There were many young people at Saturday’s performance of Palm Beach Opera’s La Traviata: They came to hear tenor David Miller, a member of Simon Cowell’s Il Divo group, who’ve sold 37 million CDs already.
He did not disappoint, giving the lead performance of his life as Alfredo. Miller’s tenor is warm and well-produced. He is very convincing as a singing actor and his finest interpretations came in the Act III death scene when his fine voice had less pushing to do and more sympathetic pianissimo singing.
The sensation of the evening was his wife, soprano Sarah Joy Miller, singing the female lead as Violetta, who brought the house down with her brilliant portrayal. Hers is a superb instrument, young but quite mature, which will only get better and better. She nailed the part in every scene; Verdi would have hired her on the spot.
Lending heft to this fine production was baritone Michael Chioldi, as Giorgio Germont, Alfredo’s father, who gave a sensitive performance. His flexible and lyrical baritone has creamy rich overtones even in delivery from top to bottom of the range. He won rapturous applause for his Act II arias, and his curtain call at the end.
There are occasions in opera when everything comes together to make a magic night of music making. This was such a night.
From the opening bars of the overture, the string section promised perfection; they “sang” so sweetly for Case Scaglione, the young conductor, here and in the famous Intermezzo. I would question his control of the brass section, however, particularly in the funereal chords of the last act, which were far too loud.
Good chorus work underscored the drama beautifully, and pulled back when necessary, never upstaging the principals. Kudos to chorus master Greg Ritchey. Renata Scotto, that great diva from the past, directed and left her familiar imprimatur at the end of Act II with an extra curtain as the cast and soloists stood freeze-framed for a moment of remembrance. Nice touch.
Kathy Waszkelewicz, who did the makeup, missed applying a few age lines to the senior Germont, who looked as young as his son. Julie Duro’s lighting was very good. The spots on the three leads in Act II, scene 2, heightened the drama immensely as the chorus fell back into half light.
Scenery provided by Florida Grand Opera, designed by Peter Dean Beck, speaks volumes on how regional opera companies help each other as they face the Saturday Metropolitan Opera HD-TV onslaught coming at them from up north. Nothing beats live opera done well, as this production proved.
Jake Gardner was a last-minute substitute as Baron Douphol; he sang and acted well. The six Palm Beach Opera Young Artists were up to the mark : Shirin Eskandani as Flora; Alexandra Batsios as Annina; Kyle Erdos-Knapp as Gastone; Scott Purcell as Marquis D’Obigny ; Marco Stefani as Giuseppe and Peter Tomaszewski ,who, as Dr Grenvil gave an understated and lovely performance in support of the dying Violetta.
The six Spanish dancers in Act II gave off energetic, lively movements to show Tracy Mozingo’s choreography cleverly done in a small space.
But it’s the excellent singing of Sarah Joy Miller that will stay in the memory for a long time. In her Act I Sempre libera aria, she nailed Verdi’s very difficult score with thrilling runs, and a warm coloratura brilliantly executed. Her Act II interaction with the older Germont made for great solos, a very fine duet and a passionate farewell to her lover , Alfredo. I’ve never seen this act done better.
Sarah Joy Miller owns this part in every sense. Her musicality is paramount and her acting believable. The full house gave the artists five curtain calls, deservedly so. They worked hard and gave of their best, making this all too familiar opera like new again.