Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Carlo Rizzi, Mozarteum Orchester :: Verdi: La Traviata

Opera as Drama: A Traviata of Great Intelligence and Musical

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Opera, gratefully, more than any other music form gathers polarized opinions: some aficiandos prefer the old recordings to the new, the 'big' singers to the physically beautiful one somehow postulating that if the singers look credible on stage they simply can't be equally fine as singers, the recordings or performances that rise or fall on the lead and the ensemble makes little impact. Not having been fortunate enough to have been one of the lucky ones that witnessed one of the seven sold out performances of this LA TRAVIATA at this year's Salzburg Festival, I am left only with a live recording probably garnered from several performances to catch a glimpse of what all the clamor from the European audiences was about. But this is enough to believe that this is probably one of the most intelligent and musically correct Traviatas available.



Beginning with a sterling cast - the incomparably beautiful and musically gifted Anna Netrebko as Violetta, the equally handsome and gifted Rolando Villazon as Alfredo, and the always dashing and vocally distinguished Thomas Hampson as Germont - this is as credible as any Traviata staged. The staging in modern dress apparently worked in Salzburg but we have only a few photos in the 2 CD set to prove that. The orchestra is the venerable Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Carlo Rizzi, with no less than the Mozarteum Orchester providing the stage music. But the ingredients only serve as calling cards if the opera does not work as a whole, and here everything is in place.



Anna Netrebko has a very rich lyric soprano voice and has an extraordinary range through which she sings most comfortably. If she does not opt for some of the high climax notes like say, Sutherland and the 'coloraturas', it does not impair the beauty of her interpretation of the beleaguered courtesan and her fall into consumption. But Netrebko is never less than lovely here and the drama of her voice and interpretation are exemplary. Likewise, Rolando Villazon has a tenor voice that grows better with each performance. His Alfredo is all impetuosity, smitten lover, and jealous stag - and his singing is stunningly beautiful. Add the exceptional musicality of Thomas Hampson singing Germont with complete conviction and elegance, and this cast is as fine as one could wish.



If there are problems with this recording they are more focused on the podium where Rossi seems to favor brisk tempi a bit too frequently, not allowing the singers the space to be comfortable with their roulades. But remember this recording is from live performances and not a studio where every aria can be perfected with extra takes. This enhances the drama but does not give as sonorous a recorded sound as could be in a different hall or studio.



The true beauty of this triumphant LA TRAVIATA will be obvious if a DVD of the performance is released. Rarely has a stage been filled with this much beauty of sound coming from such magnetic and attractive performers. Netrebko and Villazon have a wondrous magic as was so very obvious in this past season's LA Opera 'Romeo et Juliette' of Gounod. Let's hope they pair often! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05"

Glorious

Walter Fekula | New York, NY USA | 02/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have no idea what the detractors of this amazing recording were listening to. Can it be that some people just cannot sit back, close their eyes and listen to some glorious singing by two of today's most gifted operatic voices on our planet? Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon. There is a reason why after the opening, the Salzburg performances were quickly sold out with scalper's tickets bringing astronomical prices. Forget the "hype" which after all originates from the critics and not the promoters. Ms. Netrebko has enraptured me since I first heard her in 1998. At that time, Peter G. Davis, the music critic of New York Magazine wrote of the Kirov appearance: "The lighter sopranos showed more promise, in particular Anna Netrebko, whose agile, unblemished voice soared easily through Lyudmila's roulades and captivated all ears in "Betrothal in a Monastery". She also looks enchanting and creates real characters -- in Lyudmila's case out of practically nothing." He got it right. She is now 34 year of age and during the past 8 years, her voice has become stronger and darker but still able to effortlessly hit those high "C"s and above. I hope I have the pleasure in another 5 years to hear her voice when it turns its golden best. Senor Villazon is a perfect foil to Ms. Netrebko. Somewhat impetuous, his personality is magnetic and sparks fly when they sing together. Thomas Hampson may be blander but his voice has a lovely timbre and fits in nicely. It is remarkable that Deutche Grammophon patched together such a seamless recording from the best of all seven Salzburg performances. Let us not forget the Vienna Philharmonic. This all adds up to the best "La Traviata" ever recorded."

