La Traviata dress rehearsal photo credit: David Pasho
In the presence of the divine
by Nan Cormier
One might expect that a concert presentation of an opera might lack some of the emotion, soul and pathos of the fully staged opera. But last night, in the first of two performances of Opera Lyra’s concert presentation of La Traviata, in Southam Hall, at the National Arts Centre, the lack of staging and sets which at first seemed to limit the physicality of the cast, were quickly eclipsed by the sheer beauty of the production.
La Traviata, by Guiseppe Verdi, is the story of a Violetta, a courtesan, who falls in love with a younger man, Alfredo, only to be asked to let him go by his father, Giorgio Germont in order to save his family’s honour. Violetta agrees out of love for Alfredo, and leaves the countryside, for Paris. When Alfredo comes on the scene he misunderstands why she has left him and reacts badly, vowing revenge the next time he sees her. All this time, Violetta is dying of tuberculosis. Finally, Alfredo’s father explains the reason why Violetta has left him. But by then, it is too late. Violetta is at death’s door when Alfredo arrives at her bedside to beg her forgiveness.
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