Sunday, May 8, 2011

La Traviata, Vancouver Opera

La Traviata, by Giuseppe Verdi was performed by the Vancouver Opera last night  at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to a sold out audience.  There are further shows May 10 and 12.  The conductor was Jacques Lacombe and Director Jonathan Miller.  It speaks to Jacques Lacombe's consumate skills that I found myself repeatedly listening to the Vancouver Opera Orchestra music as much as the voices. That speaks to Verdi to whose music is simply enchanting. .  Erin Wall's performance of Violetta was rewarded by a standing ovation and literally a roar from the audience.  Violetta's love, Alfredo, was played by David Pomeroy whose presence and  tenors  strength was  most apparent in duets with the powerful soprano of Erin Hall.  I most enjoyed baritone James Weston who played Alfredo's protective but misguided father, Georgio Germont.  Sam Chung as Gastone,  Barbara Towell as Flora,  Benjamin Covey, as Barone, Giles Tomkins as the Doctor were all superb. Indeed it was a thoroughly masterful performance that made for a wholly enjoyable evening.  I am thankful I already have tickets to next years opera.  It will include another Verdi, this time Aida, West side Story, Barber of Seville and Romeo and Juliett.
The only disappointment of the night was trying again to get a taxi after the opera.  It seems a recurrent theme in Vancouver with lack of queues and disrespect to the elderly.  It's one of the reasons I enjoy convincing  Laura to wear a short black dress so I can take  the Harley, really the only way to attend an Opera in Vancouver..    .

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