By Márcio Bezerra
It is always a special occasion when Palm Beach Opera stages the work that it started it all: Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata.
Since the company’s initial season in 1961, Verdi’s masterpiece has received a variety of treatments, from traditional to modernistic (anyone remember the mirrored stage?) with varied degrees of success. In its latest production, the company opted for a historical approach, utilizing the same sets from Chicago Lyric Opera that were used in 2019. The result was a success both dramatically and musically.
Directed by Music Director David Stern, the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra provided a refined canvas in which the history unfolded. One could appreciate the attention to detail Stern placed in the overture, with a sensitive phrasing that emphasized Verdi’s empathy with the main character. The orchestra was equally effective in the bombastic moments, without ever covering soloists or the chorus.
The Palm Beach Opera Chorus, under the direction of the always reliable Gregory Ritchey, impressed once more in the famous “Brindisi” number thanks to its excellent diction and sense of rhythm. Its increasingly aggressive tone in the drinking song was rather clever, as it gave the scene a foreboding edge that worked very well dramatically.
Secondary roles were sung beautifully, especially by Randy Ho (Gastone), whose golden-toned tenor left the audience wanting for a more extensive role. Other highlights were the strong performances of Palm Beach Opera Young Artists Ashlyn Brown as Flora and Alexis Seminario as Annina.
Despite the many characters on the stage, this is an opera for three and this production was fortunate a strong trio of artists such as the one heard on opening night. Palm Beach Opera’s favorite baritone, Michael Chioldi, equaled a previous artist’s record for 10 major roles with the company. He portrayed a rather stern Giorgio Germont, made convincing by his stentorian vocalism. His “Di Provenza” was a masterclass in legato singing.
As Alfredo Germont, tenor Mario Chang displayed a potent, yet, darker tone than usual for the role. He sounded a little strained in the “Un di, felice, etera” in the first act, but returned to the stage with a more convincing singing as the opera progressed.
Finally, Gabriella Reyes’ Violetta Valéry gave a strong performance both vocally and dramatically. It is often said that the role is one of opera’s most demanding, as it requires virtuosic singing in the famous “Sempre libera” as well as a dramatic rawness for the subsequent scenes. While Reyes performed a convincing first act, her character and voice grew during the duet with Chioldi in the second act, reaching its apex in “Addio, del passato,” which brought tears even to the most casual listener.
Another great Traviata for the books.
La Traviata can be seen at 2 pm Sunday at the Kravis Center. For tickets, call 561-832-7469 or visit kravis.org.