Share your reactions to ‘La Traviata’
La Traviata last night was the first opera experience for our “tweenage” daughter Maria. I wasn’t sure about bringing her to this opera, because it isn’t Pirates of Penzance or something light. Great music but not a lot of stage action unless you include the beautiful dancing segments.
Maria attended the pre-curtain lecture with Dr. McClure and learned a bit about conducting a pit orchestra for an opera. We also learned Verdi didn’t give La Traviata an overture and the opera is the second most frequently performed. There are recitatives (musical talking), arias, and time for the audience to clap. We also learned about text painting and the way in which the music moves to show action, foreshadowing, or the emotional state of a character.
La Traviata was thrilling. Violetta’s voice and costumes sparkled, the set was richly designed, and Alfredo’s voice was smooth and colorful. I enjoyed seeing people of all ages at the opera last night – and more young people! As Dr. McClure reminded our daughter, “Young people are the future audience for opera. We need your input and your ideas about opera to keep it alive. Let me know what you think.”
So Maria shared with me what she thought: the tenor’s voice was “really good” but he had grey hair and looked too old to play a “young lover.” And Violetta took an awfully long time to die in the last act!
What did you think?
Charles Price says:
La Traviata was the best performance that I have ever seen at the Merrill. Please make sure you bring that company back next year.
Kimberly Kennedy says:
This was our first Opera. We drove 5 hours to see La Traviata and it was worth every mile. We look forward to visiting again for more performances. Outstanding and beautiful!
Nancy Thomson says:
Thank you for bringing opera to Maine! Violetta was exquisite and her acting superb. The men were adequate vocally (except for the bass going flat), but acting-wise, they need work. Still, it’s opera and we’re desperate for it! Violetta made the whole evening wonderful! Her soft notes and phrasing were divine. Thought the orchestra was excellent, too. Thanks, again!
Kathleen Sutherland says:
Enjoyed the performance a great deal. Yes, Alfredo’s singer was perhaps too old for the role but that’s not unusual in opera, in my experience. Also, might point out that the reason Violetta took so long to die is that she had to get her arias out before she died. Otherwise the opera would be shortened. This again is rather typical of operas: there’s a lot of dying, but lovely music to the death!
My husband, John, and I wondered Why the rest of the cast did not come out for the curtain call! Very unsocialistic for a formerly socialist group of countries!:)
Cameron says:
It was excellent. Best theatre experience I’ve ever had.
Joe Semmes says:
The eastern European presence lent an exotic feel that helped me believe the emotions and story were as good as true. More please.
Bill Harris says:
Enjoyed it very much. Violetta was great, Alfredo got better as the music wore on. Traviata is not my favorite, but it was a good evening. Dr. McClure was entertaining and informative. Thanks for a nice time.
Donna Pappas says:
My father and I had a wonderful time. This was one of our favorite performances. Violetta was wonderful and moved me to tears more than once.
We look forward to the next opera! Thank you for bringing these performances to Maine!!
Bob Hambleton says:
Violetta was outstanding, filling the part in every dimension. Voice, acting, looks—she had it all. The male leads were disappointing. Alfredo was, as Maria said, too old-and-distinguished-looking and acting; not at all the passionate, tempestuous personality the role needs. And Giorgio was wooden, not the imperious, demanding, and ultimately deeply penitent man of the story. In short, except for Violetta, the opera lacked passion. But the music is beautiful, and it all was very well sung (except for a short slide to flat in one of Afredo’s a capella moments). The orchestra was excellent, the scenery spare but effective, and the entire presentation colorful and very professional. Maybe too professional so that some of the emotion was worn off.
Dick Rummler says:
This is my third performance over the years by Teatra Lirico d’Europa on the PCA program. La Traviata was one of my wife’s selections this season and I looked forward to a mediocre performance which mirrored the other two seen in prior years.
BOY WAS I PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!!! The lead cast members were beautiful or handsome and could really sing!!!
If you have this group back next year it will be a joint pick at our house.
Emily White says:
Please tell your daughter that it takes time, in all operas, for the hero or heroine to die! Another thing about opera is that in most, t he hero or heroine dies at the end! I thought last night’s performance was excellent and look forward to more operas in Portland!