ROH Traviata

[JohnS]

I thought I’d add Traviata to double Coppelia tomorrow, in part avoiding a rushed journey.  Always a favourite and many years since I last saw it, I wasn’t overwhelmed by tonight’s performance and went back to thinking I’d been spoiled far too much in the 70s, 80s and 90s.  Some fine passages but too much acting by numbers, taking off a coat and then putting it back on, too much pacing around, swapping positions,  when the music has so much to say.  Even Simon Keenlyside, playing an old Giorgio Germont, was forever moving his stick from one hand to the other - surely an elderly person who uses a stick holds it in one hand.  Liparit Avetisyan fiddled with his tie/collar on every stage entry and looked as if he’d stepped out of L'elisir d'amore.  And Hrachuhi Bassenz has a difficult task convincing me that she’s consumptive although I enjoyed much of her singing.  Some very lugubrious tempo.  I’ve rather restricted visits to opera as I’ve been a little disappointed by some performances and I’d be interested to know if this cast is seen as pretty representative of today’s ROH standards.

[Scheherezade]

What a disappointment, John!

I think that some of the problems have to stem from the inevitable Traviata fatigue that must set in with such lengthy revivals of the same production, year upon year, without fail, and frequently spanning both the winter and summer months.

i didn’t book this time round for that reason and because, notwithstanding Keenlyside’s Germont, I wasn’t overly enamoured by any of the casts. Last time round featured the wonderful Ermonela Jaho, reigning ‘Queen of Tragedy’  who manages to make anything compelling.

Perhaps Ruth or Geoff or someone  better placed to comment could offer their views. 

[Geoff]

22 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

Last time round featured the wonderful Ermonela Jaho, reigning ‘Queen of Tragedy’  who manages to make anything compelling.

 

Indeed. Although there was a nasty episode when Jaho was trying to make music and Plácido Domingo made horrid noises at the same time. Whatever sins Domingo may or may not have committed in other areas, this should have been enough to get him banned from the stage.

 

I didn’t book anything this run as the various Violettas haven’t set my heart racing, although in one or two cases the names are new to me so perhaps one should make the effort (after all, this is traditionally a part when new voices break through). Does anyone have tips?

 

 

 

 

[Scheherezade]

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

 

Indeed. Although there was a nasty episode when Jaho was trying to make music and Plácido Domingo made horrid noises at the same time. Whatever sins Domingo may or may not have committed in other areas, this should have been enough to get him banned from the stage.

Agreed. I stopped attending Domingo performances some time ago for purely musical reasons. I would not dream of speculating upon other matters but, putting those aside, I can see few reasons apart from nostalgia for choosing him as a baritone in preference to others. 

[RuthE]

On ‎28‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 11:02, Geoff said:

I didn’t book anything this run as the various Violettas haven’t set my heart racing, although in one or two cases the names are new to me so perhaps one should make the effort (after all, this is traditionally a part when new voices break through). Does anyone have tips?

 

I saw Hrachuhi Bassenz on opening night and she was fine, but no more, while the tenor Liparit Avetisyan really struggled with the conductor's tempo choices and kept drifting flat.

 

My hot tip, were you to pick one cast this time, would be Kristina Mkhitaryan, who I saw in the same role at Glyndebourne, and impressed me very much.  She gave the whole performance a real sense of heavy melancholy.  I'm going to see one of hers in a couple of weeks' time, and she doesn't have Daniel Oren's conducting to contend with, either.

 

But I fear last January's marvellous run, not all of which had Placido Domingo in it, has ruined me forever.

[Lizbie1]

23 minutes ago, RuthE said:

and she doesn't have Daniel Oren's conducting to contend with, either.

I saw that one critic gave him (and his hirer) both barrels the other day. It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me!

[Geoff]

5 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me!

 

Decades ago I was told that most ROH mysteries can be explained by its proximity to Freemasons' Hall. At the time I thought this was nonsense but some subsequent events have given me pause. The orchestra, for example, is an interesting case.  

[RuthE]

14 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

I saw that one critic gave him (and his hirer) both barrels the other day. It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me!

