Verdi's La Traviata: on reflection, it's quite distracting

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Verdi's La Traviata: on reflection, it's quite distracting

By Reviewed by Michael Shmith

Verdi: La traviata
Her Majesty's Theatre
Saturday, May 17

Much has already been made about the set for this imported production of La traviata by the late great Czech-born stage designer, Josef Svoboda. He employs one of the oldest and most effective devices: a huge wall of mirrored panels at the back of the stage that tilts forward at 45 degrees to reflect the action and, in particular, the floor.

Flower power: A giant field of daisies dominates the stage.

Flower power: A giant field of daisies dominates the stage.

This provides two performances - the one on the flat and the off-kilter one. What makes this diverting are the series of floorcloths that, by visual default, become backcloths. Various images inspired by 1870s Paris - period photographs for Act I; a country villa, gigantic field of daisies and salon for Act II - ultimately yield to a blank canvas for Act III, reflecting (as it were) Violetta’s demise.

The kaleidoscopic approach of Henning Brockhaus’ production is ingenious, busy, distracting and sometimes unintentionally comedic. For example, as Alfredo delivers his Act II cabaletta, the unfortunate image is of a second-empire Spider Man abseiling up the wall.

Far better were the musical standards. VO’s artistic director Richard Mills conducted a fluid and well-judged performance that respected Verdi’s score to the letter; the Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra played excellently for him.

Jessica Pratt’s Violetta was beautifully, accurately and poignantly sung, and she was at her most moving in Act III. Young Italian tenor Alessandro Scotto di Luzio, despite some wayward intonation at the start of Act II, was a fresh and vibrant Alfredo. Jose Carbo, a distinguished Verdi baritone, gave a model performance of Germont pere - every note, every phrase, secure and strong. Smaller roles included Dimity Shepherd’s vibrant Flora and Kirilie Blythman’s pert Annina. Chorus and dancers sang and strutted with brio.

In essence, though - but for the mirror - this was a traditional production, down to Giancarlo Colis' (at times) unflattering costumes, and terrible false facial hair for some of the men. The opera, however, fits Her Majesty’s as snugly as a velvet glove.

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