Kulturkompasset | critics of culture events

La Traviata in Firenze


La Traviata

di Giuseppe Verdi

Florence, Italy, Cortile di Palazzo Pitti, 2017 June 20th

By Fabio Bardelli, Fotos: Michele Borzoni, TerraProject Contrasto

La Traviata, Pavone, 1st act

La Traviata, Pavone, 1st act

FIRENZE/ITALY: It was an interesting staging at Ammannati Courtyard in Florentine Palazzo Pitti of the edition of La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi that we saw and reviewed last year for Kulturkompasset, a staging about whom I wrote:

Undoubtedly the most interesting and curious side of this Florentine Traviata is the staging by director Alfredo Corno with scenes of Angelo Sala and the functional costumes by Alfredo Corno and Angelo Sala, globally a real tribute to Federico Fellini.

The story takes place on a Cinecittà film set with Violetta in the role of Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita, Alfredo and Giorgio Germont are both actors, and many Fellini characters occupy the stage: Gastone is Paparazzo, two mimes are the Fool and Gelsomina, Giorgio Germont wears a Casanova mask, then there are a tamer, drag queens, busty breast women like the Saraghina, bishops and cardinals.

La Traviata, Pavone and chorus, second act

La Traviata, Pavone and chorus, second act


First of all we have to forget the many arm-twistings, the Paris hints (while we are obviously in Rome), or real nonsense as Alfredo who enters Violetta’s bedroom in the last scene bringing some flowers (and Giorgio Germont with a gift …), or Violetta who smokes being ill of tuberculosis, or Barone Douphol pulling a punch in Alfredo’s stomach, not to say about Annina who at the end of the opera appears dressed as a nun.

But we must say that once inside the mechanism the staging by Alfredo Corno is interesting and engaging
. Unfortunately, not all acts are at the same level of inventiveness: the first act and the second scene of the second act are surely the better ones. Of course Amami Alfredo scene in a dining room with an old black and white television makes a strange impression, but the final scene of the second act with the Fool and Gelsomina cheering Violetta is full of poetry and nearly clever.”

Traviata Chorus act 2nd

Traviata Chorus act 2nd

We can only confirm the good impressions of last year, this staging as a whole appears yet good and pleasant apart some reservations that we just mentioned.

From the musical point of view conductor Sebastiano Rolli is a real surprise, even a “luxury” for an outdoor summer performance where usually the conductor just keeps together orchestra and stage or little more. On the contrary he shows maturity and clear ideas: a subtle and vibrant concertation, coloristically refined, with a not prevaricating but ever present orchestra in suggesting, stimulating, accompanying the voices

. He moves in the Preludes, the orchestra is always alive responsive and effective.

La Traviata, Pavone, second act.

La Traviata, Pavone, second act.

Young Italian soprano Claudia Pavone is a more than credible Violetta. She gives her best in last two acts and gives us a Dite alla giovine that is quite exemplary for legato, colors and expressive correctness. The voice is bright and ringing even if perhaps not of great volume, but the interpreter is sensitive and succeeds even in the moments in which a greater voice volume would be needed with intensity of phrasing and accent mobility.

The tenor Alessandro Scotto of Luzio starts a bit undertone, then he relaxes and achieves discrete results in the last two acts of the opera

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. His coloristic palette is rather limited but overall he is fairly correct and effective.

The baritone Marcello Rosiello is a bit raw in his vocal emission phrasing and in delineating his character but globally is rather effective.

Minor interpreters do not shine standing at an average level.
Orchestra and Choir, trained by Lorenzo Fratini, were excellent as usual. Warm applause for everyone, especially for conductor Sebastiano Rolli.

La Traviata 1st act, Ensemble with Pavone and Scotto di Luzon

La Traviata 1st act, Ensemble with Pavone and Scotto di Luzon in center.

Distribution:

Direttore, Sebastiano Rolli
Regia, Alfredo Corno
Scene, Angelo Sala
Costumi, Alfredo Corno e Angelo Sala
Luci, Alessandro Tutini
Coreografia, Lino Privitera
Maestro del Coro, Lorenzo Fratini

Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Violetta, Claudia Pavone
Alfredo Germont, Alessandro Scotto di Luzio
Giorgio Germont, Marcello Rosiello

Flora Bervoix, Ana Victoria Pitts
Annina, Marta Pluda
Gastone, Rim Park
Barone Douphol, Dario Shikhmiri
Marchese d’Obigny, Qianming Dou
Dottor Grenvil, Chanyoung Lee
Giuseppe, Leonardo Melani
Un domestico, Nicolò Ayroldi
Commissionario, Nicola Lisanti

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