Lisette Oropesa takes a bis

  

This is "Addio des passato" from La Traviata.  I love that the encore performance is back in international opera.  Lisette gets better every year.

La Traviata from Philadelphia

 

Conductor:  Corrado Rovaris
Director:  Paul Curranan *

Violetta: Lisette Oropesa 
Alfredo: Alek Shrader
Giorgio Germont;  Stephen Powell: 

I am here for Lisette, naturally.  I think this is her role debut in 2015 in one of Verdi's greatest operas, La Traviata.  The other two leads were also good.  I especially liked Stephen Powell in the second act.

The sets are fascinating and beautiful.  The costumes are relatively modern.  I think Lisette is developing into a great singer.  Her emotional range is considerable here.  This counts for a lot.  Violetta just wants to have fun and go to parties.  Then she decides for love and spends all her money to move to the country.  She enters completely into love.

Then Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, sees the softness in her heart and convinces her to sacrifice everything for his children.  She goes back to being the party girl, or at least she convinces Alfredo that she has.  Then she becomes ill and dies.  A great Violetta must cover all of this grand scope of emotions while singing difficult bel canto arias.  "E tardi."  You feel it with her.  The opera only works with this.  

Lisette sings the sad aria before Alfredo arrives lying down on her bed.  There is blood everywhere.

Opera Philadelphia is a good company.  I wish we could see more of them.

La Traviata in HD

Conductor.................Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production................Michael Mayer

Violetta.....................Diana Damrau
Alfredo.....................Juan Diego Flórez
Germont...................Quinn Kelsey

Hostess .................Anita Rachvelishvili

We were treated to the new production by Michael Mayer of Verdi's La Traviata live in HD from the Met.  I could not find a picture that looked just like the single set production.  The actual set had the piano upstage right instead of downstage left as shown here.  Throughout the opera Violetta's bed was downstage center.  It was simply integrated into the staging.  A dance in Act I successfully used this bed.

This versatile set looked remarkably different in each scene.  The busyness of the design, elaborate deco figures and costumes, was successfully offset by dressing Violetta in white, Alfredo in a dark military uniform and Germont in a brown suit.  They each easily stood out from the background.   Another unusual feature of the production was the appearance of Alfredo's sister in a mime role.  I am counting this as a successful production.

There seemed to be unusual unanimity of purpose here.  Much complaining appeared concerning Juan Diego's light voice, but my impression was that he fit impressively into the overall concept.  From beginning to end Violetta is a woman with a very serious disease who is dying.  We see this emphasized first through her lying on her death bed during the prelude.  Diana in particular played and sang her fragility.  This was a particularly beautiful performance which stayed close to the story.

Juan Diego's role was more varied, but was also acted extremely well.  And Quinn Kelsey has followed his line of great Verdi successes with a beautiful Germont performance.

This series is the debut of  Yannick Nézet-Séguin in his new role as music director.  Welcome, Yannick.  Singers love him.  We were shown in intermission a coaching session between Yannick and Diana, who said he was like a brother to her.  They were together in this beautiful, delicate concept of La Traviata.

I liked very much Anita as hostess.

La Traviata on PBS

Conductor.............Nicola Luisotti
Production............Willy Decker
 
Violetta.................Sonya Yoncheva
Alfredo..................Michael Fabiano
Germont................Thomas Hampson
Flora.......................Rebecca Jo Loeb
Gastone..................Scott Scully
Baron Douphol.......Dwayne Croft
Dr. Grenvil.............James Courtney
Annina....................Jane Bunnell

Verdi's La Traviata in the Willy Decker production from the Metropolitan Opera appeared on my television. This is undoubtedly the greatest of all the operas.  I think it is the most passionate about the two great themes of love and death.  It falls at the end of bel canto and includes one of the greatest of all bel canto arias, "Sempre libera."

This is the final appearance at the Met of this production originally from the Salzburg Festival. I begin to think I will miss it.  There were a few cuts.  This time around it bothered me that Flora was a man.  Why would all those men go to parties where there was only one woman?   But rooms full of Victorian dresses hold little charm for me.

