) season of opera-in-concert at Carnegie Hall, on November 22, proved one of the company’s more satisfying efforts. Queler and the orchestra realized the color and emotion in Puccini’s score fluently, limning the Wild West landscape, the snow, the romance, the adventure and the anger effectively. Soloists and members of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus sang the forty-niner miners’ music with resonance and vitality.

Queler and OONY have made their mandate the presentation of operatic rarities as well as less rare repertory with leading singers who have yet to sing their roles in New York. “Fanciulla” is hardly a rarity, performed occasionally, as it is, by both the Metropolitan and New York City Opera, and due for revival for half a dozen hearings by the latter in April 2005. Continuing to work her way through the later Renata Tebaldi roles, following the title parts in “Adriana Lecouvreur” and “La Gioconda,” la Millo, then, was the excellent raison d’être for this semi-staged “Fanciulla,” just the second Puccini opera, following “ Edgar” in 1977, that OONY has given at Carnegie. She sang the part of Minnie, Bible-reading bar owner, markswoman, lover, and tower of strength, with absolute conviction, her voice vibrant and solid. It is essential that Minnie be embraced by listeners, as Tebaldi and Dorothy Kirsten, among an earlier generation’s interpreters, were, much as she holds the rough gold miners in thrall, and Millo certainly commanded audience adulation. She was endearing as she held class for the miners and as she mused, at the end of the first act, on the compliment Dick Johnson AKA Ramerrez, paid her—“Ha detto … come ha detto? … Un viso d’angelo!” (“He said … what did he say? The face of an angel!”) In Act Two, she conveyed apt devastation, ruefulness, and fury, in quick succession, as she learned that the man who got her first kiss was a bandit, but ferocious as she defended him when he was wounded. She was radiant as she reminisced with the miners when leaning on them to release the captive outlaw in the final scene.

If Millo’s first high C in Act One, in the aria “Laggiù nel Soledad,” took a moment to place, it soon came into full and colorful focus. And it was smooth sailing thenceforth, as she found the subsequent Cs and C-sharp (late in Act Two) well within her grasp. Her voice was as flexible, when she sang of galloping around the countryside (“galoppo laggiù per la compagna”), as it was in the bel canto music in which she excelled early in her career.

The diva and tenor Carl Tanner, an ultimately forceful Johnson, generated considerable heat in the second act love duet. The confrontation soon after, once she became aware of his true identity, boasted no less intensity. Tanner delivered a moving account of the third act scene following Johnson’s capture, including the aria “Ch’ella mi creda libero e lontano” (“Let her believe I am free and far away”), and hero and heroine’ ;s final farewell to the miners was both ringing and wrenching.

Roman baritone Marco Chingari, making his American debut as the sheriff, Jack Rance, displayed a strong middle voice, but less reliable upper and lower ranges, in his aria “Minnie, dalla mi casa son partito” (“ Minnie, I left my home”) and thereafter. His scene with Millo, in which Minnie gambled with him for Johnson’s life and her virtue, had, as directed by Ira Siff, most experienced in this repertory, all the necessary tension. Capping the second act, Millo’s announcement of her winning poker hand—“Tre assi e un paio!” (“Three aces and a pair)—came straight from the guts and her exultation at having won the life-and-death gamble—“Ah! È mio!” (“He’s mine)—was equally wild.

Stephen Gaertner, sang the role of Sonora, most sensitive of the miners, in a polished baritone. William Ferguson as Nick, the bartender; Mary Ann Stewart as Wowkle, Minnie’s Native American housekeeper; Daniel Mobbs as the minstrel Jake Wallace; and Daniel Paget, Eric Margiore, Matthew Garett, Markus Beam, Charles Unice, Gaston Rivero and Seth Malkins as miners merit mention as well.

OONY’s season continues with a recital by soprano Krassimira Stoyanova on January 18, 2005 at Weill Hall; and Thomas’ “Mignon,” with Stephanie Blythe and John Relyea, on April 7 and Weber’s “Der Freischütz,” with Johan Botha and Charlotte Margiono, on June 6, at Carnegie Hall.

Carnegie Hall & Weill Hall 57^th St & 7^th Avenue

Tickets $25-125 for operas, $35 for Stoyanova recital