CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES, La voix humaine, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Sept. 10

Francis Poulenc is not known for his operas — he wrote only three — but they are among the major operatic works from the mid 20th century. Two have been staged in Utah, but not by Utah Opera — for that, one has to turn to the University of Utah. In 2010 the U.’s Lyric Opera Ensemble did a splendid production of Dialogues des Carmélites. And Wednesday, soprano Olivia Custodio, a graduate student at the U., gave a stand out performance of Poulenc’s one-woman one-acter La voix humaine.

Olivia Custodio

The 50-minute opera, based on the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau, is a dark study of a woman (referred to only as elle, “she”) who has her final conversation with her former lover via telephone. She knows the affair is over but she refuses to acknowledge it, and as the conversation progresses she becomes more desperate and agitated. It’s tragic and heart breaking to witness the woman’s mental breakdown, and Custodio gave a stellar performance. One is drawn into her world, one feels her anguish and desperation as she struggles to keep him on the line and in her life. She fails, of course. In the end, she commits suicide.

Shows with only one performer are extremely difficult to do. The focus is unwaveringly on the performer. It’s a demanding and challenging and, when done well, extremely rewarding for the performer and the audience.

That was the case with La voix humaine. Custodio owned the role. Through her considerable and impressive acting skills she brought depth, definition and clarity to her portrayal of a desperate woman who refuses to give up her lover. It was quite honestly heart wrenching to see her downward spiral.

Her singing was no less remarkable. Custodio’s voice has the power and brilliance to convey the drama convincingly, while possessing the right amount of lyricism to underscore the expressiveness of her part. It was a tour de force performance that was mesmerizing.

Stage director Lucas Goodrich made good use of the small stage area in the museum’s gallery, and Paul Dorgan’s sensitively delineated piano playing complemented Custodio’s singing and never allowed it to overshadow her.