This is a perfect role for Michael Fabiano.  I like Sonya Yoncheva but do not love her as overwhelmingly as I did Netrebko.  The sound of her voice is less to my taste.  She carried the final scene to its heart-wrenching conclusion.

I reviewed this same production here with Dessay, here, and here for Netrebko.

La Traviata in Sacramento

Conductor: Jose Luis Gomez
Violetta Valéry: Lyric soprano Jennifer Black
Giorgio Germont:  baritone Sol Jin
Alfredo Germont: tenor Yongzhao Yu

To finish the 2016-17 season of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera we were presented Verdi's La Traviata.  We were worried about whether or not it would be staged or cut.  I was pleased to see that the carnival music in the last scene was cut to just a few lines.  Otherwise the score seemed virtually in tact.

There was no set except a single stuffed green chair, but the acting was played out in full in the small area in front of the orchestra.  Since my seat is in the fifth row, I enjoyed this very much.  It is wonderful to sit so close to the performers.  I always say the best seat at an opera is on the stage.

We found that this was very successful thanks to the above named performers.  Our conductor faced and conducted his players with great skill and familiarity with the score.  He seemed never to look at the singers.  They in turn never looked at him.  See.  I keep saying this is possible.  One sings with the music.  It felt like a fully realized performance.  Minor characters were filled by members of the chorus who held book.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

This opera belongs to Violetta and rises or falls with her.  Our soprano Jennifer Black paced herself beautifully.  It is a long and arduous role.  Her phrasing was very beautiful and she died in style.  That turned out to be the purpose of the green chair.  She had a different gown for each scene.

We were lucky to hear Sol Jin, probably the only one ready for the big time.  His voice and his gravitas were perfect for Giorgio Germont.  He also provided the only small piece of comedy when Violetta sat on his hat.

Now is the place for some small comments.  The current management of this group receives most of its advice from people who manage instrumental ensembles.  Opera for them is just another concert.  I continue my seat, but I was here for opera.  They seem to spend more energy on pops concerts.  This makes me sad.

_______________________
I have decided to write a post script.

My professional career, such as it was, did not include repertoire from the bel canto, unless you count Maddalena in Rigoletto.  I was what used to be called a low and slow.  I sang in an era when Handel was still performed unornamented.  However, my library does include the standard cadenza book.  I learned Azucena but was probably not heavy enough for her.

I noticed that our soprano left out the cadenza and the high note.  This is, however, Sacramento, and I was hesitant to make a fuss about it.  I suppose the question at issue here is was it her fault because she wanted to save her energy for what remained of the role, or was a cadenza simply impossible when neither the conductor nor the singer are looking at one another.

So what do I actually think if I don't care about negative reactions?  I found that our conductor had conducted opera (Mozart e.g.) but not necessarily bel canto.  So perhaps his background is as weak as mine.  What would normally happen in a concert performance is when singer and orchestra get to the cadenza, the conductor would turn toward the singer and follow her home.  I reject absolutely that she should stare at him and in any way follow him.  You cannot do the cadenza and accompanying high note to maximum effect without just letting it go.  He should turn around and see what she is doing, although he may feel free to ignore her most of the rest of the time.  In our performance I didn't notice that he ever turned around.  It exists as a possibility that he was unaware there was something he was supposed to be doing.

I don't always want to point out every flaw in a performance.  The problem I am having with the organization reviewed here is that no one currently associated with it knows anything at all about opera.  When the staff included opera people, tv monitors were placed at useful locations around the house.

Skipping La Traviata

Since I started blogging, I have seen 9 performances of La Traviata from 6 different companies.  The Met, San Francisco Opera and Sac Phil are repeating this in coming performances.  I see that it will also stream from Glyndebourne.  I don't hate the opera, but the reason I would go again would have to be really strong.

La Traviata HD Rerun

Conductor....................Fabio Luisi
Production...................Willy Decker
 
Violetta.....................Natalie Dessay (soprano)
Alfredo......................Matthew Polenzani
Germont....................Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Flora........................Patricia Risley

Parts (or all) of this HD film of Verdi's La Traviata from the Metropolitan Opera are different from the live broadcast in 2012 where Natalie cracked one of her notes.   This version contained no disasters, but did show a certain amount of fatigue in her voice.  It is possible that Violetta is too heavy for Natalie.  It is also possible that she is simply showing the effects of aging.  (I read in the earlier post that Natalie had a cold during the run.)  Natalie is an extraordinary operatic performer who brings considerable acting talents to this role.  It was a pleasure.  I was glad I came back.  For the best Dessay see next weeks Daughter of the Regiment.