Vital Performance of Verdi's Popular Classic With Two of the

Ed Uyeshima | San Francisco, CA USA | 01/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having just seen Garbo's definitive Camille again, I had my appetite whetted at the prospect of the dream team of soprano Anna Netrebko, tenor Rolando Villazón and baritone Thomas Hampson on this latest recording of Verdi's "La Traviata". Based on the same source - Alexandre Dumas's play, "The Lady of the Camellias" - and under the direction of Carlo Rizzi leading the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic), the classic opera represents a prime opportunity to intertwine grand romantic melodrama with many of Verdi's most famous arias and duets. Even though there are choruses and set pieces, it is really more a chamber opera, and you need three powerfully sculpted voices to make this a momentous occasion. For the most part, it is though there are definite flaws. Captured last summer at the Salzburg Festival, the live performance has been immaculately recorded and sounds well-balanced and fulsome.



Cast in Callas's shadow as the passionate Violetta, Netrebko gives a vocally impressive performance while creating a poignant study of a woman given to equal parts great passion and deep love once she discovers renewed life with her lover Alfredo. I already had a sneak preview of her Violetta on her 2004 recital disc, "Sempre Libera". There she dexterously ran a wide-ranging emotional gamut to carry off the Act I climax, "E stano...Ah, fors'è lui...Sempre libera". Gratefully, even though she can get precocious, her performance here is better within the context of the opera where she has to convey a delicate balance between effusively romantic and shamelessly decadent. Despite her young years, Netrebko produces a surprisingly warm sound using her lower register to great dramatic effect, for example, on her burnished handling of the final aria, "Gran dio! Morir si giovane!". Her charisma is unforced even on disc as she exudes an aura of fragility and melancholy with each arching phrase and shimmering roulade. On the downside, her Italianate diction can get problematic at times, and there is a nagging wobble on the more challenging notes. Alternating between radiance and desperation, she still makes Violetta's last moments palpable. It's too soon to compare her fairly with Callas, Sutherland or even Angela Gheorghiu, but this is strong work regardless.



Villazón's Alfredo is even better, as he is a fearless actor unafraid to expose the young lover's often pathetic, obsessive character. In the thoroughly realistic dialogue before Act I's "Un di felice, eterea" his tentative attitude is charming, and he manages to be both persistent and thoughtful in the duet itself. Sometimes flamboyant in style with an extremely flexible voice, he spins out each phrase but shows an almost improvisational style in his shading and inflections. His opening in Act II, "Lunge de lei... De' miei bollenti spiriti...O mio rimorso" is viscerally powerful, and he handles his character's seething anger in the gambling scene with vocal conviction. Together, Netrebko and Villazón blend seamlessly, often magnificently, a strong example being the poignant "Oh mia Violetta, oh joy" in the last act.



My one casting disappointment is Hampson as Gérmont, who doesn't really make an impact until Act II. While he's generally a wonderful singer, Hampson sounds comparatively disengaged in his performance unable to complete a dramatic arc for his character from his individual scenes. This is a shame since a compatible dynamic among the three characters is vital to the success of the work. Unfortunately, he often misses in capturing the vital anger of Gérmont, most critically during the Act II duets with Netrebko, where she needs to respond to him with fear and resignation. By the time of his ending aria in Act II, "Di provenza il mar, il suol", he sounds downright exhausted. Rizzi's musical direction shows a fluent understanding of the opera, although there are passages that sound a little too lightning-quick. The exception is the death scene where Rizzi's leadership gives way to music that feels too lugubrious given the way the singers are performing. The Vienna Philharmonic and State Opera chorus accompany expertly and for the most part, unobtrusively."