Fan-Pleasing Solo Sounds by Carreras

On a bare stage at Pasadena Civic Auditorium--without even a hint of the many flowers that would materialize on that floor two hours later--Jose Carreras began his recital of art songs and arias for an enthusiastic audience of fans and followers Saturday night.

This was Carreras’ first solo outing in the Los Angeles area since 1993, when he appeared at the Greek Theatre, assisted by a 73-piece orchestra and a soprano co-soloist; in the flesh, he was last here as part of the Three Tenors extravaganza at Dodger Stadium in 1994.

This time he was alone on the stage--no decorations, no furniture, no nuthin’, with versatile and shadowy pianist Lorenzo Bavaj, who played competently but as if in another room: The piano lid remained closed.

Carreras, who had passed his 51st birthday just the day before, made pleasing sounds, sometimes fervent ones, though his mixed repertory evaded very high notes. Throughout the performance, the Spanish tenor--a leukemia survivor, nine years ago--coughed discreetly into a small white handkerchief. He may have been indisposed, but he didn’t complain; neither did the crowd.

Even so, the occasion, despite the hearty participation of the audience, proved more downbeat than triumphal. Carreras’ vocal health, especially when his performances are delivered--as here--without discernible amplification or enhancement, is to be admired. On this occasion, he seemed in excellent condition, and he sang beautifully, if without an overabundance of energy.

He began pristinely, with two Domenico Scarlatti songs; offered groups devoted to music by Tosti and Leoncavallo, the latter represented by three French-language songs; touched briefly on operatic items from Bellini and early Verdi; and kept in touch with the 20th century through music by Ginastera, De Curtis and Gastaldon. The historical range was not wide, nor was the emotional one.

Carreras sang all of these pieces carefully, some with genuine heat, yet an air of distraction came off the stage, as if his thoughts were often elsewhere. When the music demanded specificity--as operatic excerpts usually do--he paid closer attention. Otherwise, the tenor from Barcelona gave generalized performances.

After the scheduled closer, Gastaldon’s “Musica Proibita,” Carreras graciously accepted a number of floral tributes from the audience and sang an encore, “With a Song in My Heart.”