G. Verdi’s La Traviata at the Loft Cinema
For the second opera in the Cinema in Opera series the Loft Cinema chose La Traviata staring Angela Gheorghiu in her La Scala debut as Violetta in 2007. Considering all the publicity, pro and con reviews and personal comments on YouTube surrounding the Romanian soprano’s performance, its safe to assume that the Opera World still craves her tempestuous personality. And in Gheorghiu’s long and at times, illustrious career she has talked, acted and sang like a Diva; in fact, she may be the only soprano around that can keep critics supplied with lots of juicy copy about her personal life. At present, she’s in the middle of a divorce after 13 years of marriage with tenor, Roberto Alagna, her equal in temperamental flare-ups.
On the opening night of this production, Gheorghiu received bravos and boos for parts of her interpretation with conductor Lorin Maazel getting some vociferous boos for what many thought was too heavy a hand for the lighter touches in Verdi’s score.Tenor, Ramon Vargas got a mixed reception for his Alfredo and even though baritone, Even though Roberto Frontali’s dark and full measured singing of the elder Germont was appreciated in the telecast, there were boos for La Scala cutting his second act cabaletta after his aria, Di Provenza il mar on opening night. There was some dissent over Liliana Cavani’s by-the-book direction, Dante Feretti’s traditional sets and Mariana Bianchi’s refreshed costumes in a production originally seen 18 years ago. To put a damper on the dissent, La Scala wisely chose to broadcast one of the later performances which presented a more congenial audience response to the singers and Maazel’s conducting which definitely benefited the artists.
Gheorghiu has proven to be an operatic enigma. She was highly praised for her Covent Garden debut as Violetta in 1994. Again, as late as 2006, she was warmly received in La Traviata at the Met. By 2007, however, her vocal output and dramatic interpretation to the role has resulted into a hit or miss characterization. More’s the pity, since it’s been evident over the years that she not only loves the role but has a a true emotional understanding of Verdi’s abandoned heroine. Unfortunately, her acting has taken on a self-conscious, jerky stage deportment, probably because the voice has lost some of its sheen and tender warmth.
But in those moments when Gheorghiu’s natural vocal and dramatic talents were able to scale the beautiful musical lines so plentiful in Verdi’s score, she evoked a pathos in Violetta that many a soprano would envy. Her artistic approaches are moving and heartfelt; there just not consistent.
Gheorghiu’s best moments came when she let herself relax into the character’s emotional responses: Violetta’s realization in Act One that romantic love could be hers. Her sincere delivery of Dite alla giovine in Act Two when she willingly sacrifices her own happiness to save Germont’s daughter pending marriage. The heartbreak in parting with Alfredo in the passage Amami Alfredo again in Act Two. Best of all was Gheorghiu’s aria Addio,del passato in Act Three where she matched her vocal acumen to the emotional responses Verdi created for his Violetta. She scheduled to sing the role in 2010 at the Met; it’s a great opportunity for the soprano to bring her Violetta to its former glory.
Both Vargas and Maazel fared better in the telecast. The tenor displayed more of the honeyed tone and smooth legato that he is known for. And Maazel was able to even out his musical approach to get a respectable hand at his curtain call.
One of the most exciting elements of these La Scala telecasts is that you get to hear exactly what the avid and sometimes boisterous fans think of the opera they are attending. The live telecast on December 7th, that opens 2009-10 season , will be G. Bizet’s Carmen. Most opera fans will be paying close attention to opera’s newest tenor sensation, Jonas Kaufmann in his role as Don Jose, another forsaken lover in the opera canon. In the upcoming telecast, American opera fans will get to see and hear the audience’s on the spot reactions to the singing. There could be cheering, there could be booing, and even strong vocal objections of what the Italians see before them. For many American opera fans, who are not used to this kind of reaction, it can result in feelings of disapproval whereas for Italian fans its part of the the total performance and one this opera goer always looks forward to. Come and enjoy!
