La Traviata

Elegance is the overriding hallmark of Tom Cairns' 2014 Glyndebourne Festival production of Verdi's tragic romance, one of the most popular operas in the repertory. With their distinctly modern appearance, the sets and costumes here—while not ostentatious—are definitely glamorous. As Violetta, the doomed courtesan who enchants young Alfredo Germont (Michael Fabiano), Venera Gimadieva sings splendidly and she looks icily gorgeous with her black hair and silken gowns (the only misstep is that Violetta's illness is treated quite unsentimentally, and her lonely death scene comes across as almost perfunctory). Fabiano's ringing tenor is a strong asset, although he resembles a mobster more than an ardent young suitor. Tassis Christoyannis, as Germont père, adds a smooth baritone to his fatherly mien, and the famous Act II duet with Violetta, in which he persuades her to sacrifice herself for his son's future, is beautifully presented. The London Philharmonic plays with uncommon finesse for conductor Mark Elder, whose control of tempi and volume is unerring. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and LPCM stereo, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a cast gallery. While there are many excellent versions of La Traviata available, this one takes its place with the best of them. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)