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SEEN AND HEARD  INTERNATIONAL OPERA REVIEW
 

Verdi,  La Traviata: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus Teatro Regio di Parma ,Conductor: Donato Renzetti 23.10.2007 (JMI)

 

Production from Deutsche Opera am Rhein and Théâtre de la Monnaie.

 

Director: Karl-Ernst and Ursel Hermann

Sets, Costumes and Lighting:Karl-Ernst Hermann

Cast

Violetta Valery: Irina Lungu
Alfredo Germont: Massimo Giordano
Giorgio Germont: Vladimir Stoyanov
Flora Bervoix: Daniela Pini
Gastone: Gianluca Floris
Doctor Grenvil: Roberto Tagliavini

This Traviata concluded the highly successful Parma’s Verdi Festival. The production was directed by Karl-Ernst and Ursel Hermann, while all of the physical elements were of Karl-Ernst's responsibility only. Aesthetically,  this was a very classical staging with the exception of the second act. For the rest there was always a semicircular stage, showing rooms from the end of  the 19th century with abundance of red velvet - something seen in this opera many times before. Violetta's house  offers a big table in the middle of the stage, where the guests sat at ease; at   Flora’s reception there was a small stage at the back, where the choirs of Zingarelle and Matadors sang or were ridiculed - I not sure which to choose of the two). In the last act  we came back  to the beginning, changing the table for a bed.

The most attractive sets were  in act II with a small room at the front of the stage and a big window behind it, showing a garden with leafless  trees under the snow. There were attractive costumes in the first act, particularly Violetta's gown but there was  less interest offered by the costumes at  Flora’s party, where the guests were disguised in unattractive fancy dresses. The lighting was generally good.

Much hard work had been put into the direction, although some scenes worked better than other. Violetta’s party was full of life and detail , and  the  characters moved well in Act II, but perhaps with somewhat too much physical aggression between them. Act III also worked well with some personal touches in the final scene, where Doctor Grenvil entered in Carnival disguise (doctors have right to enjoy, don’t they?) and with  great contrast between the outer celebration and the tragedy inside the house, shown by a simple opening of the window, filling the room with confetti and balloons. In summary, this was a traditional production, very demanding in stage movement for the principals, but with a final result that was not altogther convincing.

These La Traviata performances had been conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, while Donato Renzetti complemented him in others. Maestro Renzetti delivered once again a very convincing reading of the opera, showing his great  facility with Verdi although the  version chosen cut Papa Germon's  cabaletta at the end of second act, which seemed strange at a  Verdi Festival but  understandable since its musical quality is not outstanding. Less acceptable was the cutting of the second verse of Alfredo's cabaletta - though perhaps also understandable given the tenor's singing of which more late. For stage direction reasons in the relatively small theatre, the chorus of Matadors was sung only by Gastone, appearing as a music hall artist, which is clearly not what Verdi wrote. The Teatro Regio di Parma's orchestra was at its usual high level and the same can be said of chorus.

This particular performance was the only one featuring soprano Irina Lungu as Violetta, while the rest of the series had Svetla Vassilieva in the role. Lungu's Violetta was very much praised last June when making her debut at La Scala  and she has very positive qualities indeed, which will doubtless lead her on to a good career. She's a young woman (27 years old), slim, very attractive and an outstanding actress. She also has an interesting voice, although perhaps a little light for the opera last act. Irina Lungu is one of those artists who seem to have everything that opera theatres demand nowadays, following Peter Gelb's model at the New York  Metropolitan. She was very good in Acts I and II, with no problems in the top notes of 'Sempre Libera', and was  very convincing in her duets with the Germonts. In the third act, her 'Addio del pasato' was not quite moving enough, but she was again really convincing in her death scene. A very interesting soprano, of whom we will surely hear much in the future but the question will also be   how long will she last? It will depend on her decisions, it seems to me and  Violetta would seem to  be her limit at the moment. I'd have doubts about her  forthcoming  presence in Modena as Luisa Miller.

Mássimo Giordano was a surprising Alfredo,  surprising because the vocal change of his tenor has been spectacular within a very few years. I remember him as a light tenor and today the centre of his voice has widened and is sadly not very good. Until his second act aria of the second act he was fine, but from then on he began to have difficulties, evident in the cabaletta, and showed definite pitch problems later. This was a not too lucky development, although I am sure he will continue to have the favour of theatres, since he is an attractive figure on stage.

Bulgarian baritone Vladimir Stoyanov was a very reliable Germont. He's a good singer, very expressive, but with his usual problem of projection in his upper register. Even so, he remains a a guarantee in of quality this repertoire and sang 'Di Provenza' with  great  taste.

Among the secondary roles, it is worth mentioning Roberto Tagliavini as Doctor Grenvil, whose voice means that  ss we will hear more of him soon.. Daniela Pini was a good Flora, Antonella Trevisan was a note-perfect Annina, though Gianluca Floris was vocally lacking as Gastone. Armando Gabba and Filippo Polinelli, appeared as Douphol and D’Obigny.

The theater was again sold out with many  cheers for Lungu and Maestro Renzetti, while Giordano had  loud bravos from the women in the audience, especially from the upper levels.

José M. Irurzun

Pictures © Teatro Reggio di Parma/Roberto Ricci