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GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813-1901) La Traviata An opera in 3 acts after Alexandre Dumas
NANCY YUEN Violetta Valery
DAVID QUAH Alfredo Germont WILLIAM LIM Giorgio Germont
The Singapore Lyric Theatre Chorus |
The Noise Rating Index is a partially-objective measurement of pager and handphone blasts, 9pm and 10pm watch beeps, coughing-during-the-pianissimo-bits, intra-audience conversation and other mind-bogglingly inept noises emitted in the concert hall during actual performance of music. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, in increasing annoyance.
Tickets for Inkpot classical music reviewers have been kindly sponsored by the Singapore Lyric Theatre.
Reviewed by Ng Yeuk Fan
Verdi (left) might have remembered that in 1843, he had balked at the setting
of Hugo's Marion de Lorme on the account that he disliked the idea of
prostitutes on stage. However, with the success of Rigoletto, an
unlikely hero with a hunched back, he was to repeat his success with his
own version of La Dame aux camelias, launching his opera score La
Traviata in 1853. This is a tragic story of the love life of Violetta,
a courtesan. Read my Ink-troduction to La Traviata for the plot summary
and a glimpse at the issues surrounding Verdi's inspiration.
Silvia Camerini, involved in the Covent Garden's 1995 production of La Traviata featuring Solti, Gheorghiu and Nucci, said "good stagings of La Traviata are hard to come by these days". In his long introduction, he explains that "La Traviata is the most ill-treated opera in the repertory... mounted like a cheap novelette". At first, it may be difficult to imagine how this may be true. But in the course of my research, conducted so that I may fairly review this 'completely new production' by the Singapore Lyric Theatre, I have come to learn of many production details, musical and dramatic intentions of Verdi, and so to conclude that the views held by Camerini are more than justified. Scholars intending to find an academically accurate production will have a significantly better chance in London where La Traviata is performed almost yearly unlike here in Singapore (once every eleven years, judging from past statistics, which may be a bit skewed). On the other hand, because of Verdi's immense talent, opera enthusiasts can still find many things to enjoy in productions that are less than accurate.
This said, I must warn that it will be to the Singapore Lyric Theatre's benefit to continually strive towards productions of greater artistic standards through fervent production accuracy, direction and academy, obstinate search and employment of the best vocal talents available to their resources and a dedication to its philosophy to achieve professionalism in opera production. Leow Siak Fah, who directed this production of La Traviata, will do himself justice to at least understand (emulation not required) the reasons why great opera directors like Franco Zefirelli are treated like gods. If the SLT intends to be reckoned as a professional player in the arts scene in Singapore, it will need to do more than just get its act right, for example. The least it can do is to not mislead the audience with a programme synopsis that is inaccurate.
The opera opened very tentatively with the orchestral prelude and did
not quite recover until the Brindisi. It did not help at all that
conductor Lim Yau had to put up with too many self-important people who
were still settling into the creaking chairs at seven minutes past eight
on a performance slated to start on the hour. More coughs erupted as
the orchestra attempted to portray its version of a frail and dying
woman submerged in flashbacks of almost regal luxury.
Justin Hill's bare walls are - well, a lot less than regal. When executed flat, in pale beige and with too many useless windows, it was, simply put - ugly. White china vases in the blue cyclorama bearing full blooms of yellow flowers added to a cast comprising a good mixture of Oriental and Caucasian faces created a hint of Victorian eclecticism. While not exceptionally beautiful or entirely convincing, it would have to do.
Hill repeats the same eyesore by setting Act 2, Scene I with a white lattice frame with an extremely disturbing tree bearing black stockings for leaves. Minus the music, one could mistake the luxury for another La, - not Traviata but Boheme. Act 2 Scene II "picked the last straw" with a red 'curtain' carved in painted wood that screams nothing short of ugly. It 'draped' across the doorway for an entirely dubious effect. If it was meant to portray luxury, its thick black 'folds' made it appear like it was taken from a 'children's television workshop'. Mr Hill's pretensions at creating avant garde imagery clashes with an equally pitiable attempt at being authentic. NO, cartoon tree and 'luxurious' country house plus cartoon curtain in 'luxurious' bordello is not my idea of a consistent set design for Act 2. I seriously doubt Mr Hill's ability to learn from his 'thirty' past stage designs and I read with horror that he will be designing the sets for the SLT's upcoming November production of Carmen. Surely limited budgets will not be an issue, and can be employed to create functional and convincing sets in the hands of someone with real skill? [For example, in the SLT's production of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream - Ed.]
With great difficulty, Verdi had compromised that the costumes and set
details be finalised as being of the period of c.1700 (left: a design for Alfredo in an 1856 production). This is after his
effort to achieve a 'modern day' version (i.e. 1853) of La Traviata was
rejected by his producers at the Teatro la Fenice. The reasons
surrounding his insistence had to do with practical reasons - he had
mentioned that he needed to achieve a certain effect in Act 1 and 2.
Scholars indicate with some certainty that Verdi had intended that the
band music in the bordellos be recognisable to the audience. With this
in mind, I believe that a 'modern day', in this case, c.1900s (as I was
informed) production of La Traviata, though out of its intended 1853
period (or 1700s for that matter) does not scream foul.
I am sympathetic to Lisabeth Buonanno's creation for the night - though not quite creating a stunning visual spectacle, Buonanno's lack of pretensions at an art she is not trained in deserves my encouragement. Buonanno will do well if she can avoid a lack of agreement between the colours presented on stage - at times, this degenerated to being gaudy. Obvious slips that should not have occurred include two of Violetta's four costumes and Dr Grenvil's attire in Act 3. Violetta's traditional black dress for Act 2 Scene II had an extremely disturbing white pattern that from the audience appears like patchwork. In addition, the pink patterned ensemble Violetta wore in Scene I is out of place for c.1900. I am less decided on the autheticity of her choice of hair designs.
Colin Ho's use of moving spots is a constant reminder that I am in a theatre - distracting, though I would have to agree that under such constraints, it is effective. However, the least that the operator could have done, is to take care of focusing the damned spot in Act 1 (Alfredo's), the rainbow-prismatic refractions are no excuse. Ho's lack of attention to details further includes ugly mirror reflections in Act 3. In what I would consider realistic lighting, Colin Ho has little opportunity to create lighting wizardry and indeed, he does not. Act 3's opening scene employs a scrim that successfully creates very effective mood. But the effect is soon lost as he later douses it with an unoriginal peacock blue. I find the long shadows in the country house, cast through Hill's giant tic-tac-toe unnecessary. If at all permissible, it should at least reflect the changes in the time of the day, which I could not make out.
305a: 2.10.98
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