The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: La Traviata
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* Notes * A brand new production of Verdi's La Traviata (Act II Scene 2 pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera yesterday evening, kicking off a series of operas by this composer conducted by our new Music Director Eun Sun Kim. The orchestra sounded lovely, but definitely more restrained than in previous…
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* Notes * San Francisco Opera's recent La Traviata is very pretty both in the orchestra pit and on stage. This is Maestro Luisotti's last series of performances as music director, and the orchestra sounded spirited during the Sunday matinée last weekend. I felt like I could hear every individual instrument from the back of the…
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Act II Scene 1 of La Traviata takes place at Violetta's country house outside Paris. Here Germont (Quinn Kelsey) attempts to comfort his son Alfredo (Stephen Costello), reminding him of his family in Provence. Details of Painting | Performance Review of La Traviata
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Production Web Site | SF Opera's Blog Reviewers are not particularly impressed by the first cast of San Francisco Opera's La Traviata (Act II Scene 2 pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver), but find the second one better. First Cast: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice | San Jose Mercury News Second Cast:…
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* Notes * The second cast of La Traviata (Ailyn Pérez as Violetta and Stephen Costello as Alfredo in Act I pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) at San Francisco Opera this season performed last night. This performance was presented as a live simulcast. Production Director Greg Weber narrated the set changeover during the first intermission,…
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* Notes * San Francisco Opera‘s 1987 production of La Traviata (Saimir Pirgu as Alfredo and Nicole Cabell as Violetta in Act I pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) was revived again last night. Originally conceived by John Copley, Laurie Feldman is the director this time. The set, designed by John Conklin, is splendid, as are…
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* Notes *Festival Opera's 2011 season opened with La Traviata last night in Walnut Creek. Conducted by Maestro Michael Morgan, the orchestra sounded enthusiastic and full, but there were some glaring intonation problems. The chorus was likewise sounded eager, though not perfectly together. The cast boasted many familiar faces, and the singing and acting was…
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German Regietheater made another inroad (after Luc Bondy's poorly-received Tosca) into the repertory of the Metropolitan Opera's with its new production of La Traviata. Here is the Unbiased Opinionator's account. * Notes * Few Met opera-goers will mourn the passing of Franco Zeffirelli's visually overloaded production of Traviata, in which it was almost impossible to…
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* Notes * Thursday's B cast performance of La Traviata at San Francisco Opera marked the end of Donald Runnicles' tenure as Music Director. Elizabeth Futral still sounded shrill in Act I, but improved as the night wore on. David Lomelí seemed restrained, but sang beautifully, especially at the beginning of Act II. Stephen Powell's…
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* Notes * Ailyn Pérez's turn at Violetta in San Francisco Opera's La Traviata yesterday night was impressive. She was a better match for Charles Castronovo (Alfredo) and did not overwhelm him, he did not seem nearly as quiet. Pérez had an appealing vulnerability, her performance was nuanced, and her high notes were never shrill.…
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