BARRE – Excitement. That’s not been a word often connected with Vermont Philharmonic concerts, but that is exactly what could be felt throughout the audience at Saturday’s concert at the Barre Opera House. Part was due to stellar performances by three up-and-coming young opera singers, but it was also because the state’s oldest community hasn’t played this well in many, many years. Conducted by Music Director, Lo Kosma, it was an exciting concert.

(The concert was repeated Sunday afternoon at the Hardwick Town House, reportedly with the same response.) For the opening concert of its 2007-2008 season, the Philharmonic partnered with the Bel Canto Institute, an American opera seminar-competition in Florence, Italy. The three winners, two sopranos and a tenor, received enthusiastic ovations for popular arias, but so did the orchestra for its opera overtures and interludes. Powerful performances were delivered by soprano Caroline McKenzie.

With a somewhat dark and beautiful voice, she performed “Al guidami: coppia inqua” from Donizetti’s seldom-performed “Anna Bolena.” Throughout, she effectively imbued the words and their meaning with musical expressiveness tailored to the words and their meaning. In short, she’s a dramatic soprano. Despite some square phrasing, McKenzie’s performance of “Ritorno vincitor” from Verdi’s “Aida” was brilliant, beautiful and moving.

Jonathan Winell, with his soft-edged tenor, sang with heartfelt expression and unusual accuracy in “De’ miei bollenti spiriti” from Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Although he lacked Italian edges, Winnell sang with uncanny ease, nailing the high notes seemingly without effort. His lyrical singing would by ideal in French opera.

He nearly brought the house down with the concert’s closing piece, from Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” the beloved “La donna и mobile.” The same could be said of soprano Christel Smith’s passionate but lyrical performance of “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicci.” There was also a sweet warmth as well as lyricism in her “Come per me sereno” from Bellini’s “La Sonnambula.” Although none of the three singers is a finished artist who has truly learned to live the music, they all have the vocal, technical and emotional skills to be successful opera singers. It would be wonderful if this could become an annual event, and maybe a duet or two? The Philharmonic’s accompaniment of the singers was amazingly sensitive and accurate. This is not such a surprise as Kosma is a long-time bass player with the Metropolitan Opera and intimately familiar with this music. Yes, there were a few rough edges, but the orchestra always seemed together with the singers, never overpowering them. And the orchestra sounded good, sometimes wonderful. Much the same could be said for the orchestral selections. While there was some intonation trouble with the Intermezzo from Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci,” though the spirit was certainly there, the Prelude and Siciliana from Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” was sensual, sonically beautiful and powerful – and the audience loved it. Still, the Overture to Verdi’s “Nabucco,” the concert’s opener, was the best orchestral performance of the evening, accurate, spirited and moving.