Review: La Traviata"Opera New Jersey stages La Traviata”Bucks County Herald (Anita Donovan) Bucks County opera buffs are in luck, as more opera troupes elect to bring operatic productions closer to our region. The Academy of Vocal Arts now brings opera to Central Bucks High School South in both fall and spring, Trenton’s Boheme Opera produces at the War Memorial and in Princeton, and the summer Princeton Festival features both opera and musical theater. Growing apace is Opera New Jersey, now in its fifth summer season, with a program of three major works at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre, starting this week with Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. Arguably one of Verdi’s best loved works, La Traviata, with a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, was adapted from a play by Alexandre Dumas, who is believed to have based the story on his personal experiences. Alfredo, a rather naive young man, meets a Parisian courtesan, falls in love with her, and attempts to “take her away from it all” at a country villa. When expenses mount up, it appears that it is the lady who is supporting Alfredo, to his chagrin. Worse yet, Alfredo’s father shows up to persuade the lady to give up the young man to protect the reputation of his family, especially a daughter who is about to be wed. The lady, Violetta Valery, realizes that her reputation cannot be erased and returns to her dissolute Parisian life, knowing full well she is ailing and faces certain death. At a subsequent meeting, insults fly and further misunderstandings abound. Alfredo departs thinking the worst of Violetta. Months go by, and Alfredo learns of Violetta’s sacrifice, but only when she is already dying of tuberculosis. Their reunion is tuneful but hopeless. The wonder of La Traviata is that it not only contains the most lilting songs and choruses in the happier moments of the play, but also takes on unsavory subjects and the most tragic moments with soaring melodies that stay in memory. We are quite prepared to sing along with the infectious first act drinking song, “Libiamo,” while the falsely gay “Parigi, O cara” touches us through its combination of delicate waltz tempo and empty promises. The Opera New Jersey production features a cast of young singers, several with local connections. Tenor Michael Fabiano, who sings the role of Alfredo, studies at Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts, while baritone William Andrew Stuckey, as Alfredo’s father, is a Lawrenceville, N.J., resident. Cuban native Elizabeth Caballero portrays the doomed Violetta. The stage director is John Hoomes and Fernando Raucci conducts. The sets are designed by Richard Seger, and Patricia Hibbert provides the elaborate period costumes. Audiences should be forewarned that “La Traviata” is a two-hanky opera, but Verdi’s pulsating rhythms and dramatic high points make the trip worthwhile, even if only for the amorous duets of Act I and the ecstatic parting moments in Act II, when Violetta pleads, “Alfredo, tell me you love me.” Who could resist? |
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