La Traviata – Opera In A Nutshell
Presented by Cantaviva
Wesley Music Centre, Saturday 18 August.
Reviewed by Len Power
‘La Traviata’ by Giuseppe Verdi was first performed in 1853
in Venice. Based on the 1848 novel, ‘The
Lady Of the Camellias’, by Alexandre Dumas fils
about the tragic love affair between a courtesan dying of consumption and her
lover, Alfredo, the opera has remained popular internationally to this day.
Opera in A Nutshell is a scaled down presentation of the
highlights of the opera in about 90 minutes including interval. It focusses on the main arias sung by three
of the principle characters – Violetta, the courtesan (Sarahlouise Owens -
soprano), her lover, Alfredo (Christopher Lincoln Bogg - tenor) and Alfredo’s father,
Germont (Colin Milner - baritone). Verdi’s
opera is a good choice for this treatment as the arias presented are hauntingly
beautiful and mostly well-known.
The music normally sung by the chorus is omitted. As well as singing Germont, Colin Milner
provides a narration to cover the cuts in the story. The fine musical accompaniment was by Colleen
Rae-Gerrard on piano and Matthew Witney on violin. It was presented on a simple drawing room
setting with attractive period furniture that created the right atmosphere.
Commencing with the rousing brindisi drinking song, ‘Libiamo ne' lieti calici’ (Let’s drink
from the joyous cups), Sarahlouise Owens and Christopher Lincoln Bogg were both
in fine voice. Continuing on to the more dramatic, ‘Un dì, felice, eterea’ (One
day, happy and ethereal), they were both convincing in their portrayal of the
growing love between their characters.
Owens was especially effective with her singing of the well-known
‘Sempre Libre’ (Always free.)
From the second act, Alfredo’s aria, ‘De' miei bollenti
spiriti / Il giovanile ardore’ (The youthful ardour of my ebullient spirits)
was very well sung by Christopher Lincoln Bogg.
Colin Milner as Germont, displayed his fine baritone voice with an
impressive and authoritative performance of the father pleading in song for
Violetta to break off the relationship with her son.
After interval, there was more fine singing of songs from
the second and third acts. The voices of
Bogg and Milner blended especially well in their confrontation scene and Sarahlouise
Owens was very moving with her beautiful singing of her death bed aria.
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition of Monday 20 August.
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast in his ‘On Stage’ performing arts radio program on Mondays
and Wednesdays from 3.30pm on Artsound FM 92.7.