I learned from on line comments that I was correct in thinking that there was more music in Act II than I was used to hearing.  The role of Germont was filled out with pieces that are usually cut, no doubt to give us more of Dmitri Hvorostovsky who is wonderful here.  His Germont is a bit of a bully.

I'm not sure why, but I love this production.  The focus is on the inner life of Violetta and not the outer life of the characters.  I am attracted to its simplicity.

La Traviata streamed

On May 20 La Traviata will stream live from the Royal Opera Covent Garden.  This is their first live stream ever.  Here is the cast:

Conductor:  Paul Wynne Griffiths

Violetta Valéry:  Ailyn Pérez
Alfredo Germont:  Stephen Costello
Giorgio Germont:  Simon Keenlyside
Baron Douphol:  Ashley Riches
Doctor Grenvil:  Jihoon Kim
Flora Bervoix:  Nadezhda Karyazina
Marquis D'Obigny:  Charbel Mattar
Gastone de Letorières:  David Butt Philip
Annina:  Gaynor Keeble

She exceeded my expectations.  Which were pretty damned high.

Becoming La Traviata

This is all in French but great if you like to watch rehearsals.







And this one is the official trailer.



I don't think this movie ever came to Sacramento.

Crash and Burn

Or to quote Karen Slack:  Ms. Hong WHERE ARE YOU WE NEED YOU BADLY!!!!

We are all speaking of today's Live from the Metropolitan Opera in HD of Verdi's La Traviata with Natalie Dessay.  Even her microphone, just under her clothes on her right side, did not save her.  I have heard Natalie sing Violetta at Santa Fe, so I know it's possible.  My thought is that she was not as recovered from her illness as she wished she was. 

Matthew Polenzani sang his trademark sad sack Alfredo, nice but not very impressive.  Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Germont is the best Verdi baritone around.  He was simply wonderful.  Fabio Luisi was conducting one of 20 performances at the Met this month, either a record or a tie, including Die Walküre last night and Manon tonight.  I have written about the Willy Decker production here.

Sigh.

[See Kinderkuchen History 1850-70]

Auto-tune for Opera

I went to a party last night where it was discussed that the famous DVD of Netrebko and Villazon in La Traviata had the pitches corrected with auto-tune over 200 times.  This completely ignores my claim that pitch modification (highly polite term for singing flat or sharp) is part of the singer's expressive tool kit.  It's just your opinion that they are not supposed to be doing this.

Maybe that's why the recording sounds so bland.

Footnote please see Opera Chic for news on James Levine.

From Santa Fe

Listening to gossip about things going on behind the scenes, quarrels and so forth, I brought up the La Traviata production of two years ago.  I mentioned how much I admired the way Natalie Dessay jumped from one ridiculous giant box to another with grace and conviction.

Then I was told that before every performance she would come out in full costume and practice the jumps.  The house could not be opened until she was finished.  Natalie is always the complete performer.

Blood on the Floor

I have found the perfect antidote to Adrianne Pieczonka's Amelia--Karen Slack's magnificent Violetta at the Sacramento Opera. Spare us the noisy but square Verdi. We want our Verdi with soul. We want Verdi to wail. We want blood on the floor. And we found it at the Sacramento Opera's production of La Traviata.

Karen is a big spinto with a gorgeous tone who has style dripping from her fingertips. She just gets it. OK, I'm getting carried away. Let's just say you had to be there.

I thought she moved well, too. Everyone formed up around this intense emotional performance and gave us their best wailing Verdi.

I liked Timm Rolek as conductor more than I have in the past. He supported his singers well and fully grasped Verdi.

Alexander Boyer as Alfredo was fine. He should listen more to Pavarotti, especially the vowels. The most beautiful scene was the second act with Karen and Kenneth Overton as Giorgio Germont. The production was nice. The chorus was great.

