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Verdi - La Traviata
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List Price: $29.98
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Product Details
- Starring: Renee Fleming, Rolando Villazon, Renato Bruson, James Conlon, Ania Alkimova
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- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
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- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
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- Binding: DVD
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- Director: Marta Domingo
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- EAN: 0044007432150
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- Format: Digital Sound, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
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- Label: Decca
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- Language: Italian
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- Manufacturer: Decca
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- Number of Discs: 1
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- Number of Items: 1
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- Product Group: DVD
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- Publisher: Decca
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- Region Code: 0
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- Release Date: 2007-10-30
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- Studio: Decca
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- Theatrical Release Date: 2006
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- Title: Verdi - La Traviata
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- UPC: 044007432150
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Avg Customer Rating: 
Product Description: This superb 2006 production of the Los Angeles Opera's La Traviata stars Renée Fleming, who joins the ranks of the elite handful of sopranos whose vocal and acting talents make their portrayals memorable. Her Violetta Valéry is a vulnerable figure torn between self-indulgence and love, sacrificing personal happiness to become a victim of the social mores of mid-19th-century bourgeois France. Fleming's acting captures the complexity of the character and her vocalism is flawless. She negotiates the wild coloratura of Act One with aplomb, and is stunning in the lyric passages that pervade the opera, and touching in her scenes with her lover, Alfredo, and his father. Her singing is free of the mannerisms that have sometimes crept into her work and at the same time she brings countless personal touches to the role, phrasing and verbal emphases that shed fresh light on the character. Fleming is a great Violetta, and this DVD proves it. She's blessed with Rolando Villazón as Alfredo. He brings fiery passion to the role of the impetuous lover, convincing in his anger at what he thinks is her betrayal, and in his regrets in their last-act deathbed reconciliation. His singing is on par with his acting, the voice ringing in climaxes, scaled down to sweet lyricism in the love scenes, husky, almost baritone-like in the more overtly dramatic scenes. As his father, Giorgio Germont, the veteran baritone Renato Bruson tends to mistake stiffness for authority and he's on the dry side vocally, lacking the colors that can make Germont's four-square arias interesting. The smaller parts are capably done and conductor James Conlon leads a thrilling, performance, shaping phrases idiomatically. Stage director Marta Domingo's direction is firmly traditional, with sets and costumes by Giovanni Agostinucci that reflect the period. The first-act party scene in which we are introduced to the characters is imaginatively moved to the terrace of Violetta's house where the greenery, tables, and openness lend a fresh perspective to an opera that grows increasingly darker. By contrast, Flora's party, where Alfredo denounces the hapless Violetta, is draped in the red of demi-monde Paris. The big stage, so useful in the rest of the opera, tends to be too big for the intimate last act. Surely Violetta, down to her last 10 sous, should be in a more humble abode. The opening of this act also finds the only trace of directorial heavy-handedness. We all know the consumptive Violetta dies at the end, but Domingo places Fleming on a bier-like bed during the prelude and introduces a black-clad figure of Death who swoops into the scene. Fortunately, the rest of the act is free of such meaningless indulgences. Bryan Large's video direction is excellent too, always focused where it should be and without the excessive tight close-ups that distract from the singers by showing their tonsils. --Dan Davis
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Customer Reviews
Sumptuous, beautiful - the way La Traviata should be.
This production contrasts sharply with the one from Salzburg one year earlier (Willy Decker), and is tons better directed by Mrs. Marta Domingo.
The singers? Renee Fleming, though not as young as Anna Netrebko, is not one jot 'older' in every sense: vocally, visually, pscychologically. Her Violetta is utterly believable, tradition-bound, authentic to the utmost. She is charming, sophisticated, cultured, deeply affectionate towards Alfredo, and has all the hidden dignity associated with a woman of such station in life.
Ms. Fleming demonstrates here that SHE is right now opera's lyrical prima donna; not Netrebko nor Gheorghiu. And I am NOT an American when I state this FACT. The different facets of vocal requirement on the role of Violetta Valery are all fully met by Ms. Fleming. One could not really wish for more.
Villazon here is also tons better than in Salzburg. He is able to bring off much more fireworks than in the earlier performance, which by an large is a one-woman show by Anna Netrebko.
The role of Germont is also wonderfully brought home by Renata Bruson.
The sets and scenary are simply lovely.
For beginners and vertan lovers of Western opera, this production really sets the role model in every sense.
Most highly recommended.
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Beautiful Woman Beautiful Singing
The part for Violetta, a beautiful young woman, is actually played by a beautiful young woman. Renee Fleming is perfect in the role. All the other parts are filled with the perfect singer to play them as well.
This may be the most perfect production possible, so revel in the glorious music and savor the delicious melodrama.
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Old style opera! In the bad sense.
Well, this is a good oportunity to watch and listen Fleming, Villazón, Bruson and Conlon together. But the mise en scene by Mrs. Placido Domingo is so bad. Looks like a poor old style in a little town! And Fleming, one of my favorites sopranos, is not Violetta.
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I saw this live
and it was not remotely close to being a great Traviata. Fleming did not project well; Villazon seemed stiff and nervous; Conlon is clearly not an accomplished Verdian conductor; the sets were average at best.
Too many USA people just give any Fleming performance an inflated rating because she is attractive and is from the USA.
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Musically superb, eye dazzling traditional performance...
Beside countless recordings, there are over a dozen video releases of La traviata, one of Verdi's most popular and beloved operas. So far I have always considered Solti's DECCA performance from the Covent Garden as a benchmark, but this live DVD issue from LAOpera is a worthy competitor indeed.
As a response to Willy Decker highly original, iconoclastic, powerful and intense Salzburg performance with Anna Netrebko, director Marta (Mrs Placido) Domingo has
chosen a traditional approach but done with immaculate taste, gorgeously colorful sets and costumes. Even she makes, however some minor departures such as the 1st act being set in a roof garden and the sudden, but to me uncalled for appearance of a masked death like figure in the 3rd act. No offence meant, but I feel that these polite changes really mean nothing and done for the sake of doing something different.
Musically speaking, James Conlon's unerring sense of tempi and inspired conducting
provides excitement you can feel throughout and no other American soprano could be
more ideally suited for the title role than Renee Fleming. Her ability to throw herself into the part
with total emotional commitment and her vocal artistry in this very demanding role makes her performance a stunning success. Her partner, young Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon (also appearing in the Salzburg DVD) with
his strong, clear voice, dramatic and passionate acting is an instant audience favorite.
Perhaps he will be a possible heir to the tradition of Pavarotti and Domingo. Third in this exceptional trio is Renato Bruson, who at 71 is already a legend creating a stern, elegant and ultimately a very sympathetic Germont Pere with his powerful, expressive velvety baritone.
Excellent choice for traditionalists, but do not pass by the Salzburg set either.
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