Last night I was able to attend opening night for Utah Opera's production of Verdi's tragic masterpiece, La Traviata, and it was a magnificent performance! Violetta Valery (Anya Mantanovic) is a beautiful and glamorous courtesan who lives only for pleasure. Even though she is suffering from consumption, she hosts a lavish party at her home and encourages her guests to sing a wild drinking song. When she grows too tired to dance, a young man named Alfredo Germont (Rafael Moras) stays behind and declares his love for her. She resists him because she likes her simple life of pleasure. However, when he leaves she realizes that she is in love with him. They leave Paris and live happily together until Alfredo's father Germont (Michael Chioldi) comes to ask Violetta to leave Alfredo because their relationship is scandalizing the family and ruining his daughter's prospects for marriage. Violetta tearfully agrees to sacrifice her love for the sake of Alfredo and returns to Paris. She attends a masquerade ball hosted by her friend Flora (Quinn Middleman) with one of her former patrons, Baron Douphol (Christopher Holmes). When Alfredo sees her with the Baron, he treats her with such contempt that his father tells him of her sacrifice. Later, Alfredo begs Violetta to forgive him and she dies in his arms. I loved everything about this production! The music in this opera is very well known and the three leads sing their roles brilliantly. Mantanovic is incredibly passionate as Violetta in Act 1, especially in the aria, "Sempre Libera," and tragic in Act 3 when she sings "Addio, del passato bei sogni rrdenti." Moras has such a beautiful voice and I enjoyed his interpretation of the impetuous Alfredo. His version of "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" is incredibly stirring. I was also very impressed with Chioldi because his rendition of "Di Provenza il mar" gave me goosebumps! The chorus is also outstanding, especially at the end of Act 2 when they denounce Alfredo for his treatment of Violetta ("Di donne ignobile insultatore"). As always, the sets and costumes are wonderful and I especially liked the juxtaposition between the opulence of Violetta's Paris home with the more modest villa she shares with Alfredo in the country. Another aspect of this particular production that I enjoyed was the collaboration with the Ririe Woodbury Dance Company. Members of this company (Dominica Greene, Nicholas Jurica, Megan McCarthy, Brian Nelson, Bashaun Williams, and Melissa Rochelle Younker) perform a waltz during Violetta's party and the gypsy and matador dances at Flora's masquerade and these dances are exquisite. Even if you are not a big fan of opera you are sure to recognize many of the arias in La Traviata and I highly recommend seeing Utah Opera's production! It runs at the newly renovated Capitol Theatre through October 20 (go here for tickets).
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