La Traviata

For anyone wanting a version of Verdi's most popular opera that reflects the fierce, contemporary verismo style, this 2007 production from the Teatro Regio di Parma—the 18th installment in the Tutto Verdi series—will fill the bill. Staged by Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann, the tale of the courtesan Violetta, who abandons her lover, Alfredo, at the urging of his father, Germont, before dying of consumption in the young man's arms, is here given a high-emotion, high-decibel treatment that is short on elegance but delivers plenty of melodramatic punch. A constant riot of activity is on hand in the party scenes (in the Act II matador chorus, Gastone dons a dress), while even the lovely Act I prelude is accompanied by a tableau of Violetta servicing her many clients. The musical side is similarly emphatic, with conductor Yuri Temirkanov leading the orchestra and chorus in a reading that favors power over gracefulness, choosing tempos that range from frantic to lugubrious. As Violetta and Alfredo, Svetla Vassileva and Massimo Giordano display strong (but not especially beautiful) voices that are pushed to (and sometimes beyond) the limit (the best singing—smooth and cultured—comes from Vladimir Stoyanov as Germont). This idiosyncratic mounting will appeal to those looking for something unorthodox, but can't compete with better traditional versions under the batons of Maazel (VL-1/09) and Pappano (VL-9/11). Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, extras include an introduction to the opera. An optional purchase. (F. Swietek)