Review: La Traviata"La Traviata Charts New Territory"Courier Post (Robert Baxter) Opera New Jersey is opening its fifth season with a winning production of Verdi's La Traviata. Visually and vocally, Friday evening's premiere marked a big step forward for the Princeton-based opera company. The traditional production—smartly staged by John Hoomes and attractively designed by Richare Seger—concentrated on the deep emotions in Verdi's opera. A high point came in the gambling scene that ends the second act. Suddenly, as Alfredo denounced Violetta, a good performance became an outstanding one. Michael Fabiano opened up his firm, true tenor with tremendous impact. Elizabeth Caballero conveyed Violetta's heartbreak and despair as her lover humiliates her. Caballero reached the heights in the final act. As Alfredo swept the dying woman in his arms, she was no longer merely singing notes or making gestures. She was capturing Violetta's joy and suffering in a voice suffused with death. Caballero sang strongly from the start, but her pulsing soprano sometimes lacked focus and expressive color. She screamed out the high Cs in "Sempre libera" and did not always manage to refine her voice in the long duet with Alfredo's father. But her interpretation gained in intensity and nuance as the performance progressed. She deserved the big ovation she got at the end of the performance. So did Fabiano. A late replacement for another tenor, Fabiano was unable to sing the dress rehearsal because he was in Vail, Colorado singing "La Boheme" with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He sang impressively but ducked the high C at the end of Alfredo's aria that he had sung in performances of "La Traviata" at the Academy of Vocal Arts two months ago. Rounding out the principal roles was William Andrew Stuckey. He has a big, rough-hewn baritone that he managed to refine in the second verse of Germont's second-act aria. He added a big presence to the performance. The minor roles were capably cast, from Ariya Sawadivong's glamorous Flora Bervoix and Kemper H. L. Florin's touching Annina to Aaron Sanko's firm-toned Gastone, Jonathan Stinson's impressive Baron Douphol and Sean Anderson's fine Marquis D'Obigny. Fernando Raucci presides over the musical performance with a firm hand. Stage director John Hoomes unfolds the action clearly in Seger's handsome set, a series of arched doorways rearranged from scene to scene. Patricia A. Hibbert's attractive costumes add to the visual appeal of the production. |
