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Also good: Adam Plachetka as Hercule, the half-god who helps wrest Alceste from the underworld and back into the arms of Admete, and Clemens Unterreiner as the high priest - in this version a scowling, white-collared clergyman who instills the fear of God in anyone he glares at.

The audience groaned at the announcement that the Canadian tenor was not fit to sing Thursday and applauded only dutifully when told that Charles Workman would be singing from the orchestra pit with Kaiser acting out the role of Admete on stage But it worked.

Director Christoph Loy opted for a sere staging on a near-empty stage with much of the action only hinted at behind huge sliding doors all but hiding Admete's death bed or opening up for a glimpse of Hades.

Now, at the court of Eurystheus was his beautiful daughter, Admete, a vain princess, who delighted in dress and jewels, and who was never happier than when she obtained some new ornament or article of apparel.

At the command of Eurystheus Heracles had been compelled to bring the girdle from Hippolyte, the queen of the Amazons, for Admete.