La Traviata
Stock image via Unspalsh: @hush52
Bravo to the Canadian Opera Company for their triumphant season opening of Guiseppe Verdi’s amazing La Traviata. An opera full of character, colour, and amazing music we all know and love (even if you didn’t realize you already knew the music).
La Traviata is a production with a rather straight forward story as far as operas go, but that does not mean the characters lacked depth by any means. The two leads, Violetta, sung by Kathryn Lewek, and Alfredo sung by Long Long, are characters that can be related to despite the 173 years between us and the opera’s creation.
Violetta is no shallow character, but rather is someone with depth, and intention to better her circumstances. Her character is weary of Parisian socialite nightlife, and wanted nothing more than to enjoy her life in peace and happiness with someone who truly loves her. Her desire for redemption from a life society looked down on burned within her, even if she believes it could never happen. As this opera is a drama, of course any dreams made reality never last for long, and through the events of the story she falls back to the life she left behind. The solace that tabula rasa provided was pushed away by reinstated gemstones and silk shackles.
Lewek didn’t just sing beautifully, she excelled in her performance as Violetta. The emotional depth and conflict of the character came through in her coloratura, with every part of the soprano range being used with sparkling agility. The change of registers on the fly was an impressive display of Lewek’s skill and control, with the transition between chest and head voice in close passages sung seamlessly. Expert control of the voice is required for the role, and she pulled it off wonderfully. Her acting excelled too, telling the audience that while the music might be in a major key and seem uplifting, the implications of the libretto text tell us otherwise.
In contrast to Violetta, Tenor Long Long sang Alfredo well. His voice had all the passion and nimbleness required for the character. His control in staccato passages added a nice lighthearted naiveté which was a great contrast to the hopeless perspective on life that Violetta has at the beginning of the opera.
In compliment with the talented singers, the orchestra and chorus were wonderful as usual, this time under the direction of Maestro Paolo Carignani. Carignani’s style of conducting was full of passion and perspective, evident in each swish of the baton. His style was collaborative and was in clear partnership with the singers. He instilled expression and shape, basked in longer cadenze, left room for ornamentation, elaboration, and interpretation.
La Traviata provides a beautiful and emotionally striking story, and for anyone who this might be their first time at the opera, or are considering going, this would definitely be on our list of great operas to start with. We were glad to see the Canadian Opera Company leaned into the period dress of Parisian high society with the sparkling gems, the beautiful silks, carnival celebration costuming and black-tie tailcoats. With the mix of amazing classic and campy aesthetics, high calibre music, and arias you can whistle as you walk, we would encourage everyone—new viewer or seasoned music lovers— to go and experience this amazing other world, offered for a few hours each run, here in Toronto.