La Traviata » Nationale Reisopera
Director – Monique Wagemaker
Throughout the years I have had little luck with La Traviata…How different this performance in the Hague. This time round we had exceptional singers and a superb conductor, Mark Shanahan who led the Orchestra with admirable subtlety. None of the playing sounded routine, every tempo had a natural flow. Balance with the stage was perfect and the singers sounded comfortable….I came away with gratitude, finally believing that not only recordings can provide a fine Traviata. » Michael Davidson – Opera Magazine
La traviata shines with the Nationale Reisopera
La Traviata (the lost) still is an appealing and impressing opera by Giuseppe Verdi from 1853. The libretto by Francesco Maria Piave is partly based on true happenings and takes place in Paris and surroundings, in the years of 1846 – 1847. If a production of this opera wants to connect with the public, a decent and stylish staging of theatre, song and optics is necessary. This expectation was fulfilled by the enchanting production of the Nationale Reisopera yesterday evening in “de Harmonie” in Leeuwarden.
It has to be made musical credible by the pillars of the play – by the conductor, the soprano and the tenor – that the Parisian courtesan Violetta is a more noble person than the hypocrite upper class who despises her. And that the love between Violetta and Alfredo is durable and pure and the destiny of Violetta is heartbreaking. The music of Verdi proves itself to be brilliant. And so do the three pillars.
The English conductor Mark Shanahan does not only let the choir and soloists excel, but especially the Orkest van het Oosten in a gentle accompaniment. In short, a magnificent Verdi. » Gerrit Stulp
Magnificent Verdi
Apeldoorn – La traviata – a faithful revival of the solid and gracious staging of 2003 – with as the main difference that all three pillars of the play (conductor, soprano and tenor) are all three others than five years ago. They are the ones who have to make it musically credible that the Parisian courtesan Violetta is more noble than the completely hypocrite upper class who looks down on her, that the love between Violetta and Alfredo is pure and indestructible, that the faith of Violetta is heartbreaking and that the Score of Verdi is brilliant.
And they all do that. All three of them. Soprano Sally Silver stunted earlier this season when she played the three very different female main parts in ‘Les contes d’Hoffmann’. Now she adapts her voice subtle and flexibly to the part of Violetta en surprises us once again with her colourful sound.
Tenor Bülent Bezdüz has a splendid voice; of which we want more and more. Pity, very pity, that his volume still at certain times is too small for this work. Conductor Mark Shanahan does not only let the soloists and the NRO shine, but especially the Orkest van het Oosten.
Flexibly followed by his musicians, Shanahan provided a gentle accompaniment, pure orchestral singing, shimmering climaxes and clear sentiment.
In short, a magnificent Verdi. » Menno van Duuren