The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra opened its season Friday night at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul with a world premiere, plus several favorites that showed off members of the orchestra. They set the bar high for the rest of the season.

The world premiere, commissioned by SPCO and the male vocal ensemble Cantus, was "Luminous Body," by composer Nico Muhly and librettist Craig Lucas. SPCO has certainly caught a cultural wave. The men's opera, "Two Boys," commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, just had its triumphant premiere at English National Opera in London.

Describing the opera as "a glorified episode of 'Law & Order: SVU,'" Muhly said he wanted to create something anti-narrative and meditative. Lucas' text, paraphrasing various sacred sources, was complex and worthy of meditation.

Muhly has an innate sense of illuminating text. The rich harmonies of his setting of the Beatitudes touched the soul. But at times, he reduced the text to texture, breaking it down into chatter. At others, the voices sounded like accompaniment to the orchestra. But these never felt gimmicky, always thought-provoking and engaging.

The nine men of Cantus were ideally suited to the clouds of ethereal sound. Their pure tone, balanced harmonies and impeccable diction perfectly executed the masterful score.

In the hands of conductor Joana Carneiro, "Luminous Body" was absolutely transparent and utterly accessible. The orchestra played as if it had been in their repertoire for years. All that was missing was an encore, the chance to experience it again.

Haydn's Sinfonia concertante in B-flat is an elegant, audience-pleasing trifle. Carneiro led a graceful, yet still dramatic performance. With soloists Kathryn Greenback (oboe), Charles Ullery (bassoon), Steven Copes (violin) and Bion Tsang (cello) playing like a long-standing chamber ensemble, it was also deserving of an encore.

Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor showcased associate concertmaster Ruggero Allifranchini and new principal second violin Kyu-Young Kim. With his warm, full-bodied tome and command of passagework, it was good to have Kim back. (He had once been associate concertmaster himself.)

The orchestra took center stage in the Brahms' "Variation on a Theme of Haydn." Carneiro celebrated the various orchestral colors of the eight variations, taking the familiar music seriously, but having fun with it. It was a nice treat.

William Randall Beard writes regularly about music.