I did have high hopes for this production as La Traviata was my first opera, is my personal favourite Verdi and is one of my all-time favourites. I wasn't entirely blown away or moved in the same way I was with the Zeffirelli film and the Moffo, Gruberova, Fleming(both) Cotrubas, Gheorghiu and McLaughlin productions but I did find much to like about it, and it is certainly better than the Ciofi and Dessay productions. Comparing what I've seen of the Tutto Verdi series so far, La Traviata is somewhere in the middle, not as good as Rigoletto(the best of the series), Luisa Miller, Falstaff and I Vespri Siciliani, but far better than Aida(the worst), Ernani, Il Trovatore and Alzira.
Coming back to this production, visually it is generally good. The sets are rather drab rather than lavish, but the traditional costumes are colourful and beautifully tailored and the video directing is first rate. I liked generally that the production was done on a small stage, it does help give intimacy to the drama of Act 2 in particular and also to the principals. It doesn't entirely work, the big ensembles especially in Act 1 seemed rather crowded and the action too busy. The staging is some of the best from Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann, and by far and large some of their most tasteful. The beginning of Act 1 was for my tastes rather silly and even within the setting and situation taken to extremes. Act 2 was a revelation(wasn't sure though about Gastone's drag-queen-like-voice in the Matador's chorus) dramatically though being very powerful and touching, Violetta and Germont's exquisite duet Ditte Alla Guivine really sizzles and has so much heart and Di Provenza has some of the best interaction between Alfredo and his father that I've seen from any production of La Traviata. Act 3 still moved me, as it should do, there is really the sense also that the characters know that this is the end and there's little or no hope, people may argue that this approach is too somber but I for one liked that touch of realism.
Musically, it's not bad either. By all means it wasn't perfect, while it is a vast improvement over his conducting for Il Trovatore Yuri Temirkanov's conducting could have done with a lighter touch and much more assured pace, like the end of Act 1 there were some moments that did come across as rather pedestrian. The sound is not the best either, it lacks resonance and it is also not very balanced, instead of perfect balance of orchestra and singers it did favour the orchestra too much. However, Verdi's peerless music is beautifully performed by the orchestra, a really lavish sound and sensitive accompanying is needed for the ethereal preludes and a lot of Act 2 and they had that. The chorus sing with a very pleasing and well-balanced tone, and they are animated enough, there isn't the wonderful attention to detail like in Rigoletto but there is much more than stock posturing. The supporting cast are reliable at the very least, Baron Douphol is suitably foppish without being overly so and Flora and Annina are vibrantly bubbly. Roberto Tagliavini is a Dr Grenvil that is imposing yet also sympathetic, with a nice rounded timbre.
The three principals are fine on the whole, there is some excellent singing, all three are good actors with even better rapport with each other and they even have an extra advantage of being close to age-appropriate. The most consistent is Vladimir Stoyanov as Germont, he has the stern and sympathetic qualities of the role dead-on and while more youthful-sounding than most Germonts he sings beautifully and expressively, not a surprise as even in heavier roles he still sang like that. Di Provenza is wonderful, very authoritative and moving. Massimo Giordano is near-perfect as Alfredo, with only a need for smoother and more elegant phrasing at times(his big act 2 aria cabaletta to which it most applies) really coming across as not quite so good. He has a lovely ping to his voice and generally it is a sweet, ardent timbre. He is appropriately impulsive, ardent and somewhat immature, but when Alfredo is shocked and devastated at the end of Act 2 and throughout Act 3 he genuinely looks it and we feel it too as a result. Svetla Vassileva does a very brave job in the challenging role of Violetta. Not ideal perhaps, not all her runs are as crisp as they could've been and her pitching is uncertain sometimes. However, she does a striking dark quality to her voice and has good breath support and musicality as well as most of the notes(though more in the non-Bel-Canto moments). Her stage presence is hugely affecting too.
Overall, impressive if imperfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Coming back to this production, visually it is generally good. The sets are rather drab rather than lavish, but the traditional costumes are colourful and beautifully tailored and the video directing is first rate. I liked generally that the production was done on a small stage, it does help give intimacy to the drama of Act 2 in particular and also to the principals. It doesn't entirely work, the big ensembles especially in Act 1 seemed rather crowded and the action too busy. The staging is some of the best from Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann, and by far and large some of their most tasteful. The beginning of Act 1 was for my tastes rather silly and even within the setting and situation taken to extremes. Act 2 was a revelation(wasn't sure though about Gastone's drag-queen-like-voice in the Matador's chorus) dramatically though being very powerful and touching, Violetta and Germont's exquisite duet Ditte Alla Guivine really sizzles and has so much heart and Di Provenza has some of the best interaction between Alfredo and his father that I've seen from any production of La Traviata. Act 3 still moved me, as it should do, there is really the sense also that the characters know that this is the end and there's little or no hope, people may argue that this approach is too somber but I for one liked that touch of realism.
Musically, it's not bad either. By all means it wasn't perfect, while it is a vast improvement over his conducting for Il Trovatore Yuri Temirkanov's conducting could have done with a lighter touch and much more assured pace, like the end of Act 1 there were some moments that did come across as rather pedestrian. The sound is not the best either, it lacks resonance and it is also not very balanced, instead of perfect balance of orchestra and singers it did favour the orchestra too much. However, Verdi's peerless music is beautifully performed by the orchestra, a really lavish sound and sensitive accompanying is needed for the ethereal preludes and a lot of Act 2 and they had that. The chorus sing with a very pleasing and well-balanced tone, and they are animated enough, there isn't the wonderful attention to detail like in Rigoletto but there is much more than stock posturing. The supporting cast are reliable at the very least, Baron Douphol is suitably foppish without being overly so and Flora and Annina are vibrantly bubbly. Roberto Tagliavini is a Dr Grenvil that is imposing yet also sympathetic, with a nice rounded timbre.
The three principals are fine on the whole, there is some excellent singing, all three are good actors with even better rapport with each other and they even have an extra advantage of being close to age-appropriate. The most consistent is Vladimir Stoyanov as Germont, he has the stern and sympathetic qualities of the role dead-on and while more youthful-sounding than most Germonts he sings beautifully and expressively, not a surprise as even in heavier roles he still sang like that. Di Provenza is wonderful, very authoritative and moving. Massimo Giordano is near-perfect as Alfredo, with only a need for smoother and more elegant phrasing at times(his big act 2 aria cabaletta to which it most applies) really coming across as not quite so good. He has a lovely ping to his voice and generally it is a sweet, ardent timbre. He is appropriately impulsive, ardent and somewhat immature, but when Alfredo is shocked and devastated at the end of Act 2 and throughout Act 3 he genuinely looks it and we feel it too as a result. Svetla Vassileva does a very brave job in the challenging role of Violetta. Not ideal perhaps, not all her runs are as crisp as they could've been and her pitching is uncertain sometimes. However, she does a striking dark quality to her voice and has good breath support and musicality as well as most of the notes(though more in the non-Bel-Canto moments). Her stage presence is hugely affecting too.
Overall, impressive if imperfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox
