Raleigh -- Opera is written to be heard in venues with acoustics so superior that amplification is not required. For most of its dozen years, Opera Company of North Carolina has performed in Memorial Auditorium, a 2,200-seat, multipurpose hall where amplification is needed. Thursday's premiere of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" signaled the possibilities of 600-seat Fletcher Opera Theater as an acoustically appropriate alternative.

With no previous experience on such an intimate scale, the Raleigh company collaborated with Asheville Lyric Opera, which regularly stages small-venue productions, to co-produce "Lucia." The result has enough pleasures to counterbalance several liabilities.

The production marks the first time Donizetti's melodic tale of thwarted love in 17th-century Scotland has been staged in the Triangle, reflecting the difficulty of finding voices with the requisite suppleness for the intricate vocal lines. The young singers here are in the early parts of their careers, some still ironing out problem spots. The cast's spirited physicality and down-to-earth characterizations help make up for its lack of vocal uniformity.

Any successful production of "Lucia" rests firmly on the shoulders of the leading lady. Talise Trevigne's warm, clear voice expresses a generous range of emotions and colors. She uses vocal ornaments sparingly but effectively, keeping her interpretation focused on the drama rather than on pyrotechnic display. She caps arias and duets with thrilling high notes (most notably in the famous "Sextet") and makes her mad scene a showpiece of manic mood changes.

As Lucia's brother Enrico, James Taylor matches Trevigne's dramatic intensity and lyrical vocalism. His is not a huge voice but he uses it subtly, most effective in Enrico's moving duet with Lucia. Branch Fields as the priest Raimondo has the cast's most sonorous voice, its power and musicality impressive despite its rough patches. Benjamin Bunsold's Arturo, Lucia's ill-fated husband, and Teresa Buchholz's Alisa, her faithful maid, add winning portraits.

As Lucia's banished lover Edgardo, David Ossenfort tries valiantly, but he lacks full control of the role's highest range. Much of his singing is forced and raw, and his bumpkinlike characterization detracts.

Timothy Myers conducts the modest-sized but effective orchestra with sensitivity and a good understanding of bel canto style, though slow tempos keep some key sections from taking off. Stage director James Marvel's best work is with the lovers, their attraction made believable. He stages the drama cleanly, faltering only in the overuse of a ghostly figure and not enough work with the chorus. The sets are old-fashioned drops and flats, serviceable but a missed chance for a more creative approach.

The production's chief pleasure is having voices up close and without amplification. This "Lucia" proves that intimate operas can be effectively produced in Fletcher. Here's hoping that Opera Company will build on its first attempt in this desirable venue.