Verdi La Traviata 19 years old

A Dramatically Effective 'Traviata'

This DVD of a live 2005 performance from the Zürich Opera under the musical direction of Franz Welser-Möst has many things to recommend it -- the young tenor Piotr Beczala as Alfredo, the marvelous Thomas Hampson as Giorgio Germont, the playing of the Zurich Opera orchestra, the simple but effective sets by by Erich Wonder, the uncluttered stage direction by Jürgen Flimm. It also has some flaws: strangely variable volume level of the recorded sound sometimes coming on so loud as to make one reach for the volume control, and the uneven performance of the Violetta, Eva Mei who, for all her merits, gives a dramatically effective performance marred by occasional difficulties with vocal production. Still, overall I felt this was a moving production, one that I would recommend, although perhaps not as an only DVD of one of Verdi's most popular operas.

Credits

Verdi La Traviata Cast

Name	Character
Katharina Peetz	as Flora
Thomas Hampson He was 49, now 68 years old	as Germont
Irène Friedli	as Annina

Verdi La Traviata Crew

Name	Department
Giuseppe Verdi as Compositors. He was 191 (87) years old when He died	Crew
Jürgen Flimm as Director. He was 63 (now 82) years old	Directing
Francesco Maria Piave as Writer. He was 194 (65) years old when He died	Writing
Felix Breisach as Director. He was 43 (now 63) years old	Directing