LA Opera's "La Traviata" is set in what appears to be an Italian
villa. The costumes are spectacular, and the periwigged servants seem to place
it around the turn of the century, 1799/1800. The opening party is outdoors
on the patio. There's a marble wall, big planters filled with big pink flowers,
hanging plants, and a night sky with full moon. It's opulence everywhere. Violetta's
introduced to Alfredo, and he's almost like a lap dog. It's like young love
as he falls all over her. He talks of love and she gets all gushy. She cherishes
her freedom, "moving from joy to joy," but it's really a facade, and
she really yearns for love. She's totally contemptuous of the Baron. He's her
protector, and she's usually deferential, at least, but not here. All she shows
is contempt.
Act 2 is a big panelled room with sort of a lattice background
looking out into the garden. Ana Maria Martinez is a healthy, robust
Violetta. She coughs a couple of times, but so do I, and I expect to
be around for quite some time. When Germont pleads with her to leave
Alfredo, she's at the back of the stage and he's addressing the
audience from the front. She sings of her illness, but that's Verdi;
you see nothing of it anywhere, no faintness, handkerchiefs, nothing.
Jorge Laguna's Germont looks about the same age as Violetta and
Alfredo. He asks her to leave the love of her life, but it's all
sweetness. She sings of her misfortune, but there's not a hint of it
in her voice or movement; pensive, maybe, but not a bit of agony or
tragedy.
When Alfredo returns, they just zip right through the letter scene. When she
leaves, there's no outrage or indignation, only a few tears into a pillow. I
don't know if it was the singers or director, but this whole scene had a curious
lack of passion. It's almost like they just wanted to get through it.
The second scene, a party supposedly at Flora's house takes place in a brothel.
Girls are taking men upstairs for entertainment. The walls are all red. Big
mirrors all around have pictures of nude women, like the insipid paintings of
Francois Boucher. All the women have beautiful red gowns, the men all in black
formal attire. The dancers come down the stairs and do sort of a fiery gypsy
dance. It kind of reminds me of "Carmen," but seems very appropriate
here. It's also the highlight of the evening. When Alfredo throws the money
at Violetta, she collapses and passes out cold.
The final act is the traditional gloomy room with big bed. There's a
fireplace with a nice red glow off to the side. When Violetta rises
from the bed, she's still remarkably robust until she gets over to
the fireplace and collapses on a chair. Alfredo arrives, they say
their good-byes, and she collapses dead in his arms.
This is a young cast everywhere, and it shows everywhere. Sometimes
young singers spend so much time and energy learning and practicing
their craft, that they don't have time for wild love affairs and
broken hearts. When they get on stage they have no experience to draw
on. That may be the case here. There also didn't seem to be much
guidance from the director. This is the second "La Traviata"
I've seen this year, and Opera Santa Barbara was far superior.
All this aside LA Opera's "La Traviata" was still a very entertaining evening. The sound of the orchestra, led by Placido Domingo, and the voices were excellent, and the visuals appealing. It continues at the Music Center Oct. 31, Nov. 2, 4, 7, and 10.
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