 

Without naming any names, I have had this discussion with:

 

- principals

- choristers

- orchestral musicians

 

...and none of them seem to know!

 

(Edited to add: I hope this post doesn't break forum rules.  If they DID know, I know the forum wouldn't let me tell you, but they don't, so it's a moot point.)

Edited January 6, 2020 by RuthE

[Scheherezade]

Does (Kerry) Katona’s brief extend to guesting conductors or is that the province of his more August colleagues?

[RuthE]

I am now hearing excellent things about Dinara Alieva's debut last night.  Sadly if I want to see/hear one of her performances I will need to stomach Oren again.

[bangorballetboy]

15 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

 (Kerry) Katona’s brief 

 

Is this an in-joke that I don't know about?

[Scheherezade]

Only if you are less familiar with the members of Atomic Kitten than certain other opera-goers some time back in the past. 

[bangorballetboy]

20 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

Only if you are less familiar with the members of Atomic Kitten than certain other opera-goers some time back in the past. 

I’m now expecting Liz McLarnon and Natasha Hamilton to pop up in the pit! 😎

[Scheherezade]

Don’t give the BBC ideas! No, they’ve already done the ‘celebrity’ conducting gig, haven’t they.

[bangorballetboy]

7 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

Don’t give the BBC ideas! No, they’ve already done the ‘celebrity’ conducting gig, haven’t they.

I recall that being quite fun (towards the end...)!

[Scheherezade]

To be honest, I can only really remember the end. Wasn’t it Sue of ‘Mel and ...’ who won?

[bangorballetboy]

4 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

To be honest, I can only really remember the end. Wasn’t it Sue of ‘Mel and ...’ who won?

it was, and I recall she was actually quite good!

[alison]

Don't you just love thread drift?

[Scheherezade]

It’s the James Joyce in all of us, Alison. 

[alison]

Any thoughts on the current casts for La Traviata, please? (There weren't any discounts for it, were there?)

[bangorballetboy]

13 hours ago, alison said:

(There weren't any discounts for it, were there?)

 

[alison]

I've just put my £24 side amphi ticket for this Tuesday's performance up in the Tickets forum, in case anyone is interested:

 

 

 

 

[Timmie]

La Traviata 2024

I saw the Aida Garifullina cast last week, I found her voice very beautiful but the whole thing felt more like a concert or a recital rather than a theatrical performance. Enjoyable, but also a bit disappointing. Yesterday I saw the Hrachuhí Bassénz cast and such a contrast with a very dramatic performance. It took me a few minutes to warm to Bassénz’s voice but she had a great range both in volume and pitch.

Anyone else see their performances? I’m still trying to calibrate my own opera appreciation so interested in any thoughts, especially as the professional reviewers seemed to think Garifullina was exceptional.

[Lizbie1]

35 minutes ago, Timmie said:

La Traviata 2024

I saw the Aida Garifullina cast last week, I found her voice very beautiful but the whole thing felt more like a concert or a recital rather than a theatrical performance. Enjoyable, but also a bit disappointing. Yesterday I saw the Hrachuhí Bassénz cast and such a contrast with a very dramatic performance. It took me a few minutes to warm to Bassénz’s voice but she had a great range both in volume and pitch.

Anyone else see their performances? I’m still trying to calibrate my own opera appreciation so interested in any thoughts, especially as the professional reviewers seemed to think Garifullina was exceptional.

 

I haven't seen either in Trav but you've mentioned something I find with a lot of sopranos in particular, which is that it can take a little while to adjust to their voices, even if you've seen them plenty of times before. In fact I sometimes start off wondering what had me so excited about a singer previously but by the end of Act One all has become clear.

Edited September 20 by Lizbie1
Typo

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Timmie said:

La Traviata 2024

I saw the Aida Garifullina cast last week, I found her voice very beautiful but the whole thing felt more like a concert or a recital rather than a theatrical performance. Enjoyable, but also a bit disappointing. Yesterday I saw the Hrachuhí Bassénz cast and such a contrast with a very dramatic performance. It took me a few minutes to warm to Bassénz’s voice but she had a great range both in volume and pitch.

