La Traviata Review – "the general public's favourite Verdi Opera"

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La Traviata, a much loved opera, probably the general public’s favourite Verdi opera, not only for its beautiful for it – one magical tune simply follows another – but also for the feelings of passion and pathos that it arouses in the audience. This was the choice of Colin Attard,, the Artistic Director of Gaulitana: A Festival of Music for the return. after a hiatus of three years of its live opera production which climaxes Gaulitana’s annual spring music festival. The production of La Traviata was held at Teatru tal-Opra Aurora in Victoria last Saturday.

The curtain opened on the opening notes of the prelude taken at a measured pace by the conductor Colin Attard and beautifully played by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, to reveal a tableau of celebrating revellers in Violetta’s. This came to life with the joyous chords of the orchestra that introduced the party atmosphere, reflected in the red colour of the cyclorama that formed the background of this act. In fact the opera was played against a very minimalist set consisting of a stepped rounded structure in the centre of the stage and two hanging crystal chandeliers backed by a cyclorama that changed colour to reflect the different mood the respective scenes: red for act I, green for act 2 sc.1, orange for act 2 sc. 2 and black for the tragic third act, the latter momentarily changing to red as the sounds of the carnival festivities intrude in the death chamber where love predominates, now all too late.

Enrico Castiglione’s set completely devoid of stage furniture worked most of the time because it focused the attention of the audience on the central figures of the scene. It failed, however in Act2 sc.1 which is a very intimate scene, an intimacy that is so beautifully brought to life by the music of the duet between Violetta and Germont.

The opera is made up of four scenes: two scenes depicting the gay life of Parisian society in the 18th and early 19th centuries that alternate with two scenes in which the pathos is strong, even at times overwhelming. Throughout Violetta is the protagonist not only of the drama but she is also morally the dominant figure passing from the free figure she wants to be in Act 1 to the woman who is redeemed by love. This part was played by Ekaterina Bakanova who immersed herself completely in her role. Vocally it is a part that requires both a coloratura soprano, particularly in Act 1 that concludes with an often musically daring cabaletta, Sempre libera, and a more lyrical voice required by the music in Act 2 sc.1 and Act 3. These two scenes are dramatically the two key scenes of the opera. The former is basically a long duet with the baritone, Alfredo’s father who has come to persuade her to leave Alfredo for whom she has given up her former care-free life. At the outset she is defensive but gradually she succeeds in getting him on her side, even though he does not go back on what he had come for. Morally she is the dominant character in the opera and though she agrees to give up her love and eventually dies, she is the winner. The main part of the last act is her duet with Alfredo who having found out the truth about why she had in fact left him, returns to beg forgiveness. As in the former scene it is love that moves her and that has been her redeeming feature as she passes from resignation to a desire for life and a knowledge that even in death she will be remembered. Both vocally and dramatically these two scenes were beautifully handled and were indeed very touching and though her coloratura was throughout accurate I preferred her more pathetic scenes that were really moving. Particularly striking throughout was the fact that da capo passages were not mere repetitions but this soprano put in something new in her singing every time they returned.

Throughout Bakanova had very worthy partners in tenor Francesco Meli in the role of Alfredo and baritone Piero Terranova in the role of Germont, Alfredo’s father. Meli’s portrayal of the character was might not have been as subtle as Bakanova’s but he has a fine Verdian voice that did justice to the composer’s writing for him. He sang the fine arias with feeling and confidence and made use of a wide dynamic range. Equally Baritone Piero Terranova, another fine Verdian singer, contributed in no small measure to the musical and dramatic success of the production.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra gave one of those fine performances that we have come to expect from them. As a conductor Colin Attard has grown in stature making sure that he give his personal touch to the music he is directing. This was no hackneyed performance, but one full of detailed nuances to which the orchestra invariably responded. There was only the odd occasion when the full orchestra managed to drown the singers, otherwise balance between the pit and the stage was well-judged.

Secondary parts were sung by mezzo soprano Lar Rotili (Flora), Alan Sciberras (Gastone), bass-baritone Louis Andrew Cassar (Barone) – incidentally we never saw him challenging Alfredo in Act 2 sc.2 though we later hear about the duel -, bass Angelo Nadinocchi (Marchese), and bass Ivan Tomasev (Doctor Grenvil). These, as well as a number of minor roles were all well sung.

The Gaulitanus Choir was in good form both vocally and artistically. Worth mentioning is the clever way that choreographer Pamela Kerr used the stepped structure for the dance of the gypsies and of the toreadors in Act 2 sc 2.