Still in her 20s, Curtis-trained singer Karen Jesse is one of America’s most promising dramatic sopranos.

OCP pairs up two of the 20th century's funniest short operas.

Curtis Opera Theatre double-casts its main-stage shows — so while I was glad to have caught the bracing Saturday night performance of Don Giovanni at

Fidelio — an ever-timely work celebrating the victory of individual courage over systematic, corrupt oppression — is sublime stuff musically.  But it's not all Big Moral Statements — there is humor, romance and suspense as well, since the leading character is impersonating a guy and flirting nervously with the chief jailor's daughter in order to rescue her unjustly imprisoned husband.

"I'm enjoying the role of Marzelline very much because of the noble story she gets to be a part of in a most unprecedented way: falling in love with Fidelio, a woman disguised as a man in order to free her husband from unjust imprisonment."

If you're new to the opera experience, 1896's La Bohème makes for a fresh, amusing, moving introduction.

Few operas deal so openly with questions of what it means to grow up, awaken to sexuality and learn to trust someone.

Iolanta's simple message (belief in love conquers all impediments) needs nothing elaborate to be a moving musical experience.

The overture — incorporating ever-loathsome slow-motion battle — spoiled the mystery of Norma's famously challenging entrance scena, when any prima donna would be better off calmly backstage.

"It's really exciting to be involved on the ground floor. You can really put your stamp on things, since the audience doesn't come with any preconceived idea of how something should go."