Utterly magnificent. There are more performances. Be there.

[See Kinderkuchen History 1850-70]

Dessay's Traviata

In the autobiographical novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexander Dumas the Younger the life of the courtesan Marguerite Gautier is presented in flashback after she has died. The production of La Traviata at the Santa Fe Opera uses this device. During the somber music that opens the opera, Violetta’s coffin is carried across the stage while Alfredo looks on. The novel formed the basis for the play of the same name, which in turn formed the basis for the opera by Verdi.

What makes this production special is that it is Natalie Dessay’s first Violetta on any stage. The performance is about her.

It is clearer than it has ever been that we are being shown in act I and the second scene of act II two parties being thrown by two prostitutes, Violetta and her friend Flora, for their rich clients. There is no sedate nineteenth century dignity here. When Natalie is carried on to the stage in her flaming red dress, she raises her arms and screams as loud as she can. There is drinking and carousing. At last we see why we should be shocked by her. Violetta is a party girl.

At Flora’s party the gypsy music is staged as the girls displaying what they have to offer to the highest bidder, and the men pretending to be matadors in pursuit of them. This was very effective.

However, we are not always sure of our footing with regard to period. The men wear nineteenth century top hats, especially the already quite tall Laurent Naouri who sang Giorgio Germont. But in the same scene Violetta wears pants, something I don’t recall hearing of anywhere outside the wild west. It gives her freedom of movement to show how healthy and happy Violetta is feeling at this time.

The floor of the stage is littered with large gray rectangular boxes, requiring Natalie to jump from one to another throughout the opera. Violetta may be dying, but Natalie Dessay is obviously quite athletic.

It is a Traviata for Natalie. Her vocal fragility becomes the heart of her characterization. We feel the emotions of each scene instead of merely seeing them written on the translation screens. We felt her reluctance to give herself to love followed by her complete commitment. We felt Violetta’s growing illness and death as real events. In this production she dies entirely alone.


Laurent Naouri is a beautiful singer one would like to hear more of. Alfredo was sung by Saimir Pirgu who is Albanian and quite adorably handsome. Is that enough to guarantee him a career? We’ll have to see.

Frédéric Chaslin conducted. He is part of a whole team that accompanied Natalie from France, including Louis Désiré, Laurent Polly, Chantel Thomas, and Jean-Jacques Delmotte who did the scene and costume designs.

I think at this point there will need to be a personal moratorium on La Traviata.

[See Kinderkuchen History 1850-70]

La Traviata in San Francisco

Conductor Donald Runnicles

Director and Production Designer Marta Domingo

Anna Netrebko Violetta Valéry
Kenneth Kellogg Doctor Grenvil
Dale Travis Baron Douphol
Leann Sandel-Pantaleo Flora Bervoix
Austin Kness Marquis d'Obigny
Renée Tatum Annina
Andrew Bidlack Gastone
Charles Castronovo Alfredo Germont
Dale Tracy Giuseppe
Dwayne Croft Giorgio Germont

Having done the Violetta for the ages, Anna Netrebko has decided to descend into the almost ordinary in the current La Traviata series at the San Francisco Opera. I’ve never been a huge fan of Traviata, except for the video from Salzburg. I don't find the world of low-life women that fascinating.

Marta Domingo’s production re-conceives the scene to the world of the flappers of the 20's. Kozman of the Chronicle sees Josephine Baker in the pseudo-Egyptian dance number. Josephine would have worn only bananas while these people are fully clothed and wore no bananas. One is almost nostalgic for Lotfi Mansouri who wouldn't be afraid of a little nudity.

There seems to be a theme of circles: at the beginning and end it comes in the form of Violetta’s round bed. This served well to unite the beginning and ending and communicated to us that the opening party is in Violetta’s house. She returns to Paris to die alone at home.

The gambling scene is in Flora’s house, and the circle appears in the form of a huge blue gambling table. It’s big so Anna can stand on it. The only scene without the circle theme is the house in the country where everything takes place out doors.

There were some liberties with the plot. Though Violetta has clearly told Alfredo to come back in a couple of days, they jump right into bed at the end of act I. At the end of the gambling scene he kisses her good-bye. I liked some of it. The car at the beginning was cute. The lights and snow falling at the end were beautiful.

