The presentation was extraordinary. Barrett and Shimoni played with dramatic flair and passion, while the singers gave a sterling performance filled with rapturous singing and powerful acting.

Musto's work boasts a sophisticated score peppered with striking harmonies within an overall tonal framework. The music underscores the broad comedy with boldness while also incorporating ingratiating lyricism into the fabric.

The real gem of the two operas, however, is Bolcom's "Lucrezia." Molded in the style of a zarzuela (a popular Latin American type of operetta), it gives him ample opportunity of dotting his score with Spanish dances and songs. And together with the saucy humor of the story, "Lucrezia" quite literally lives up to Bolcom's description of the piece as something "imagined by the Marx Brothers." It's an off the wall farce, but it's certainly not a piece of fluff. Unlike anything by the Marx Brothers, "Lucrezia" has depth, intellectual substance and meaning.

At 70, Bolcom doesn't have anything to prove anymore. He did that already a long time ago. He is without question one of the most exciting and dynamic composers today, with a seemingly endless source of inspiration. It's a given that his works will continue to be performed and recorded long after he's written his last measure of music. And until that time comes, Bolcom will remain a major and vibrant figure in classical music.

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E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com