Heartbeat Opera has made a compelling case that Vanessa, a somewhat neglected American opera by Samuel Barber, should be programmed into a season of every opera company. In particular, this production should be the main ambassador in its travels. Director R.B. Schlather has found the soul of Barber’s masterpiece while stripping away all excess, making it accessible and also (so important in today’s economic realities,) affordable to stage. Furthermore, it is an excellent “gateway drug” for companies looking for new audiences unexposed to the operatic canon.

In addition, Dan Schlosberg, with his spare but rich arrangements for only seven instrumentalists, completes the package for opera companies of any size.

Barber only wrote three operas; the first as a child and the last, problematic. But in between he composed the stunning and moving score of Vanessa (with a libretto by his longtime collaborator Gian Carlo Menotti).

Though Barber was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and a premiere at the Met shortly after it was written, Vanessa is seldom revived. This is surprising because it checks all the boxes: there are plenty of beautiful, memorable airs (from the romantic composer of Adagio for Strings) and also plenty of dissonance to satisfy proponents of “new” opera who eschew anything that sounds melodic. It is, in fact, Barber’s blend of the classical and avant-garde that makes many of his compositions truly original works of art.

There are a number of surprises in the superb Menotti plot, so details will be kept to a minimum. Vanessa, a woman of substantial wealth and a mild case of insanity, has been waiting twenty years for the return of her married lover Anatol to her mansion deep in the woods where she has remained “alone apart and unseen”. We join the story on the night of Anatol’s return, only it isn’t that Anatol, but rather his son of the same name. This Anatol is a cad, with a capital “C” and not only seduces Vanessa, but her niece Erika as well. But who truly loves whom? As in all great drama, the answers are never obvious and we walk out still wondering. Expertly crafted by Menotti, we slowly watch the very different Erika and Vanessa play out and swap their character arcs as if they were evolving mirrors.

Vanessa has been edited down over the years and here it is presented in a tight, lean 100 minutes. There are no supernumeraries, singing servants or choral drinking songs. Nothing feels like it’s missing, however, except perhaps the thrills Barber wrote for a full string section and the dramatic explosions of a full orchestra. But for this production, the small band, crisply conducted by artistic director Jacob Ashworth, is more than sufficient.

The set is nothing more than a few chairs and a white scrim far upstage. The frontal, dramatic lighting by Yuki Nakase Link, forces the performers to cast shadows on the scrim. This was no doubt inspired by Erika’s line, “Sometimes I am her niece, but mostly her shadow.” It also gets to the core of the story as we learn that every character has a shadow self, hiding secrets. Director Schlather keeps staging to a minimum; in fact, everyone walks in a slow, stylized movement, allowing their shadows to slowly follow.

Dame Kiri Tekanawa and others have played the title role of Vanessa, and while a diva is certainly needed here, the story is a true ensemble piece. Erika, Vanessa’s niece, emerges as the truly challenging (and perhaps even starring) role with the wide range of emotional ground she must cover. Vanessa, on the other hand, remains slightly mad and very delusional for most of the evening.

Soprano Inna Dukach, as Vanessa, is certainly convincing in those aspects of the titular character and her passions are well-played. Also impressive are her effortless, sustained diminuendo at the end of very emotional phrases.

Mezzo Kelsey Lauritano, as Erika, carries the emotional load for the evening, experiencing loneliness, passion, confusion, heartbreak and resignation. We feel all of that thanks to Ms. Lauritano, who is that rare combination of great singer and great actress. The most famous aria from the opera “Must the Winter Come So Soon?” proves to be one of Ms. Lauritano’s finest moments as she sets the table for the evening with a particularly poignant rendition.

As Anatol, dramatic tenor Freddie Ballentine has a muscular intensity in his voice with crystal clear, high notes. His performance comes off as the ultimate alley cat, purring as he gets everything he wants (from both Vanessa and, at first Erika) and then pathetic and sad when he can’t get what he really wants (later from Erika.) Anatol is described as “incapable of love” but in Mr. Ballentine’s sterling performance he is capable of our pity.

Veteran mezzo Mary Phillips’ stalwart and immovable portrayal of the Baroness demands our attention not only when her tremendous voice enters the conversation but even when she is silent and sitting still.

Baritone Joshua Jeremiah as the Doctor is an admirable singer and is both tender and powerful when required, but he is miscast here. He is far too young to be a drunk old doctor (he’s supposed to be older than Vanessa and was her pediatrician) and his position as a comic relief feels forced.

Together Ms. Dukach, Ms. Lauritano, Mr. Ballentine, Ms. Phillips and Mr. Jeremiah prove to be a brilliant blend in the famous, heart-breaking Quintet near the end of the show, featuring Barber’s lingering melody sung ‘in the round’ with Menotti’s simple poetry:

“To leave, to break,

to find, to keep,

to stay, to wait,

to hope, to dream,

to weep and remember.

To love is all of this and none of it is love.”

Interspersed, Menotti has written vocal lines explaining what will happen to each character after the curtain descends. None have heeded Anatol’s (and Menotti’s) advice from earlier in the show:

“Love has a bitter core…do not taste too deep.”

Note: Last year, Heartbeat Opera’s production of Vanessa became the first opera ever to be developed at Williamstown Theatre Festival.