Poor Violetta

It occurred to me last night as I sat in the second row of the Ambassador’s Theatre in Woking, that I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to opera. I think I could pick a bum note and I can appreciate a good set and costumes but, basically, the mechanics of performance is not my forte.

This means I nearly always enjoy it. One of the things that (sort of) spoils theatre for me is knowing the theatrical tricks or comparing what I would have achieved in a particular role. It changes my role from passive viewer to rabid critic! But not so with opera.

So, for that reason, I can never really judge an opera with the same level of expertise as I do live theatre. It probably explains why I generally immerse myself in it and simply enjoy it. Sometimes it can even make me cry. Like last night.

I was in Woking to see the Ukrainian National Opera of Kharkiv production of La Traviata directed by some well known woman called Ellen Kent. And I loved it!

All lit up for La Traviata

An opera of great tragedy, La Traviata (based on the Dumas play and novel, La Dame aux Camellias) tells the story of Violetta, a Paris courtesan who, reluctantly, falls in love with an admirer, and gives up her dissolute life to go and live with him in the country. Her love, Alfredo, is deliriously happy until his father visits Violetta and convinces her to leave his son rather than ruin him because of her past.

Violetta, heartbroken and dying of tuberculosis, agrees and returns to her Paris life of pleasure. Alfredo, intent on winning her back, goes after her but winds up in a duel with her old lover, Baron Douphol who has once more claimed her attentions.

Eventually, Violetta is left alone in a garrett, closing in on death, the carnival just outside her walls. Alfredo returns in the knick of time, professing his love and saying they will now be together forever. His father chips in with effusive apologies. But, for Violetta, there is no happily ever after and she dies in Alfredo’s arms.

Now I’m no authority on La Traviata (it’s the first time I’ve seen it) but I thought Maria Tonina as Violetta was wonderful. Apart from being able to hold a tune, she was gorgeous, every bit the beautiful, glittering party animal she needs to be.

Image scanned from the programme - Alfredo behind her

As her descent towards death is hastened, she changes, her pain and illness changing her until, at the end, she looks pale and ghostly. If you ignore the fact that she was singing, she was utterly convincing. When she died, I cried.

I have read a review of this production that claims there wasn’t any emotional connection between the main characters but I disagree based on last night’s performance. Ruslan Zinevych as Alfredo played the smitten lover convincingly and his love for her was obvious. His desperation to understand her leaving was also intense. And when she dies, his great sorrow was obvious.

Also Ievgenii Lysytskyi (who has to have one of the worst names I’ve ever had to type) was fabulous as Alfredo’s father. Mind you, I never forgave him, no matter how much he pleaded at the end. While Violetta was obviously going to die, he didn’t have to ruin her last days!

I thoroughly enjoyed almost every bit of it. The one thing that I didn’t enjoy was Stefan Donos as Baron Douphol who I thought wooden and just ‘going through the motions’. Ok, he could sing but he could’ve turned up! In theatre we have a saying: There’s no small parts, just small actors and I think Stefan needs to take heed. The Baron isn’t a big part, it’s true, but it’s a part that should give a performer a chance to at least look interested in what’s going on. It was like watching a waxwork with moveable lips.

Fortunately the Baron wasn’t there a lot so we could just soak up Violetta and Alfredo as their lives plummeted towards tragedy and death.

There was a good crowd there – I was by far the scruffiest as most of the men were in suits – and they were very appreciative at the end, cheering and whistling when Violetta bowed. Curiously, the chorus didn’t get a curtain call, just the main singers. Saved us booing the Baron, I guess.