Anyone else see their performances? I’m still trying to calibrate my own opera appreciation so interested in any thoughts, especially as the professional reviewers seemed to think Garifullina was exceptional.

I haven't seen them in Traviata but have seen them both before, and I understand what you mean. I think Hrachuhi is a better fit as Violetta and Aida a better fit as Musetta. But the critics will review whoever was first cast, so that's what they got. I've found that sometimes the second cast singer is better than the first but most people get tickets for the first cast because they saw the name in the reviews.

[Timmie]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

...I think Hrachuhi is a better fit as Violetta and Aida a better fit as Musetta...

 

That's a good call. Hrachuhi was very dramatic, which is what you want in Violetta, whereas Aida was more fun. I've yet to see La Bohème, maybe this year 🤞.

[alison]

I saw the second cast (Hrachuhi). I wasn't really convinced by Act I, or by the Alfredo, but I thought she and Keenlyside worked very effectively together.

[Timmie]

Yes, Bassénz and Keenlyside were good together – very emotional impact. I thought Alfredo (Ismael Jordi) was OK, he did roll his RRRs a lot (not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I found it a bit distracting). For me though, the whole performance was better than the previous week and I could tell that was going to be the case quite early on in Act 1 so I enjoyed Act 1 for that reason alone.

[Blossom]

My first opera last week- Hrachuhí Bassénz cast. I did enjoy it (particularly after act 1) but it didn’t move me as ballet does. Suggestions above make me think it’s not me… Keenlyside was one of my favourites and the ballet connection probably helped…. 

Loved the Bob Crowley sets.

I need some tips though on what and who is good to see - my husband rather enjoyed so we now have something to do together!

It was a little odd though not seeing a familiar BCF face.

[alison]

I've moved discussion of the wider season into the RO season thread for convenience:

 

Blossom, I do know what you mean.  Two (long) intervals with nobody obvious to chat to was distinctly tedious.  I wandered up and down looking to see if there was anyone I knew, but if there were forum members there I didn't spot them in any of the usual places.

[Blossom]

15 minutes ago, alison said:

I've moved discussion of the wider season into the RO season thread for convenience:

 

Blossom, I do know what you mean.  Two (long) intervals with nobody obvious to chat to was distinctly tedious.  I wandered up and down looking to see if there was anyone I knew, but if there were forum members there I didn't spot them in any of the usual places.

I did have my husband with me to talk to and a couple of friends, but it just felt a bit different to ballet nights!!

[Emeralds]

On 23/09/2024 at 18:23, Blossom said:

My first opera last week- Hrachuhí Bassénz cast. I did enjoy it (particularly after act 1) but it didn’t move me as ballet does. Suggestions above make me think it’s not me… Keenlyside was one of my favourites and the ballet connection probably helped…. 

Loved the Bob Crowley sets.

I need some tips though on what and who is good to see - my husband rather enjoyed so we now have something to do together!

It was a little odd though not seeing a familiar BCF face.

Congratulations and welcome to your first opera, @Blossom! (It is funny to say welcome as you have obviously frequented the building a lot, just not for opera!)

 

La Traviata is a very attractive production (one of the very few RO has left!) The other ones I call attractive are their Tosca, Turandot, Andrea Chenier, Werther, La Fille du Regiment and Don Carlo. They did have a nice La Rondine and a nice Manon by Massenet (the opera not the ballet, and not the Puccini opera) but I don't know if they'll be reviving those any time. I spend a lot of my reviews/feedback moaning about RO getting rid of their attractive traditional productions and replacing them with ugly post modern ones (which occasionally don't make sense dramatically). 

 

I do like Bassenz and Keenlyside (even before he got married to Zenaida Yanowsky) too. I feel they both get into their characters and live them in the operas rather than "now I am going to stand here and sing", "now I am going to act angry/happy/etc" which some singers still seem to do, which I don't enjoy as much. 

[MAB]

11 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I spend a lot of my reviews/feedback moaning about RO getting rid of their attractive traditional productions and replacing them with ugly post modern ones (which occasionally don't make sense dramatically). 

 

There used to be a saying 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.  Don't know what happened to that.