Everything. That's what audience members expect from opera, and that's exactly what they get in Syracuse Opera's triumphant production of Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata," or "The Fallen Woman." Kathleen Stakenas must have few director's notes from Friday's show to share with the company before a repeat performance Sunday at 2 p.m. The production is transformative, carrying viewers to luxurious mid-19th century Paris for the story of a consumptive courtesan and her ill-fated love.
If it all seems timeless and familiar, that's because it is. Verdi adapted Alexander Dumas's novel, "The Lady of the Camelias," and, after the first run, set the story in the 1850s, what was then modern times. In the next century, the opera inspired Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge," and Verdi's melodies were used in movies and ads. It is "La Traviata" on stage in the red-dress scene from "Pretty Woman," when Julia Roberts, a high-end escort in the movie, and Richard Gere watch from box seats. The camera is fixed on Roberts's face as tears well up in her eyes and roll down her cheeks.
Had cameras been turned on the audience Friday, they would have recorded similar reactions from many in the crowd as people took to heart the plight of Violetta and Alfredo, two of the Romantic Period's most psychologically complex characters.
Raquel Gonzalez is flawless as Violetta Verde, authentically portraying the well-kept woman's shifting emotions and failing health. When the young soprano sings Violetta's Act I aria, "Sempre Libera," her voice glides through the challenging arpeggios, and her high notes rise so effortlessly that she creates the impression she could simply continue on indefinitely up the scale. Despite its being Gonzalez's first time in the role, one of standard opera's most difficult, she shows no hesitancy or uncertainty but, instead, conveys the confidence that comes from abundant talent and deep character study.
This is the third of Verdi's "popular trilogy," and it clearly elevates Violetta to star status, making the courtesan the center of every scene and situation, from the opening party in her lavish apartment to her tragic end. Gonzalez, who enchanted Syracuse audiences last year as Tatyana in "Eugene Onegin," wins their hearts again as Violetta.
New to Syracuse Opera, but not new to his role, tenor Mackenzie Whitney plays the love-struck Alfredo. Like Gonzalez, he quickly establishes his aptness for the part through fine acting and expressive singing. In Act I, when asked to propose a toast, he sings the well-known drinking song that elevates true love. It is that sentiment that precedes Violetta's "Sempre Libera," in which she celebrates her freedom to remain uncommitted. But, conflicted and weary of her demanding life, she turns away from the whirlwind society she has embraced and accepts the love Alfredo offers.
In Act II, Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont, played by Verdi baritone Todd Thomas, appears at Violetta's country house to demand she reject his son. She sadly agrees while Alfredo is back in Paris to raise funds after he learns she has been selling off property to support them. It's hard to imagine anyone but Thomas playing the father, a complex authoritarian who wants to uphold the status of his family by removing the courtesan from their circle but who, later, rebukes Alfredo for throwing money at Violetta to shame her, and who ultimately tells the truth--that it was he who convinced Violetta to rebuke Alfredo.
Thomas's rich, resonant voice sometimes reverberates through the auditorium and sometimes flows soothingly in expressive legato. He is a favorite of the crowd, earning the first standing ovation during curtain calls.
Brooke Larimer's lusty presence and commanding voice make her a stand-out as Violetta's fun-loving friend Flora. Stepping from the chorus are local tenor Tallon Larham as Alfredo's friend Gastone; Adam Paul Fine as Barone; Easton Clark as Marchese, Jake Goz as Guiseppe, and Bruce Paulson as Dottore Grenvile. Fresh from her role as Matilda Joselyn Gage in "Pushed Aside: Reclaiming Gage," is local mezzo-soprano Danan Tsan as loyal servant Annina.
Chorus Master Nancy James brings the Syracuse Opera Chorus, which has been growing stronger with every appearance, to new heights in this production. Symphoria, under the baton of Music Director Christian Capocaccia, produces thrilling sound, from the wispy strings opening the overture, to the mournful, heart-breaking final notes of Verdi's score as Violetta's short-lived joy upon Alfredo's return fades, and she dies in his arms.
Delightful, sometimes surprising, details enrich this production--a tableau during the overture, mesmerizing dancers, lush scenery, elegant costumes, and dramatic lighting all contribute to the total success. With "La Traviata," the second of the "Doomed Divas" season, Syracuse Opera gives the audience, well, it gives the audience everything.
THE DETAILS:
What: Giuseppi Verdi's "La Traviata"
Who: Syracuse Opera. Christian Capocaccia conductor; Kathleen Stakenas, director
Where: Crouse-Hinds Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center, 411 Montgomery St.
When: Reviewed Feb. 2; plays again Sunday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m.
Running Time: Approximately two and a half hours with one 20-minute intermission
Language: Sung in Italian with projected surtitles in English
Tickets: From $26; students, $10; season tickets still available
Purchase: online at syracuseopera.org or by phone at 315-476-7372