Carl Maria von Weber began work on a comic opera, "Die Drei Pintos" (The Three Pintos), but abandoned it in 1821 in favor of "Euryanthe." Prolific composer Gustav Mahler, who never wrote an opera of his own, completed a performing edition of "Drei Pintos," using lesser-known Weber music, and conducted its premiere in Leipzig in 1888. Revived and recorded, during the 1960s and '70s, "Drei Pintos" reached New York this month, thanks to the Bronx Opera Company, embarking on its 42nd season, which gave the work, almost Mozartian in its classicism, with the substantial orchestration one expects of Mahler, an amusing local stage premiere production, in English translation, with a high-level cast, under the baton of Artistic Director Michael Spierman. The first Bronx Opera performances took place on January 9 and 10 at the Lovinger Theater, at Lehman College. I heard the first of its two repetitions at the Kaye Playhouse, at Hunter College in Manhattan, on January 16.

Don Pinto de Fonseca (Jack Anderson White), a foolish, aging virgin and glutton, is on his way to woo his intended Clarissa (Caprice Corona), daughter of his father's friend, Don Pantaleone Ruiz de Pacheco (Richard Bozic). When Don Pinto pauses at a tavern, run by Gustavo (Jonathan Harris), Don Gaston de Viratos (Luke Grooms), a student, and his friend, Ambrosio (Jason Plourde), mischievously get Don Pinto drunk and steal his letter introduction of to Don Pantaleone. Don Gaston abandons his plan to pretend to be Don Pinto, when he finds Clarissa, who loves Don Gomez de Freiros (Neal Harrelson), so distraught, and presents the letter to Don Gomez, who is also not known to Don Pantaleone. Needless to say, the real, repulsive Don Pinto shows up at the wedding and, unwanted and thought an impostor, is sent packing. Once the deceptions are unraveled and everyone paired up appropriately, a happy ending is inevitable.

The evening began with a rousing overture, created, using Weber's music, by Assistant Conductor Eric Kramer, who conducted the January 9 premiere. Tenor Grooms showed off his amazing high range in, in quick succession, Don Gaston's drinking song; a farewell; consideration, with trepidation, of his future; lament about the huge tavern bill he has run up; and love song, to a Spanish dance rhythm, to Inez (Samantha Pruyn Guevrekian), Gustavo's comely daughter. In a buffo trio, in which Gaston and Ambrosio attempt to teach the hapless Don Pinto about lovemaking, low-voiced Plourde, role-playing as Pinto's intended, skillfully negotiated phrases in falsetto. Later, in a similar vein, Plourde evoked the sounds of the castanets and clarinets in the orchestra.

Corona, as Clarissa, proved fairly impressive in a grand aria, on the order of those of Mozart and other Weber heroines, about her true love and fear that her father will succeed in opposing her choice. Lyric mezzo-soprano Julie De Vaere, as her faithful servant and confidante, Laura, ingratiated with couplets advising her mistress; led the women's chorus as they prepared for Clarissa's wedding; and joined Plourde and Grooms in a comic canon trio, in which Laura and Ambrosio discovered they'd found love at first sight with each other. Guevrekian lent a lyric soprano at once pure and full to Inez's Latin-flavored entrance love song.

Corona and Harrelson joined forces for a lyrical love duet, and Harrelson and Grooms strikingly blended their tenor voices, in a trio with Plourde, to spar over the beloved Clarissa. Kudos to the ensemble for fine choruses of knowing servants.

Stage direction and translation were by Benjamin Spierman. Meganne George, Meg Zeder, and Joshua Rose designed, respectively, the sets, costumes, and lighting.

In the spring, the Bronx Opera presents Gaetano Donizetti's comedy "Don Pasquale," in English, at the Lovinger Theater, on May 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., and at the J.C. Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University, on May 14 at 8 p.m. and 15 at 2 p.m. Visit www.bronxopera.org for details.