Coliseum, London, February 2-March 3
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Director:
Peter Konwitschny
Producer:
English National Opera
Cast:
Corinne Winters, Ben Johnson, Anthony Michaels-Moore, Clare Presland, Paul Hopwood, Matthew Hargreaves
English
National Opera are in dire financial straits. Let’s hope that’s not the
reason why their new production of La Traviata is staged with just a
pile of books
and a chair against several sets of red curtains. The director explains
in the programme that the curtains opening and closing represent the egb
and flow of the heroine’s illness. Unfortunately it also makes the
production look like it’s been staged on the
cheap at a massive village hall.
This
is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. It’s the story of
how a dying high class hooker, Violetta, discovers the value of true
love just as she’s
about to fade out. Before she does her boyfriend’s father-in-law
persuades her to give him up for the good of his family – cue: heart
break all round. The music by Verdi is sweeping and romantic.
It
usually lasts nearly three hours but this production makes cuts to the
score and its performed without an interval, clocking in at just under
two.
The
simple set and modern dress allow for no distraction from the music
which is sung gloriously by the delicate Corrine Winters who’s
performance is suitably heart
breaking. So that we understand that this is real love rather than mere
physical attraction the director has poor Ben Johnson as Alfredo dress
in a duffel coat and wear thick spectacles so it’s impossible to
generate much sexual chemistry between the two, however
his singing’s great even if it’s hard to warm to him. Anthony
Michaels-Moore is suitably suave and commanding as his pa. The rest of
the predominantly overweight chorus bump around the stage trying to look
like debauched party guests and, embarrassingly, sexy
cocktail waitresses.
It’s
all a short, sharp hit of Opera but it’s nearly a hundred pounds for
the best seats (although it gets much cheaper the higher up you sit) so
you might want to
wait for another production in the hope that the next director will
serve up something more romantic and easier on the eye to match the
sumptuous score.
VERDICT: *** (Three Stars) Some great singing but the austere staging keeps things earthbound.