Alison was convinced we had been to the opera before but I was not so sure. So when Ellen Kent's company were performing La Traviata in Aylesbury on Thursday evening, it was too good an opportunity to miss. Especially as this Ukrainian production has a full live orchestra. The tour itself, including other operas, covers thirty dates over four months. In the poster below is soprano Viktoria Melnyk who played the main role of Violetta.
I thought that opera sopranos were meant to be big, but Viktoria is not. She is by far the best thing in this production. Which is fortunate as she has as much to do as the rest of the cast put together. In comparison with the ballet (that I prefer) it is that the orchestra only accompanies the singers. There are times when they ramp up the sound, but normally they are more restrained. Verdi's score is excellent, although the lyrics (with subtitles high above the stage) are quite repetitive. The one set is fine, especially for the party scenes.
But I shall always remember Viktoria's high class singing. She really is a star.
On a final note, I had been to the opera once before. My post of 1st December 2009 reminded me that we went to see a Glyndebourne on Tour production of Cosi Fan Tutte at Milton Keynes Theatre. But Thursday night was much better.
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