July 31, 2003: La Traviata in Verona

2003-07-31 La Traviata (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona

Violetta Valéry = Angela Gheorghiu
Flora Bervoix = Milena Josipovic
Annina = Loredana Bigi
Alfredo Germont = José Cura
Giorgio Germont = Ambrogio Maestri
Gastone de Letorières = Mauro Buffoli
Baron Douphol = Graziano Polidori
Marquis of Obigny = Alessandro Calamai
Doctor Grenvil = Enrico Iori
Giuseppe = Mario Guggia

Daniel Oren, conductor

Arena di Verona
31 July 2003 - 21.15



La Traviata Recital


Melodrama in 3 acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Daniel Oren


CHOREOGRAPHER Maria Grazia Garofoli
CHOIR MASTER Marco Faelli
Director of the Corps de Ballet Maria Grazia Garofoli
Light Designer Paolo Mazzon
Director of stage design Giuseppe De Filippi Venezia


Flora's Servant Angelo Nardinocchi
Commissioner Angelo Nardinocchi

After the wonderful Carmen on July 29th, with the meeting of José Cura backstage, mostly photographing on my part, and a little to drink afterwards in a cafe that was mostly closed, I was not in my hotel until 0315, and did not sleep until 4. And yesterday it was a wonderful luncheon with JCx members, that was nice, but I was tired from the late night, and did not have much energy. And on this day, head-ache from morning to night. My head was only alright when the opera was going on, in the pauses the ache came back again.

How nice that La Traviata's is mostly so complex, that us normal people, have difficulties humming it. Especially is Violetta arias hard to hum.

I really like the scenography for this La Traviata, semi-scenic version, was really full opera, not concert-like at all. Beautiful white was the scenography, enough for all who knows the story, and with Angela Gheorghiu and José Cura in the leads, really a great evening. Ambrogio Maestri, Giorgio Germont, was naturally very welcomed as an Italian between the Rumanian Gheorghiu and the Argentinean Cura. First time for me to see Angela Gheorghiu live. I liked her performance very much, and naturally Cura was great as Alfredo. If only I was closer to the stage.

It was perfect. Only one thing, (I did hear people mention AG is the new Maria (Callas), is the end of the opera when Angela sings the line when she feels a new life and subsequently dies, To hear the word being spoken in Italian gives really a shudder down one's spine. Sung it is nothing.. not even beautiful. Otherwise did Angela Gheorghiu really make a great impression as Violetta Valéry.

José Cura was wonderful as Alfredo Germont, daring and warm and passionate. Sometimes his voice what on the rough edge. But it is only when I think about it, later, that one thinks, ah!, he was tired. But in the performance I did not feel that at all. Wonderful to see José Cura and Angela Gheorghiu backstage, not together, they were apart, but at point I was there, right between the opera-giants,... little me.

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