In "La traviata," composer Giuseppe Verdi brings forth all the great themes of his time: the notion of complete self-sacrifice, the prevailing of love over all else, and the battle between pleasure and truth. Boston Lyric Opera's production of this colorful quintessence of Italian romance is a reminder of what opera should really be about.
Based on the romantic novel "La Dame aux cam?©lias" by Alexandre Dumas, fils, and first performed in 1853, "La traviata" is a love story set amidst the timeless confrontation between bohemian hedonism and bourgeois righteousness. Alfredo Germont, a well-to-do young man from the countryside, falls for the beautiful and tuberculosis-stricken Parisian courtesan, Violetta Val?©ry.
At first, Violetta laughs at Alfredo's proposal, since she lives only for empty pleasure. Soon, however, she accepts and leaves her decadent ways for a life with Alfredo, until his father, Giorgio Germont, begs her to end the relationship because her courtesan status is threatening the family's reputation. Out of her love for Alfredo, Violetta concedes; heartbreak, honor, drama and death follow, and it's all just too lush to resist.
Sure, it's melodramatic. But "La traviata," one of Verdi's best works, is incredibly enticing musically. A play between major and minor keys, the score provides a base for the constant struggle between pleasure and reality. Rather than a big overture, the opening lines of "La traviata" are quiet violin legatos in minor. Although the audience is then transported to the scene of a large party, there is an ever-present interchange, a dialogue that makes the music deeper and lovelier.
As the leading lady, Moscow-born soprano Dina Kuznetsova is undoubtedly the gem of the production. Her instrument is clear and supple, radiating a coquettish quality in the first act but finishing with tragically touching, romantic lyricism. Kuznetsova's interpretation is blissfully free of the tempting excesses of the genre. Rather, her Violetta is genuinely controlled; she excels in the more intimate arias and duets with gracefully sustained high notes.
Emotionally, Kuznetsova's Violetta makes a convincing transition from pleasure to pain. She suffers very deeply, but does not overdo it; of BLO's "Diva Season" (which began with Tracy Dahl in November's "Lucie de Lammermoor" and ends with Kelly Kaduce in "Thais" later this month), Kuznetsova is the most naturally acoustic heroine and the most endearing in her reality.
In the second act, Violetta's duet with baritone Giorgio Germont (baritone James Westman, in a BLO debut) is one of the true highlights of the performance. In a gut-wrenching scene, Giorgio asks Violetta to make the ultimate sacrifice and tell Alfredo that she does not love him. She agrees, but their exchange is a perfect blend of compatible voices and emotionally charged, difficult circumstances. The scene is thoroughly captivating and expressive.
Westman has several notable arias, such as "Di Provenza il mar, il suol" in which he begs Alfredo to leave Violetta and return to the Germont home. He executes all of his solos wonderfully with his rich baritone, and is a composed, heavy presence onstage.
The role also requires considerable acting skill; in time (and after his son deeply insults Violetta at a party), Germont gradually learns to understand the error of his ways. Poignantly, he repents at Violetta's deathbed. This realization is gradual, but like Violetta's romanticism, it is movingly heartfelt.
Unfortunately, tenor Garrett Sorenson was better as last season's ardent Lenski in Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin" than as "La traviata"'s Alfredo. His vocal performance is quite passionate, but he seems just a bit too perky to match the acting of the heart-wrenchingly lovely heroine and the powerful strength of the elder Germont.
The orchestra sounds superb in its interpretation of the score with its gushes from exuberance to sorrow, major to minor. Stephen Lord's conducting was right on point. The chorus, too, was excellent: Several choreographed numbers, including a Spanish-themed ballet, provided vibrant color and movement in the ensemble numbers.
Indeed, there was a lot of color in this production, as each act took on a differently-hued set, designed by Bruno Schwengl. Eye-catching and pretty, Schwengl's designs, at times, simplified the agenda.
The whole production is red in the first act, from Violetta's sparkling gown to a painting on the wall, symbolizing the copious self-indulgence of her courtesan lifestyle. Act Two is white, bordered by a large white frame, as though the action was part of a painting. It lends a country innocence to Alfredo and Violetta's short-lived, blissful life together. A deep violet-blue parallels the passions that surge in Act Three, and the opera ends on a lonely, gray stage, as Violetta dies of consumption.
While the color schemes are visually striking and emotionally relevant, diversifying them (especially in the beginning) might have provided a more complex insight into Violetta's existence with an emphasis on the contradictory nature of her suffering.
But this incarnation of "traviata" asks all the right questions, leaving us tearfully thoughtful. More than anything, it shows the convincing power of selflessness, the importance of honor in a bygone era, the romantic dreams of youth, and the pathetic turn of circumstance, all in a story that at first glance might seem simple. Verdi's score upholds the romantic truth expressed in "La traviata" in a masterful example of fine opera that is worth many a listen.
"The truth has shattered my lovely dream," Alfredo tells us when Violetta leaves him. But it hasn't shattered ours, and BLO's production is a delightful testament to artistic excellence.
