Once the singers finally took the stage, the quality of the performance itself and the unflappable demeanor of the singers quieted any audience concerns. When baritone Vladimir Samsonov took the stage in the title role of Figaro and performed that famous "Figaro, Figaro, Figaro" aria with booming bravura and comic vocal flourishes, the audience response was so overwhelming and applause so thunderous and sustained that the star was compelled to quiet the audience just so the opera could continue. It was a very good start to an artistically excellent performance by the whole troupe.