Tag Archives: La Traviata
La Traviata in HD – 2022
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 5th November 2022Verdi’s “poor sinner” was on the Met’s HD roster for an unprecedented fourth time today. Michael Mayer’s overstuffed production remains a motley melange of confused early to mid 19th century costumes speckled across a unitary set. But nobody goes to La Traviata because of the sets and costumes. It’s Verdi’s glorious and emotionally apposite music…
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Finale 29 – La Traviata Act 2
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 8th May 2021La Traviata is an opera full of highlights. Much of its music its familiar to listeners who are not opera enthusiasts. But popular as it is, the finale to the second act is rarely heard apart from a complete performance. Nevertheless, this ensemble is one of Verdi’s grandest achievements. The world’s most popular opera, Traviata…
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There’s No Explaining (Bad) Taste
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 8th December 2018A review of the Met’s new production of La Traviata by Daniel Gelernter contained this statement: “As an artwork, it [La Traviata] is less valuable than the Alexandre Dumas novel on which it is based: Camille is a first-rate romance. La Traviata is more histrionic than subtle, but it manages a number of superb moments,…
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La Traviata in HD 2017
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 11th March 2017The Met brought back Willy Decker’s staging of Verdi’s masterpiece which was televised in the HD series in May of 2012. My gripes about this production are unchanged and can be read here. The opera’s entire premise is based on a 19th century view of the world, which is why moving it to the modern…
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Tutto Verdi: La Traviata
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 25th March 2015Does the world need another recording of La Traviata? Of course not. But if your goal is present all of Verdi’s opera on DVD you must give birth to another version of Verdi’s poor sinner. Fortunately, The Teatro Regio di Parma’s production of Traviata is first rate. No other Verdi opera is so dependent on…
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Opening Night at the Temple of Doom
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 10th December 2013Opera News ran an article in 1999 entitled La Scala: Temple of Music or Temple of Doom? One should not be surprised that Italy’s leading opera house is fraught with turmoil – consider the country and the art form. Last Saturday (December 7) The house opened its season with Verdi’s La Traviata. What could go…
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La Traviata Program Notes
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 1st March 2012Below are the program notes I wrote for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Verdi’s La Traviata March 2 and 3, 2012. La Traviata was Giuseppe Verdi’s 19th opera. Though the composer was dissatisfied with its initial run, the opera rapidly established itself as his most popular work. Indeed, it may be the most popular opera even…
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La Traviata in Lubbock
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 7th February 2012The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra will present two concert performances of Verdi’s opera on March 2 and 3. Amanda Hall is Verdi’s noble courtesan, Tenor Scott Ramsay is her overwrought lover Alfredo, and baritone Ashley Prewett is his father Germont. Thomasz Golka will conduct the LSO and the Lubbock Civic Chorale.
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