Opera Australia opened La Traviata last night at the Joan Sutherland Theatre in Sydney Opera House. With a big cruise ship in Circular Quay there were many Americans in the audience and the house was filled to overflowing. The crowd was enthusiastic from the start which gave a wonderful boost to all performers.
Conductor Johannes Fritzsch lead the Opera Australia Orchestra with finesse including numerous variations and pauses in the tempi for soloists to create their own interpretation. It’s wonderful to see this traditional practice being used so well. Lovely work.
Our leading lady playing Violetta was Australian/British soprano Samantha Clarke from Queensland. Already familiar with this production, Clarke was comfortable around the set and paced her emotional journey very well. She has a fine vibrato with vocals that are accurate and powerful. Her final scene was a complete triumph passing through all the emotions of facing a life cut short. Despite only a few years professional work, Clarke shows great maturity and stagecraft. The crowd roared in support of her performance.
The role of Alfredo was played by Korean tenor Ji-Min Park who has a long standing relationship with the company. Park was featured in the leading role of their DVD filmed production of La Boheme from 2011. If you enjoy opera at home, it is a highly recommended addition to your collection. Opening night can be challenging some times and the performance felt a little overworked. This may settle down through the rest of the season so he can relax and enjoy the interaction with crowd and cast.
Germont was played by Australian Baritone José Carbó in his triumphant return to the main stage. The company have withheld Carbó from us for far too many years. This long break has made no dent in the quality of his performance. Carbó was completely on form, strong, expressive, accurate and fully immersed in the role. From a contemporary point of view, the character in the story might be seen as merciless yet Carbó made it believable and relatable. The crowd were incensed by the curtain call with a full standing ovation by the time the soloists arrived on stage. Welcome back! We look forward to seeing him in many more roles to come. It’s time for the company to catch up on lost opportunities with this dedicated artist.
Angela Hogan made a feisty Flora, Richard Anderson played the Baron as a cool cucumber, Catherine Bouchier stood out for her dramatic talents as Annina the maid. The Opera chorus were their outstanding selves, sounding better every year. Kudos goes to Chorus Master and Associate Chorus Master Paul Fitzsimon and Michael Curtain respectively.
This production premiered in Sydney last Summer, originally produced for Opera Queensland in 2022. In an interview with Set and Costume Designer Charles Davis, he says he was asked by Director Sarah Giles to give the design theme a “Contemporary Feminist Lens”. This seems to be quite a challenge considering the story. The visual result is a mish-mash of eras making it impossible to place in time. The servants are dressed for the 1800’s, the female singers have modern dresses, modern stockings and suspenders, Germont wears a top hat and waistcoat. There’s a 19th Century gas lamp on the table with 20th century wall sconces and overhead light fittings. It is understandable that, in a modern setting, there might be suggestions of the past still on display, but then why would the servants not be contemporary as well? The set design had huge gaps where the walls meet. The functional set up of the rooms did have its merits though the side rooms would not have been as viewable to audience members on the sides of the auditorium. The over all composition was easy on the eye.
Paul Jackson’s lighting design varied from natural to extreme contemporary colours. Each morning, the sun would suddenly pop up, bright as a daisy, within seconds which was rather amusing. Special mention must be made about the sur-titles which were brought down closer to the action and separated above the heads of the performers making it SO much more comfortable to follow the story. And yes, one language is enough, thank you.
So, does the story fit into a contemporary feminist lens? Violetta was originally a high class French courtesan. At the time, Paris was the indisputable leader for the whole of the Western World in fashion, taste, arts and literature. Yet, here we find her friends unkempt, with fags hanging out of the side of their mouths or lipstick smeared across their face, making them look like elephant man under the stage light. (All costume and makeup colours need to be tested under the stage lights.) The men are literally underfoot paying them money like common prostitutes. Violetta herself starts the show wiping her sex as she gets up from the bed like this is her nightly work. Interesting to hear talk in the foyers that sympathy for her by the end of the story is less when she is seen in this light.
The Gypsy entertainment was reduced to a single male and female dancer, both in skirts which then convert to matador capes. Though performed well, the choreography was very basic. Using the dancers to demonstrate Germont’s story of his family made for powerful story telling. The direction had some very curious inconsistencies including why and where characters enter and exit the stage. There are a few stiff moments where singers simply stand on their spot and sing to the audience as if their peers have been forgotten. In the final scene Violetta asks the maid Annina to give half of what little money she has left to the poor. Annina walks over all the money left on the floor from the previous scene to exit the room.
In the bigger picture, and considering the writer is not opposed to “sisters doing it for themselves” in their careers, we in society view a range of media and entertainment on offer. Sports, the art gallery, pub shows, festivals, video games, pokies. The range has become diverse offering more options all the time. Remaining unsurpassed, at the height of taste and class, is Opera and Ballet.
When we take a classic opera and remove the visual high class aspect of it, yes, it is a variation on a well worn work and might make it more up to date. However, for our younger audience members spending up large on a ticket to come and see an opera, one wonders if the gap between this sort of presentation of the women and say, a rap video where women are completely objectified, actually becomes slimmer, not wider. They might ask if this is what high class, tasteful entertainment looks like. It is a conservative “what if” thought being offered to you and you are welcome to debate – not abuse – in the comments below. How do we demonstrate to our young or new audience members the epitome of taste through opera and ballet? Where else would they get to see it if not in the Opera House?
Back to the review…
Is it recommended you come and see La Traviata?
Absolutely! It’s great for adults but leave the children at home for this one. In the end, we come to the Opera House for the music. The performers and musicians were superb and the magnificent composer Verdi guarantees you will have plenty of tunes to swoon over.
The season runs until end of March but performances through that time are limited. Considering the full house last night, it is recommended you book early.
Key Opera Cast and Crew
Conductor: Johannes Fritzsch
Cast
Violetta: Samantha Clarke
Alfredo: Ji-Min Park
Germont: José Carbó
Flora: Angela Hogan
Gastone: Virgilio Marino
Baron: Richard Anderson
Marquis d’Obigny: Luke Gabbedy
Doctor: Shane Lawrence
Annina: Catherine Bouchier
Production
Director: Sarah Giles
Revival Director: Warwick Doddrell
Sets and Costumes: Charles Davis
Lighting Designer: Paul Jackson
Related links
Book tickets from $79 at Opera Australia here: https://opera.org.au/productions/la-traviata-sydney/
See what else is on at the Opera house here: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whats-on
