That occasion, of course, was the ``Carmen on the Common'' extravaganza in September 2002. A total of 140,000 people heard her sexy rendition, and reviews were uniformly glowing. This popularity, coupled with her long association with incoming Boston Symphony Orchestra maestro James Levine, all but guarantees Boston will be a regular stop on her itinerary.

Although she played a foxy Carmen, Mozart is her passion, and she's thrilled to be in town to sing Dorabella. ``I love this opera,'' she said. ``I've been lucky to do it at Spoleto and at a summer festival in Brittany, and it's a role that really suits my voice.

``I'm really more comfortable in the higher repertory, and when Mozart wrote this there was no distinction between soprano and mezzo. So if you're a high mezzo it's not really a stretch to sing it.''

She doesn't have the same to say about Carmen. ``I loved that role, but it really focuses on the dramatic side of things. In some places I felt like a lower voice could handle it easier. But a successful Carmen has to really get at the strong characterization. The singing is secondary sometimes.

``And it's different when the opera is named after your role. You really get a lot of attention. With Mozart, it's all ensemble singing. And all of it has to be beautiful. If you're weaker than everyone else onstage, it really shows. You really stand out. In `Carmen,' the drama is way more important than your voice. With Mozart, you still have to act, but it can never alter your sound.''

Perez's relationship with Levine began in 1999, when she won the National Council auditions. That landed her in the Met's young artist development program, which she completed in 2002. Along the way she's sung Faust, Ariadne auf Naxos and, most notably, in last fall's new production of ``Les Troyens.'' ``Levine always makes you feel comfortable,'' she said.``The last time I sang with him, I didn't have any rehearsal with the orchestra, no rehearsal onstage at all, but even in the first performance I felt perfectly comfortable. It's sometimes tricky when you can't rehearse. Without any other conductor I would have been terrified.

``He has a way of making you feel like he's always there for you if you need him, even when he's far away in the pit. He's just so knowledgeable, not just about opera but lieder as well. But he always makes you feel like you're on the same level as he is. He involves you in any decision. And it's the same whether he's accompanying on piano in recital or far away in the pit with the baton. You still feel like you're making music together. Boston is blessed to have him.''

Next year includes three more operas with Levine in New York: ``Marriage of Figaro,'' ``Faust'' and a new production of ``Magic Flute.'' She also has a pants role - another Perez specialty - as Maffio in a Spanish production of Donizetti's ``Lucretia Borgia.'' ``I'm glad to have it,'' she said, ``because that opera is not done much in the States.

``I'm going to start experimenting with the higher roles more and more, like Donna Elvira in `Don Giovanni' next year. It's hard to experiment, because people place you in a certain category and don't like you to leave it. But I have to keep things interesting. I'd like to have a `Tosca' to my credit someday, too. But I'll always love Mozart and pants roles.''

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