The production by John Copley was
very interesting. All the acts had standard sets and the costumes
(designed by David Walker) were ravishing. The singers were very well
directed and the production had some nice touches: when Violetta asks
Annina to take a letter to Flora accepting the invitation to the party,
Annina leaves in a haste and when Violetta turns to call her back she is
already gone, Violetta sings "Sempre libera" from the balcony
where it is more believable to hear Alfredo's voice and so on.
Patricia Racette
sang well specially in Act IV where she was excellent, displaying true
legato and ravishing pianissimos. Her acting was also good and she looks
the part. But Act I was her Achilles' heel, the tessitura is too high
for her and her "Sempre libera" was weak. She is not a
coloratura also but rather a lyric soprano.
Stephen Mark
Brown was a good Alfredo, as I said before (see my Luisa
Miller review) his voice is beautiful in the middle and distinctive,
but he has a problem with passagio and his high notes sound strained.
But Alfredo is not difficult and he sang well and even sang the
cabaletta in Act 2 with high note and all.
Christopher
Robertson was a good Germont, the voice projected well
and he showed felling and attentiveness to both the scene and the words,
but his voice is not very powerful nor a true Verdian voice lacking more
resonance in the lower notes.
The other parts were well sung, with a special mention to Catherine
Keen's Flora.
Alas, Marco
Armiliato conducted a routine performance, the orchestra
sounded thin and it lacked sparkle something essential in La Traviata.
Some speeds were very slow. He did follow the singers well though.
