Entertainment

Voice so easy to swallow

A wayward bouquet conked Kristine Opolais on her noggin during the ovation Friday night in “La Rondine” — but that was the only mishap in the Latvian soprano’s spectacular Met debut.

Her coolly glamorous voice rose to the many challenges of the role of Magda, a Parisian courtesan who tries to live out a fantasy of finding true love in Puccini’s 1917 opera.

Opolais floated shimmering high piano notes in her pensive first act aria, the “Canzone di Doretta.” Later, full-voiced B’s and C’s sailed into the huge Met auditorium. Lower down, the sound wasn’t as sumptuous, but she mustered gutsy chest tones for her dramatic farewell in the last act.

The tall blond soprano looked every inch the chic trophy mistress, despite unlovely costumes — credited to Franca Squarciapino, but looking more like the Lady Edith Crawley collection.

Giuseppe Filianoti was her naïve lover, Ruggero, styled as a 1920s matinee idol. A sensitive, heartfelt actor, he sobbed helplessly as she abandoned him in the last act.

The role’s romantic melodies made a charming fit with his velvety tenor and easy legato, blemished only by a few tight high notes.

Another fresh lyric tenor, Marius Brenciu, offered comic relief as the prissy poet Prunier, who’s having an affair with Magda’s feisty maid Lisette. Anna Christy’s sparkling soprano sounded true and lovely in this part, even if her acting gave “pert” a bad name.

The soaring, elegant Art Nouveau sets of this 2008 Nicolas Joël production won applause each time the curtain rose.

Director Stephen Barlow deftly organized the tricky action of the second act’s dance hall scene, though he might rethink the last moment of the tearjerker, when broken-hearted Magda looked ready to belt out “Rose’s Turn.”

In one of Puccini’s most dazzling scores, the Met orchestra glistened just a little too brightly under the leadership of conductor Ion Marin, at times swamping the voices.

The “rondine” — Italian for “swallow” — is famous for returning home every year. Here’s hoping Opolais, the Met’s brilliant new songbird, migrates back to New York very soon.