La Traviata - Verdi Details

[Highly rated reviewer]

Magnificent

La Triaviata is a wonderful opera. Each time I watch it I get something more out of it and this was no exception. I had some reservations about the sets, the first and third were fairly normal. I thought the second was daft with woodland background and the ground covered with banknotes, this was a time when money was a bit short! And why have all the scaffolding in the last set? But Violetta was incredibly good. She had a strong voice, possibly a little harsh at times, but her acting was superb. I really felt she was the tough courtesan in the first act (watching her receiving all that money while in bed during the overture was a good touch). Then in the second act she was very soft and warm, and in the final act she really looked as though she was dying, (and even looked close to death at her first curtain call). Alfredo and father both sang well and I also quite liked the touch of Alfredo being a photographer. The last act was incredibly good and I found very moving (despite the scaffolding). Its a shame a number of viewers got no pleasure from this, a bit of effort to get over the hump of appreciating the music and the rewards are enormous.