Get Our More...............................Opera Review

LA TRAVIATA (NIA, last night)

26-10-2007

Are you watching Liverpool? It's hard to imagine the city which beat Birmingham to the Capital of Culture title pulling off anything quite so audacious and ambitious as this towering production of Verdi's opera which had a capacity crowd on its feet.

First, a confession. I'm no opera buff. In fact, I'd never experienced it in the flesh until four years ago when Birmingham Opera Company took over the deserted Chuck Works in Digbeth and performed Leonard Bernstein's "Candide".

It was a revelation, and although if I'm honest it didn't whet my appetite for opera in general, it left me eager for more of B.O.C.'s deliciously over the top and remarkably accessible entertainments.

Last night did not disappoint, although whereas "Candide" had been a promenade performance, full of movement for the audience as well as the performers, "La Traviata" was a much more traditional "sit down and take in the spectacle" affair.

Given that the spectacle was, well, so spectacular, that was fair enough.

Designer Paul Brown took full advantage of the vast dimensions of the Arena, treating us to the sight of a baby doll the size of a house, as well as a giant unfurling fan made up of nude playing cards (recreating a Moulin Rouge-style Paris) and dancers wearing more fairy lights than the average Christmas tree.

Having seen the Pet Shop Boys tour when Derek Jarman designed the sets, I'm familiar with camp - but this was camp to the max; and with better music too.

To my ears, Talise Trevine as Violetta, the tart who finds true love but can't escape her sordid past was particularly fine, along with Mark Wilde as her tortured lover Alfredo. The CBSO, led by guest conductor Masimilliano Stefanelli, were in stirring form.

Let's not forget that this production has already wowed hard to please Italian audiences at the Arena di Verona, carrying forward Birmingham's good name to an international audience.

Director Graham Vick now has the knack of delivering accessible opera to a mainstream audience off to a fine art, helping put Birmingham at the forefront of UK cultural life - Merseyside, take note

(La Traviata closes tonight. Ticket details from link here)