That leaves singing. I like Charles Castronovo as Alfredo, but his voice does not balance particularly well with Netrebko’s. Anna is singing pretty loud these days. Pregnancy added some weight to her tone. And to the rest of her as well. Anna, dear, if you wish to continue the life of a gorgeous, universally worshiped diva, you are going to have to lose a little weight. A friend, an adoring fan, said, "Her cheek bones have disappeared."

There is a rumor going around that she is pregnant already. I don’t believe this. She looks almost the same, even slightly thinner now than in January for Lucia at the Met. This isn’t likely to mean she’s pregnant.

Both Netrebko and Castronovo skipped their high notes. This was ok in her case, but where the high note would have gone, Castronovo slunk off into a corner in embarrassment.

Dwayne Croft sang beautifully the role of Giorgio Germont. It’s a good part for him. Piu legato.

I would like to see Anna moving toward spinto repertoire. This is where her voice is going. I'm sorry if this is bitchy.

Footnote: I read in an old post that Erwin likes Anna chubby. This is not good news for the rest of us.

All Renée all the time

I cannot explain my taste for these ridiculous pictures taken of the screen during the HD simulcast of the Met gala.










This one seems only to capture her basic Renéeness.

It was about glamor. It was about outfits--fabulous outfits. It was about jewelry. Annie Leibovitz photographed it all for Vogue. It was about Renée Fleming, the prima donna of today's Metropolitan Opera.

My only previous experience of such a gala was at the Washington National Opera where Placido Domingo did two parties (Fedora and Fledermaus) with the end of Otello in between. Barbara Frittoli as Desdemona sang more than Placido.

Renée bit off a much bigger chunk. All of her scenes--the country and return to Flora's scenes from La Traviata, the street scene and San Sulpice from Manon, and the end of Capriccio--were significant and intense. It was a night of important singing.

Important support came from Thomas Hampson in La Traviata and Ramon Vargas in Traviata and Manon.

I have only heard Capriccio sung by Kiri te Kanawa, a singer who stuck carefully to her gorgeous legato and let it work for her. Renée reaches beyond, attempts significant acting interpretations of each role with interesting results. I laughed out loud (alone, I'm afraid) when she lay backwards over the prayer stool in her attempt to seduce des Grieux. Reminder of this bedroom posture seems to have done the trick. Her Manon just wants to have fun.

The Met went all out in its coverage, though there were technical difficulties at the start. We did not hear the narration for Renée's biography. We have Susan Graham to interview at the Met and Deborah Voigt interviewing in Times Square. Both were in form. Debbie's tactic seemed to be to interview people in Times Square who were fans of her own. This seemed to work well. Susie's interviewees were almost as flattering.

The Met of 2008 is an endless party, and Renée Fleming is the life of the party.

La Traviata

On Tuesday evening we walked all the way down to the Porta Romana in Florence to hear La Traviata in the Giardino di Boboli. They have built a stage and a set of large metal bleachers in the park.

The performance took a long time and didn't start until 9:20 in the evening. There was no stage curtain, so we could watch the scenery being changed throughout the three long intermissions. It was 12:30 and very cold before we were finished.

I enjoyed the Violetta, sung by Luz del Alba. She did not cough. Now that Renée and Angela have hashed the coughing thing out, one can't help wondering who coughs and who doesn't. The coughing roles are Mimi and Violetta. Our Violetta moved dramatically through her scenes very well. She died with grace.

The star of the evening was maestro Bruno Rigacci. We sat where we could see him work, and I thought he controlled the performance very skillfully. By our professional standards the orchestra was a bit rag tag and out of tune, but the maestro knew his Verdi and how to coordinate the often fragmented orchestral bits with the singers. An usher led the maestro to the pit and back in the dark. The chorus was also excellent -- both as singers and as actors.

More about the tenor, Luca Canoncici, later.

[See Kinderkuchen History 1850-70]

Gymnastics

In the second scene of La Traviata Anna Netrebko walks along the top of the sofa. Now that we know she studied gymnastics, we recognize that these are balance beam maneuvers. She stands securely on one foot while Rolando grasps the other foot. She does an acceptable dismount, considering it's an opera and not a competition.

