La Traviata – Sydney
Opera House – Friday 3rd February 2017.
This re-run of the very fine Moshinsky production of La
Traviata included Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho as Violetta. The company's web site quotes The Economist
as saying she is the world's “most acclaimed soprano”, a ridiculous thing to
write and even more ridiculous to quote.
But it did make me rather look forward more than usual to a Sydney Opera
opening of this over-exposed warhorse of the Sydney operatic stage.
Like the role of Norma, Violetta requires every quality a
soprano can harbour. And Ms Jaho showed
in the first act that she has the requisite coloratura and bravura … but better
was to come. Her nuanced dramatic vocals
in Acts 2 and 3 were little short of phenomenal and she received big
ovations. She is a fine actress, taking
some small but appropriate liberties with the tempi, clearly evoking every
sentiment of the intense drama. Her voice
has a slightly plum-in-mouth quality at times and at the start she almost
sounded like a full-voiced mezzo-soprano.
She had slightly imperfect pitch on some high notes to my ear, a small
criticism. Yet she handled an exciting
high E flat to end her Act I cadenza and the ‘fire-in-the-fowl-house’ tessitura
leading up to it. And later duets Dite alla giovine and Parigi o Cara were splendid as
especially was her Addio del passato
and its weakening pulse. Not since
Sutherland's days have we heard such subtle and sublime strains in this great
role.
Her paramour Alfredo was played by competent Korean tenor
Ho-Yoon Chung. He looked the part and
took most of the difficult options. A
pleasant if slightly ‘dry’ voice he was singing with two world class artists,
including Jose Carbo who sang and acted superbly as Papa Germont. His Di
Provenza was superlative, followed by the much maligned but to my taste
brilliant cabaletta. We are fortunate
that Mr Carbo has chosen to stay in Australia.
With his talents he could sing anywhere.
The conducting of Maestro Palumbo was the exact opposite of
Simone Young from when this production was new about 15 years ago. He kept all the orchestral parts low-key, low
contrast and without the pauses others might use. So it was very much a symphonic continuo
which did not draw attention to the pit.
During some of the soprano solos in acts 2 and 3 maestro seemed to make
major allowances for the singer, each of which paid off artistically. Ms Young insisted on the entire score as
written by Verdi, including two verses of Ah
fors'e lui.
The other solo parts were all well sung and the chorus was
highly schooled vocally and dramatically.
It is hard to absolve the company for their ludicrous
decision to perform the Polish opera King Roger in their mainstream season. This is a connoisseur’s piece which has had
numerous single outings in the last 90 years but has never gained traction with
regular audiences. I found the story to
be superficial and the poetry banal and empty.
Melodies are hard to find and repetitive rhythmic beats are somehow
reminiscent of Satyagraha by Glass. Neither
is my cup of operatic Earl Grey … but each to their own! As for the brilliant Covent Garden
co-production, wasted in my view on King Roger … the opening lighting of a
massive sculpted head is simply brilliant.
I would use the set for an opera on Freud and psychoanalysis. Any takers?
Notes by Andrew Byrne ..
