Blog prec8m from a few bars of Arturo's music

I can give you the musical highlights in one sentence: Stephen Costello as Arturo sang beautifully, with gleaming, compact tone and jaw-dropping confidence.

I can't say Marcello Giordani had a very good night in the end. Stephen Costello's debut as Arturo was striking indeed; the young tenor sang with perfect confidence from the outset, his voice showing real personality as it blended clarity of line with grainy richness of texture. I found myself wishing he were singing Edgardo in Giordani's place; he will do so on October 25.

A heads up: you might want to catch the performance in which Stephen Costello graduates from...Shemp, or whatever the character's named, to Enrico, because I think in a year or two you may have trouble getting tickets to hear him. This is just a hunch still, based on not that much, but I will tell you the boy isn't even my type so I'm at least not listening with the ears in my pants.

The most secure singing came from debutant Stephen Costello in the small role of Arturo, his tone bright and hardy, with a strip of metal down the center.

(from a non-review of the open rehearsal) Young Stephen Costello will be making his Met debut as Arturo in Lucia on the Monday Opening Night. This young tenor is destined to become one of the greats, IMO. His voice is clear, beautiful, and carried extremely well in the large auditorium that is the Met. His performance leaves one wishing that Arturo has more to do in the opera!

The best part for visiting Philadelphians, though, was when tenor Stephen Costello (locally born and trained) arrived for Lucia's arranged Act II marriage. In his Met debut, he looked wooden - but outside the confines of the Academy of Vocal Arts' acoustically odd theater on Spruce Street, his tenor voice unfurled as though it had found its true home.

An appealing young tenor, Stephen Costello, had a solid Met debut as the well-meaning Arturo.

(That's it, Mr. Tommasini?)

Stephen Costello was sufficiently imposing in the minor duties of Arturo to justify his imminent promotion to Edgardo.

My personal favorite:

Monday night saw the Met debut of a lyric tenor with a big future: That's Stephen Costello, an American. He was Arturo, and, initially, he was a bit tight. But he was also focused, penetrating, and remarkable. He will graduate to the part of Edgardo soon — indeed, he will take it later in this Met run.

Initially = first few notes of his little stanza? (Tight & penetrating ... not going there.)