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Leonard Shines in Riveting 'La Traviata'
28 May
Summary
- Madison Leonard delivers a magnetic Violetta in Verdi's tragedy.
- Douglas Boyd's direction revitalizes the familiar La Traviata score.
- The production reimagines the opera in late 1930s Paris.
Garsington Opera presents a striking new production of Verdi's 'La Traviata,' featuring Madison Leonard in a captivating role debut as Violetta. Douglas Boyd leads the Philharmonia Orchestra, offering a performance that revitalizes the well-known opera with fresh details and a sense of urgency.
Louisa Muller's staging, originally seen at Santa Fe Opera, transposes the action to Paris in the late 1930s. Christopher Oram's revolving set, enhanced by Marcus Doshi's lighting, creates a world of silvery, brittle surfaces reflecting the characters' precarious existence. The production draws parallels between Violetta's illness and the societal decay.
Madison Leonard's Violetta is powerfully sung and emotionally nuanced, particularly in her moving death scene. Oleksiy Palchykov offers a vibrant performance as Alfredo, and Roland Wood portrays Germont with gruff authority. Boyd's conducting highlights delicate musical moments and underscores the opera's driving sense of time running out, making for a gripping retelling.
