Zubin Metha (b. 1935), the ex-Music Director and Conductor of the Bavarian State Opera, Germany, recorded this opera live on March 6 and 9, 2006. It should be noted that the Bavarian State Orchestra is one of the oldest in world – it can be traced back to 1523. When I decided to review this recording I confess I asked myself this among many other questions: do we really need another Traviata? At the present time a major online retailer shows 80 CD/SACD and 13 DVD versions! After all this is the third most popular opera in the world after Butterfly and Boheme.
Let’s consider the following: this is the true fictionalized story of the young 23 years old Alphonsine Plessis (1824-1847) who after her death in 1847 was interred in Montmartre cemetery in Paris, France, whose last residence 15 Boulevard de la Madeleine, Paris. The original story as told by Alexandre Dumas Jr., was first published under the title La Dame aux Camelias in 1848. In Dumas’ fictionalized story her name is Marguerite, in 1853 she reappears as Violetta in Giusseppe Verdi’s (1813-1901) opera La Traviata and in the end she dies of consumption/tuberculosis. Let’s face it, this is just perfect for a Verdian musical melodrama, a cocktail of mid-1800s prudish social and cultural elements transformed into a musical story of much complexity – which at the time was a modern social tragedy and not entirely welcomed in certain social circles. It should also be noted that Verdi was as well an instrument inventor of sorts. He asked for one particular instrument for his orchestra – the Cimbasso – an instrument in the trombone family normally played by a trombonist. It is usually pitched in F (bass) or B-flat (tenor) with the same range as the tuba and/or the bass trombone. The Cimbasso adds to this ensemble a particular dramatic color like no other instrument could; a notable passage to listen to its wonderful tone is in Disc 1 – Track 2. Kudos to Metha for including this instrument, we normally hear this part played by the modern tuba but with much less dramatic force.
I am glad to say that Metha is totally in tune with Verdi! His tempi are always right with white-hot intensity propelling, as well a creating, extreme dramatic tension. Orchestral pacing is absolutely masterly under his expert baton and just about perfect for the voices of Harteros (soprano), Gavanelli (baritone) and Beczala (tenor), and the progression of their involvement in the story from a fun-filled Act I, to the heroics of Act II and the torrid drama of Act III. The orchestra, all main singers and chorus convey real feeling and tension to the end – this is an emotionally charged performance; however, I wish it was on video DVD also. The acting, especially in Act III demands that.
To the point, Anja Harteros is the newest star in today’s bel canto opera firmament, a flexible youthful and lively voice, full and creamy and very adequate for the 23 year old Violetta. It is also a sumptuous voice which by Act II becomes more and more luscious and more so by the time she gets to Act III. To my ears her pitch is around A= 470 Hz just like the orchestra – indeed not an easy pitch to accomplish for a soprano but a requirement for bel canto. In Act I she accomplishes brilliantly difficult fiorituras with a well-built light lyric coloratura voice well within the range of a very accurate spinto soprano (happy – ebullient). By Act II there is a transformation after the Sempre Libera aria (Disc 1 – Track 8) her voice’s tessitura is now in the mezza-voce range of a dramatic coloratura soprano (sad – imploring – angry). By Act III her voice’s tessitura is in the dark range of a dramatic coloratura approaching the range of a mezzo-soprano (succumbing to fate – sickness and despair). Obviously Harteros has a very flexible tessitura that can easily reach high E-flats. For example, in Disc 1 – Track 7 (E strano! – ah, fors’e lui) and 8 (the Sempre libera aria), as well as in Track 14 at 3:39 in the aria Dammi tu forza, o cielo. Also listen to her triple pianos when in the Addio del passato aria (Disc 2 – Track 8) and her heartbreaking aria-recitative also in Disc 2 – Track 11 Morir si giovine – lovely coloratura and amazing pianissimo. Harteros, if we contrast (not compare) her singing with that of the late Maria Callas and also Anna Moffo also shows in the occasional and stratospheric high Fs excellent vocal timbre and superb dynamic control while painting every detail of her feelings.
The Italian baritone Paolo Gavanelli sings the crucial part of Giorgio Germont, Alfredo’s father. His is an amazing voice to remember, a cross between baritone Tito Gobbi (1913-1984) and the Russian basso-profundo Mark Reizen (1895-1992). If in doubt please listen to his singing in Disc 1 – Tracks 16/17 and that emotional low/profundo voice, and then tell me if his is not the most beautiful heartfelt voice for this part you ever heard. Gavanelli shows little if any vibrato, just pure notes and exemplary diction, always musically resplendent, dramatically incisive, as well as extremely emotive with his feelings; a veteran dramatic baritone in the best Verdian tradition, full of vocal splendor and limitless vocal resources. He manages to faithfully deliver a warm, convincing characterization of a distressed father. Redundant I might be, but I really liked Gavanelli’s voice; it seats between a dramatic lyrical baritone and a lyrical basso-profundo, a lush and voluminous voice that rolls through the music unconstrained while sitting at the bottom of the register displaying at the same time a superb flowing line. In my mind he alone justifies this recording.
Tenor Piotr Beczala (Alfredo) is virile and ardent in all his actions and very reminiscent of the young Alfredo Kraus that accompanied Maria Callas in her fabulous (pirated) 1958 Lisbon recording. His is a light and flexible voice full of grace, convincingly conveying the deepness of youth and passion…for Violetta that is…and his father…a real mess of a situation!
This performance of La Traviata was recorded live and presented in the 5.0 channel format with no subwoofer effects, but excellent subsonic artifacts emanating out of the left front speaker primarily. As a whole this SACD has to be heard to be believed as long (caveat emptor) it is played as a 96/24 multi-channel recording with at least two full sized speakers in the front; my recommendation is that the PCM down-sampling in the SACD player be turned off. In my reference system the sound becomes full with stunning depth and convincingly shows the richness of Verdi’s music; we are also then able to accurately localize instruments in the pit and soloists on stage in the three principal front speakers, with the rear speakers providing outstanding acoustical space. This is a magnificent Traviata and yes, it’s fully justified, thus my highest recommendation. I doubt Verdi (or Toscanini for all it matters) would have objected to the sometimes rather slow development of the music – however full of energy and always digging into the hearts, our hearts. This is an exemplary recording as far as engineering goes – this SACD is perfect for bel canto purists who thoroughly enjoy pure singing and original instrumentation.
NOTE: This SACD was nominated for the 2007 Grammy Awards in the category “Best Recorded Opera” – rightly so I may add!
— John Nemaric
