Verdi - La Traviata
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Product details and pricing info |
|---|
46 Customer Reviews Posted
- Singers are Good but the rest is disappointing...
- (by a Japanese girl, 15 y.o.)
This DVD was my first opera DVD and the reason I chose this was I became a fan of Anna whom I found on YouTube lately and this DVD has such good reputations here and there.
As a beginner, I expected a Gorgeous stage set and beautiful costume.
But the stage set is very simple and poor. I was disappointed.
The costume, Anna is wearing simple red dress or white slip and the men are wearing business suits! I was severely disappointed.
I admit I should ask somebody about these things before.
But I was also bewildered by its presentation.
Who is that snowy-haired gentleman always standing at the side of the stage? As long as I read all review here, people don't care or express different understandings. I am not sure what he was meant to be.
There is a man wearing Violetta's red dress at act 3. What does that mean? I don't understand it either. For me, it was only dirty.
At the scene Alfredo was suppose to throw money to Violetta, Alfredo was putting money into Violetta's mouth! I was shocked and frozen. What was the director thinking? Somehow I suspect he did that because it was Netrebko. He wanted to show his power to this new idol singer. He didn't do this if she was Maria Callas, or could he? Man who does such rendition must be hating women somewhere deep in his psyche.
At act 3 there is a scene people wearing same mask and same costume thong into the room. It was so similar to Kate Bush's legendary video "Running up that hill"(1985). It is not fresh at all to repeat the idea existed 20 years ago. More to the point, one studies choreography must have seen her videos. I suspect he copied her idea. Even I noticed, there would be hundreds of people who noticed it either. For people who don't know what I am talking about, you can see on the net. Key word is "Kate bush Running up that hill"
I didn't appreciate this presentation. The stage set was poor. The costume was poor. (It is not innovative. It looked they just did not have budget.) Singers are great. Orchestra is great. Then, CD could be better as I could concentrate music. I can't believe people admire this production. It is my two cents. Thank you for reading<3 - 2008-05-29, 11 of 11 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Highly recommended for its inventive staging and two young superstars
- If you prefer to see "Traviata" with traditional stage design and costuming, then this is not the production for you. I tend to fall into that category, but unlike the 2004 production from La Fenice which also is contemporary in setting, this 2005 Salzburg production works for me because of the terrific chemistry between the two stars and the way the director allows their relationship to blossom. If you like seeing two lovers light up the screen, this production is not to be missed.
Anna Netrebko has the most remarkable voice - rich, creamy, and dusky. And I love her youthful exuberance. That said, I don't think her interpretation of Violetta is as nuanced and deep as others I've seen (Renee Fleming and Angela Gheorghiu come to mind). But she is young in this production and should only get better in the role.
Rolando Villazon is wonderfully expressive as Alfredo and has a rich tenor voice. He pays careful attention to phrasing which makes his Alfredo sound fresh in interpretation. He does flail around the stage a bit too much (a tendency he has under control in his recent portrayal of Alfredo opposite Renee Fleming). As Germont, Thomas Hampson is a bit stiff in the role; perhaps this results from his trying to play a stern father. It's a shame because he possesses such a rich and powerful baritone voice. I hope he plays the role again on DVD.
Bottom line, don't miss the chance to see this inventive production, featuring two of opera's young superstars. - 2008-05-23, 1 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Awesome!!!
- It is a bit hard to watch La Traviata without its fancy costumes and wonderful settings. However, once you have overcome that, you will enjoy this masterpiece wonderfully sung by Russian beauty Anna Netrebko and wonderfule Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon. They are definetely the golden couple in the opera world nowadays. Bravo and bravo once again!!!
- 2008-05-04, 2 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Excellent
- Excellent DVD. Singers are wonderful: quality singing, marvelous acting, highly believable in their roles, great chemistry. At first I thought I would not like this spare, modernistic production; instead if anything it allows the spectator to become more fully immersed with the characters and in the wonderful interpretations by Netrebko, Villazon, and Hampson.
Sound and vision are also excellent - 2008-05-01, 2 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A great take on a classic opera
- I loved the version I saw of at the Met in New York but I thought that, despite their individual performances, there was something missing between the leads. The sets were extravagant complete with the entire third act set rising through the floor. The costumes were likewise extravagant and faithful to their time period.
Despite all the things the Met version had, seeing this stripped down version, I can see what it was missing: chemistry between the two leads which is not a problem with this Villazon/Netrebko production. Here I believed the leads were actually in love with each other rather than just in love with hearing their own voices. Here the focus was on the two lovers, the father's interjection of duty, and the menacing clock ticking away.
Awesome. - 2008-04-20, 2 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
