BY SPENCER DARBY
‘La Traviata’ by Verdi
Opera Australia
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 3 July
Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ opened on Friday night to a packed house in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. There is a reason people keep banging down the doors to see a well-loved work such as this, and it’s not just for the beautiful and recognisable big musical numbers. Trav continues to entertain because it has rock-solid dramatic bones. Verdi’s take on the Dumas text has all the elements that make for great dramatic opera; a wilting rose in the leading lady, a brash, fresh-voiced, handsome young suitor, a basso quasi-villain, and the eternally reasonable voice of the father figure – and, of course, humiliating court scenes and a duel.
Lorina Gore was a delicate, fragile figure in the opera, highlighting the manic tendencies of Violetta, a woman desperate to hide her gnawing ailment. She generated sympathy from the audience and was genuinely likable as she flitted instantaneously from charming hostess to – moments later – heaving to the ground, tragically foreshadowing her eventual end. A few opening night jitters aside, Gore was particularly stirring in her piano singing in Act II, as well as saving a good deal of energy for her final moments in Act III. The relationship between Gore and Rame Lahaj (Alfredo) had moments of poignancy and a powerful undercurrent of chemistry that only occasionally lapsed to make way for their considerable vocal demands. Lahaj joins the seemingly growing ranks of tall, handsome dramatic tenors, capable of solid character acting as well as having enough of the goods to manage the difficult tessitura. The young Kosovan shows all the signs of having an enormous career in the Verdi tenor repertory.
Audiences enjoyed particularly sparkling low-voiced singing from both José Carbó (Giorgio) and Pelham Andrews (Baron Douphol). Carbó highlighted his enormous character arc exceptionally well as he shifted from patronising father figure to genuinely repentant soul moved by Violetta’s tragic downfall. Hearing his darkening, deepening baritone was as ever a pleasure, and despite his continuing growth into the fatherly baritone, he still displayed an effervescent top register, displayed masterfully in his Act II father-to-son chat ‘Di Provenza il mar, il suol chi dal cor ti cancellò?’. Andrews, despite having fewer chances to put his mark on the evening, was completely charming as the Baron. For a man with such warmth and likeable energy, it is always impressive to see him steered in the direction of the villain, in truly sneering basso terms.
The production had some lovely elements that certainly created a sense of enormity and loneliness, even while being surrounded by surface acquaintances (I felt like the drawing rooms continued for miles beyond the reaches of the set). The autumnal effect in Act II was particularly inspired, with wilting trees reflecting the temporal threat looming over Violetta’s plight. This contrasted well with the second scene of the act, where plush reds, velvets and decadent casino tables were analogous with the thin veneer of societal grace to which Violetta desperately clung. Dominica Mathews (Flora) oozes charm and an effortless comedy whenever she graces the stage, and that shone brightly in this scene, lightening the mood briefly before the ugly dispute. While it was impressive to see such varied and beautiful sets, this did leave longish breaks between the action, perhaps giving the drama a little too much breathing room, and breaking the tension that binds the opera together so cohesively.
The musical direction by conductor Renato Palumbo was decisive, and potentially erred on the side of micro-management. It would be hard to argue with Palumbo’s cues and tempi, which kept the musical action flowing well, but his direction of the lovely cast was certainly watchful, to say the least. Both the chorus and orchestra were in fine form, accomplishing their respective roles with absolute accuracy (the cut-offs in the chorus were particularly impressive).
The final act was stark and empty; once again a physical reflection of Violetta’s shattered life. Alfredo’s plucky re-entry to the stage before hearing the tragic news was one of the most poignant moments of the night, and it certainly sent chills up my spine. Gore was ghostly and truly pained in her final moments, but one did get the impression that centre stage was somewhat over-crowded during one of opera’s most intimate and heart-rending finishes, when the briefly renewed Violetta, after begging to live longer, falls dead into Alfredo’s devastated arms. The focus was subsequently drawn (if only slightly) from the unhappy couple by the onlooking gathering.
La Traviata is always an operatic journey worth embarking on, and this production is no exception. You can catch it up until 22 July.
Image courtesy of Opera Australia.
