BUTLER TWP — Michael Forest, a tenor of international renown, brought down the house at Butler Intermediate High School during the Butler Symphony Orchestra’s concert, Night of Song, on Saturday night.

The aggressive opening of Sir William Walton’s “Portsmouth Point,” jolted everyone in their seats. The strongly rhythmic work continued briskly as it portrayed a bustling seaport in angular, modern tonalities.

Although the work is less familiar, the orchestra, led by guest conductor Bruce Lauffer, performed it with élan.

Forest’s initial offering, “Per peita, non ricercate” from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutti” displayed his soaring range. He managed to imbue the song with dignified sadness.

In another nod to opera, the orchestra played two well known songs from Georges Bizet’s “Carmen.” As interpreted by Lauffer, “Les Toreadors” was more choppy than normally heard but avoided the inclination to be syrupy. “The Habanera” while competently played, failed to convey the overtly flirtatious nature of the work.

Returning to the stage, Forest sang “Ah! Levitoi Soliel” from Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliette,” followed by “The Flower Song” from “Carmen.” Forest’s voice was well suited to the highly romantic works and he brought the composer’s words to life.

Concluding the first half of the concert, the orchestra played Ralph Vaughn William’s delightful “English Folk Song Suite.” The charming melodies and perky rhythms were a pleasure to hear.

“A Dance Rhapsody” by American composer Frederick Delius began with an almost mystical theme played by the woodwinds. Its abrupt changes into a more jazzy melody carried some elements of Virginia reels as well as hints of ragtime cadences. The radical changes in tempo were well handled by the orchestra.

Forest capped the program off with the true highlights of the evening.

First, he sang “Maria” by Leonard Bernstein with sweet tenderness. He then treated the audience to a taste of his signature role, a character by the name of Sportin’ Life from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”

His performance as the appealing tempter came alive as he sashayed across the stage crooning “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin Soon.” The audience responded immediately with a well-deserved standing ovation which earned the wonderful encore “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

It was a warm ending to a concert on a cold winter evening.