11.   Again and again, what strikes the ear is the gracelessness of the vocal line, the strained declamation.

12.   But its declamatory vocal line, sung ably by Douglas Webster, was far less interesting than the shimmering, slowly unfolding piano score, played by Lisa Moore.

13.   But in the second act highflying vocal lines put both the young lovers over the aural edge.

14.   Franklin appears on six cuts, giving brief spoken introductions, interjecting praise or leading the choir into the next vocal line, but he never seems intrusive.

15.   He seemed to be aiming for overall sweep and a free, expressive vocal line.

16.   It is plaintively poignant but buoyed by intriguing vocal lines and keyboards.

17.   Jagged vocal lines send the singers into the extremes of their ranges.

18.   Jittery instrumental riffs collide with sustained vocal lines, broken by refrains for chorus in block harmony.

19.   Lieberson gives Lakshmi some tortured vocal lines, but the fine soprano Clare Gormley sang them gamely.

20.   Meanwhile the vocal lines jump around and dangle asymmetrically over the steady kick of funk and garage-rock beats.