Gymnastics training for opera singers? It does sound a little severe. It is not good for a singer to grunt like Maria Sharapova, but physical training can only do good. Pavarotti played tennis. Cecilia Bartoli was a Flamenco dancer. Rolando Villazon works out. Anna Netrebko jogs. Get physical. It can't hurt.

Conversation

[DrB] So did you see it? Did you like it?

[DE, known to be a rabid Netrebko fan] Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Love

Actually-I couldn't find it at Barnes & Noble--and had no time to hunt elsewhere--but met friends at the Shakespeare show a week ago--and they practically mugged me --insisting I come see their new video -- so I grabbed [D] and we went up to their house on Sunday (55 inch projection TV!!)--sat down--turned on the video-and didn;t move for 2 1/2 hours. I thought I would die at the end of the first act. Migawd. I have now gone to Borders and bought the one copy they have--ordered another three as gifts for people. Words cannot convey how exciting that show is--how utterly gorgeous Anna is--how well the set and staging support the story.
Yikes.
sigh

[DrB] It was far beyond my wildest imaginings. I don't even like La Traviata. It should come with a medical warning. "If you are in any danger of heart failure, check with your doctor before viewing." Can I use your mini review?

[DE] Sure--use whatever you want. Just get me a date with her!
Medical warning--that's GOOD!

La Traviata

I have purchased the DVD of La Traviata from last summer’s Salzburg festival with Rolando Villazon, Anna Netrebko and Thomas Hampson in the starring roles. I had already bought the highlights CD called Violetta and played it several times. It did not prepare me for the film.

This is a modern concept production with the stark abstract quality that is so often the case in contemporary European, especially German, productions. On the right is a large clock face with no numbers that tells us that time is passing, sometimes faster, sometimes slower. There is also a death / father time figure who stands about the stage and seems to be telling Violetta that her time is running out. She pleads with him for more time, but he refuses.

I watched all the extras that come with this DVD, and they are especially good. Villazon explains his concept of Alfredo, that he is very young, that he is experiencing a great love for the first time, that a lover is leaving him for the first time, to explain his crudeness and lack of sophistication.

Everyone enters and leaves the stage by a door on the left, except when the chorus peers in over the top of the set.

Anna explains that in this concept production Violetta is a prostitute, since in our day there is no such thing as a courtesan. She is not sick with a disease, but it is her soul that is sick and dies.

This explanation explains nothing. The abstract production reduces the action to its essential parts, attraction, passion, love, breakup, death. It answers my requirement that the production explain the action. Nothing is left but love and death.

Into this abstraction is placed the person of Anna Netrebko. The extras explain that she requires very little explanation, and simply expresses intuitively whatever is asked of her. She explains that she works hard when she is rehearsing but does not think about the work when she is at home. She is young and rich and thinks about her shoes. In fact, she tries to avoid thinking and attempts to deal with emotions directly.

The music is wonderful. For some reason Verdi sounds crisp and modern, as though he meant this abstraction all along. The singing is fabulous. All three artists are at the top of their game and combine to make a truly memorable La Traviata. I have never loved this music so much. Suddenly I understand why people love this opera.

The context is modern, so the action is made plain. During Alfredo’s aria in the second act we are treated to a love romp where they kiss (at one point she kisses him on the navel) and play hide and seek. Little is left to the imagination. The father actually hits his son for being such a fool. In his anger Alfredo brutalizes Violetta.

Still I have explained nothing. The emotion of the action is reflected in her face. If she is happy, we are happy. If she is angry, we are angry. If she is in love, we are in love, too. If she is afraid of death, so are we. If she is feeling the moment of ecstasy just before death, we are ecstatic. We have felt every emotion as deeply as we can feel it.

She asks father time for more, and he refuses her. Instead he gives her a camellia. Rolando is very good, but Anna is wonderful, the diva of our time. Who would have thought this possible? My god. It’s too much.

Thank you, universe, for bringing this to me. Opera. Nothing beats it. Nothing even comes close. Film everything she does. Work out the details later.

I even like Hampson, and I never like Hampson. I can’t keep back the tears. She is a miracle.

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