For its fall production, Juilliard Opera Center fielded an ensemble of promising bel canto voices in a sparkling "Le Comte Ory" (1828), of Gioachino Rossini, under conductor Asher Fisch, beginning on November 14. This "Comte Ory" at times became a high note fest, a 'can you top this?' contest between tenor Alek Shrader and soprano Brenda Rae.

While other men have gone off to the Crusades in the Middle East, in this comedy, with text by Eugène Scribe and Charles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson, the rakish Count Ory and his men have remained in Touraine in pursuit of the comely Countess Adèle and other women who've remained at the castle of Formoutiers. Ory and his roguish band disguise themselves, first, as a pious hermit, adviser in matters of the heart, and his disciples and, then, as Soeur Colette and other nuns, seeking shelter in the château, ostensibly from unwanted advances from the notorious Count.

Alek Shrader (Ory); Brenda Rae (Adèle) - photo by Nan Melville

Starting with his entrance aria, "Que les destins prospères," high tenor Shrader, as Ory, fearlessly flung out top tone after top tone, which needed just the last touch of polish to remove any reservation and make his effort fully laudable. Nothing tarnished Shrader's work, though, in the hushed choral second act plea, "Noble châtelaine,/voyez notre peine," in which he took the top line and climactic notes in dulcet head tone.

Admired here recently in "Miss Lonelyhearts" and "Orphée aux Enfers," Rae dazzled with cascades of perfect coloratura and agreeable embellishments, in Adèle's entrance cavatina, "En proie à la tristesse," and cabaletta, "Céleste providence!" and elsewhere, that should stand her in good stead with major companies.

Shrader and Rae set off sparks with their collaboration on the duet "Ah! quel respect, madame."

Baritone Paul La Rosa, as Ory's crony, Raimbaud, contributed a zesty patter cavatina, "Dans ce lieu solitaire," with rondo cabaletta, celebrating his raid on the castle's well-stocked wine cellar. Two fine mezzo-sopranos, Julie Boulianne as the Count's page and Countess' cousin and suitor, Isolier, and Renée Tatum, as Ragonde, Adèle's lady-in-waiting; bass Marc Webster as the Count's tutor; and soprano Jessica Klein as the peasant woman Alice, completed the solo septet, responsible for the striking a cappella "O terreur, ô peine extreme" and bubbly stretta, with the chorus, to close the first act.

Alek Shrader (Ory); Paul LaRosa (Raimbaud) photo by Nan Melville

Sam Helfich directed "Le Comte Ory" and designs were by John Conklin (sets), Olivera Gajic (costumes) and Japhy Weideman (lighting). The action was set on a raked platform, with castle walls adorned with leering demons (outside) and avenging angels (inside). A couch, covered in hot pink metallic fabric, was a prominent part of seducer Ory's arsenal in the first act and, with his red velvet suit, he wore shoes that matched it. The village maidens lounged, puffing cigarettes, after their apparently satisfying encounters with the 'hermit's' disciples. A cutout kinight was lowered onto the stage with a message, announcing the Crusaders' impending return, impaled on the end of his sword. Ory's men prowled the stage, wearing wolves' heads and accosting Adèle's women, during the storm scene. The men, retaining their facial hair, cavorted in their nun's habits, lifting them to show us bare hairy legs, long johns, or what have you, underneath, and joined for a kick line. In the trio, "A la faveur de cette nuit obscure," Shrader's Ory, as Soeur Colette, wooed Boulianne's Isolier, sporting Adèle's headdress, in the darkness, instead of Rae's Adèle, who observed, with amusement, from beneath a table. That a good time was had by all, before the Crusaders returned, was clear, as the men and women sang the finale more or less in their underwear, clutching the rest of their clothes in front of them.

Remaining performances of "Comte Ory" are on November 16 at 8 pm and 18 at 2 pm. Obtain tickets at $20 at the Juilliard box office at Lincoln Center or by calling 212/721-6500. Half-price tickets are available to students and senior citizens with ID at the box office. For more information, go to www.juilliard.edu.

On April 23, 25 and 27, Juilliard Opera Center gives the much-anticipated New York premiere performances of composer Ned Rorem and poet and librettist J.D. McClatchy's "Our Town," after Thornton Wilder's play. Anne Manson conducts and Edward Berkeley directs. The opera was introduced at Indiana University in February 2006.