Review: La Traviata - Norwich Theatre

Review by Ray Tempesta

As the latest collaboration between Norwich Theatre and Buxton International Festival in their six-year commitment to co-producing high quality opera, Verdi's La traviata got an outing on the Theatre Royal stage.

In the quality stakes, the company certainly achieved its goal, with outstanding individual performances from soprano Alexandra Nowakowski as 'la traviata' Violetta, tenor Tigran Melkonyan as her lover Alfredo, and baritone André Heyboer as Alfredo's father Giorgio.

There was also not a single note out of place from the superb ensemble company, with the large troupe providing huge colour and energy to scenes of 19th century Parisian decadence. In amongst the many quality cameos, John Iuean Jones' delightful rich tones as Doctor Grenvil proved the standout. On top of that, led by conductor Adrian Kelly, the Buxton International Orchestra sounded superb in their fulsome splendour.

The company of La Traviata - image credit: Genevieve Girling

What was lacking was a certain spark between the two romantic leads, and that's crucial when opera is typically short on narrative and character development. Sadly, I simply didn't care much for Violetta and Alfredo's ill-fated relationship, and that made Violetta's rather drawn out death an endurance test rather than a dramatic experience.

I'm all in favour of surtitles guiding less experienced opera-goers (like myself) through a performance, but I'm not in favour of being patronised with cat-sat-on-the-mat translations of more complex dialogue. Much context, and heart, was lost as a result of these basic transcriptions.

I had also agonised over whether to mention the community performers whose interpretive dance preceded each half (and also in the bar prior to the show apparently). While the idea was noble, devising a movement piece based on their feelings on being introduced to opera, the execution was insipid, lacking in energy and intention. All it served to do was create a ripple of mutters among the bemused audience about the point of the exercise, something which only became apparent to me upon reading the programme notes.

Much clearer was the intention of the striking 'jewellery box' set, designed by Elliott Squire and adorned with the image of Marie Duplessis, the French courtesan upon whom La traviata is based. Serving initially to encase Violetta in her bourgeois existence, it pleasingly opens out to become the salon in her lavish home (and other locations throughout) before ultimately becoming a device to entomb her.

It was eminently watchable, but not wholly thrilling. La traviata continues at Norwich Theatre until 2nd August.