Madison Hatten, Andrew Metzger, and Jonathan Spencer Photo by Pocket Opera

Like most operettas, the storyline by librettists Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy is fanciful. As Artistic Director Nicolas A. Garcia notes, "Dramatic, it ain't," though charming and funny it is. Parisian dandies Gardefeu (Andrew Metzger) and Bobinet (Justin Baptista) vie for the affection of demi-mondaine Métella (Phoebe Dinga), but when they see her at the train station with another man, the suitors turn to another quarry. An arriving Swedish baron's wife (Madison Hatten) appeals, and the baron's (Jonathan Spencer) wayward ways provide the opportunity for Gardefeu to spirit the baroness away.

The silly subterfuge involves characterizing Gardefeu's apartment, where the honored guests will stay, as an overflow of the Grand Hotel, where they are booked. Dalliances ensue, but in the end, the old alliances are reaffirmed. Although the plot and humor build slowly, Acts 3 and 4 after intermission redeem the work. Overall, the artists exude charm and sing the 19th century French pop music with verve.

Offenbach's music doesn't possess the sweep of his more serious efforts, but it is lively throughout. Some of the songs highlight loopy repetition like "frou, frou, toc, toc" or goofy topics like whether boots or gloves are more important to fashion. The latter is sung by Frick the bootmaker (Michael Mendelsohn) and Gabrielle the glovemaker (Marla Kavanaugh), whose subplot is totally superfluous, but they are pleasing performers, so all is forgiven.

The ensembles, starting with the appropriate "City of Light," and choruses are very bouncy. Credit music director Paul Schrage for execution by the company with great flair and precision. On the other hand, the orchestra didn't seem as together on the opening performance, either with itself or with the singers.

The star singers are the mezzo Dinga as the courtesan Métella and soprano Hatten as the baroness. Both have beautiful, clear voices and get to strut their stuff with blasts at the top of their range. Particular kudos go to Madison Hatten, as she had 48 hours to prepare for the role. She was engaged for a bottom-row part, but when COVID hit the scheduled baroness, Hatten stepped in flawlessly with confident singing and acting, making one wonder why she didn't have a major part to begin with.

Pocket Opera makes this rendition more apropos with some updating and local color. For example, with no resources at his disposal, Gardefeu must make a banquet materialize with distinguished diners for his "Grand Hotel" guests. So what does he do for invitees? He enlists servants. And what does he do for food? He calls DoorDash, of course.

DoorDash is a single laugh line, but the alteration of a character provides perhaps the greatest pizzazz and biggest laughs in the piece. Bobinet's aunt, the unwitting hostess to the banquet and party, becomes Mme. Dublin-Pleasanton. While Bay Area residents will certainly see and sound the names of two East Bay suburbs, the name pronounces quite amiably in French. The role is played by drag queen Lady Camden, who looks straight out of a Toulouse-Lautrec painting from the Moulin Rouge with a pointy nose and chin and bouffed red hair. Not only does she lead an animated Can-Can dance, but she leaps into a full splits at the end.

Other special recognition goes to Garcia and stage director Phil Lowery. The fixed set is minimal, but props and imagination fill out the vision effectively, complemented by Lance Müller's huge array of fantastic costumery and Lissa Resnick's choreography. For a chamber opera, it is a very impressive production.

And for those who aren't familiar, in recent times, the company produces four operas per year, with only three performances per opera at three different venues. Imagine not only schlepping the whole production to each venue for one performance, but dealing with all of the unique characteristics at each, such as different lighting and stage configurations. Thanks to Pocket Opera for making its tiny excellence so accessible.

Pocket Opera's La Vie Parisienne runs through July 20, 2025, at at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View CA, and on July 27, 2025, at Legion of Honor, 100 34th Avenue, San Francisco CA. For tickets and information, please visit pocketopera.org.