If only there weren’t at least a half-dozen superb performances of this opera available it would be easier to get excited about this one, taped live in Munich in March, 2006. To be sure, the Violetta, Anja Harteros, is a soprano to be reckoned with: the voice is warm and has an interesting grain to it, she sings with intelligent inflections, and her technique is secure. There’s little exaggeration in her portrayal of the complex Violetta, and she seems to be a naturally theatrical singer. It’s a memorable performance.
Tenor Piotr Beczala displays a fine lyric voice as Alfredo; he will remind the listener of Nicolai Gedda, but his tone is warmer and more Italianate. His rage is believable and he plays off the other singers musically and with dramatic flair. Baritone Paolo Gavinelli as Germont sounds a bit nasal, but there’s no baritone around who sings with his impeccable legato and elegance–he has inherited the mantle of Renato Bruson. The rest of the cast is quite good, singing with dramatic urgency.
The set’s problem is the leadership of Zubin Mehta: there’s little forward propulsion, and the second-act party scene suffers most. The singers do their best but we never feel the tension and sadness. There are plenty of stage noises and the Munich audience seems to have been suffering from a unison cold. In brief, this is worth hearing for Harteros and to a lesser degree, Beczala; but for recent Traviatas, I’d stick with Netrebko and Villazon on DG.
