From leads to chorus, this cast is top-notch. Bachmann and Ferrer are superb, both separately and in duets such as "Terrace Duet" and "You and I." Whether in a moment of tenderness or one of passion, their voices soar.

Kravitz's hyperactive Freddie is easy to hate until he reveals the root cause of his spiteful nature in the agonizing solo, "Pity the Child." Peoples can out-belt anybody on stage with no apparent effort.

Holtshouser portrays Svetlana's yearning as well as her strength in her songs, particularly the duet with Ferrer, "I Know Him So Well." After standing around staring at the chess players throughout most of Act I, the Arbiter (Will Hayden) comes into his officious own with the "Arbiter's Song." Victor Vail brings heart and soul to his role as Florence's long-lost father.

The 19-member chorus is refreshingly involved, energetic and accurate. Most of the songs are conversation set to music. In a rare gift to the audience, the performers enunciate so well that nothing in the message is lost.

The mostly black-and-white costumes (by Richard Battistelli) reflect the stark nature of the story. An amusing moment in which Soviet and U.S. representatives meet is made more so by having all nine men dressed in similar gray suits.

Set designer Stephen D. Welsh, scenic artist Joy Prentice and lighting designer Jim Robertson have provided a series of mini-sets that delight the eye and give strong support to the mood of each scene. One striking scene is the glitzy, flashy nightclub episode, "One Night in Bangkok." In contrast is the cathedral tryst, lit reverently by rows of votive lights and a glowing, stained-glass window.

There's an urgency about this show that compels one's attention from beginning to end. One feels like a witness to a moment in history that is pervaded by a sense of preordained doom, rather like that in the musical "Cabaret."