Playing Ariane, Bluebeard's latest wife, a part that dominates the work, was German Wagner and Strauss singer Renate Behle. Undaunted by the thick orchestral weave Botstein summoned from his players, Behle disclosed a strong soprano, cutting and capable of lyricism as well, in an arching rhapsody over the tyrant's hoard of diamonds; ecstatic greeting to the former wives, whom she finds imprisoned in the castle; urgent exhortations to the wives to follow her to freedom; soaring paean to the outside world and liberty regained; and warm farewell address to Barbe-bleue, wounded by the village folk, and the wives, who choose, finally, to stay behind.

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Dudley and sopranos Jennifer Ringo, Tania Batson and Lainie Diamond as the battered wives--one of whom is Mélisande, vague, traumatized heroine of Claude Debussy and Maeterlinck's "Pelléas et Mélisande"--collaborated on jubilant first glimpses of sea, sky and village, temporary embrace of life unfettered and moving adieu to Ariane. Bass Eric Halfvarson and mezzo-soprano Kathleen Kuhlmann made the most of the essentially supporting assignments of Barbe-bleue and Ariane's nurse respectively. The sonorous Concert Chorale portrayed the avenging, menacing crowd of villagers.

Of particular interest to operaphiles in the American Symphony Orchestra's next season is Richard Strauss rarity "Der Liebe der Danae" on January 16, 2000. For information on the season and on single tickets, priced from $18 to $45, contact ASO by e-mail at tickets@americansymphony.org, by phone at 212-581-1365 between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday, or by post at American Symphony Orchestra, 850 Seventh Avenue, Suite 503, New York NY 10019.

In an opening group of early Spanish songs, arranged by Dørumsgaard, "Pámpano verde" found Daniels' instrument creamy and fully focused from the start. He ended the song by humming its plaintive melody with no less perfect placement and projection. His lustily ambiguous "A la caza, sus, a caza"--concerning a literal hunt or a lovers' romp--concluded this section. Turning to Franz Schubert lieder, Daniels brought grace and sincerity to a declaration of love in "Adelaide," which utilizes the same Friedrich von Matthison verses set by Ludwig van Beethoven. He aptly juxtaposed bright tone for the agitated maiden with dusky timbre, including a dip down into chest register, for somber Death in "Der Tod und das Mädchen" and, with suppleness, sang the coursing "Auf dem Wasser zu singen." The artist began a seamlessly legato "Nacht und Träume" in a hush, then skillfully swelled the sound, and rounded out these selections with a lilting "Seligkeit."

Daniels is perhaps best known for his accomplished singing of music by George Frideric Handel and here he offered a pair of arias in essentially contrasting moods. He sang the melancholy "Cara sposa," from "Rinaldo," with unstinting emotional expressiveness, leaving sorrow briefly behind for a stirring rendition of the aria's defiant B section. His "Furibondo spira il vento," from "Partenope," proved fiery and fluently florid, as he tossed off rapid-fire cascades of coloratura with seeming effortlessness.

The singer neatly captured the varied tone of the "Cinq mélodies populaires grecques" of Maurice Ravel, from the ebullience of the "Chanson de la mariée," dashing assurance of the swain in "Quel galant m'est comparable," and dancer's knowing exultation in "Tout gai!" to the reverence of "Là-bas, vers l'église" and lover's awe in "Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques." Probing works by American composer Richard Hundley, with words by poet and novelist James Purdy, Daniels began with a dreamy "Waterbird," an ode to solitude, its piano part rhapsodically executed by Katz, and continued with "Come Ready and See Me," a sentimental song of unrequited love, replete with understated yearning. Daniels and Katz's virtuoso efforts complemented each other as they realized four young ladies' very different day at the beach in the now playful, now serious or nostalgic "Seashore Girls," to a text by e.e. cummings.

Investigating folk song arrangements by Benjamin Britten, Daniels cheerfully recounted the tale of "Sweet Polly Oliver," who donned men's clothes, enlisted in the army, nursed an ailing captain back to health and wound up marrying him, and followed it with a wrenching "O Waly, Waly," an indictment of a false-hearted lover. Daniels capped a thoroughly irreverent "Oliver Cromwell" by striding offstage after a final "If you want any more, you can sing it yourself" and taking Katz with him. Daniels' encores ranged from a tender "Berceuse créole," of Henri-Pierre Sauguet, to a sprightly, bravura "I'll Sail upon the Dog-Star," by Henry Purcell, from "The Fool's Preferment." [BMG]