Verdi's La Traviata at Opera Theater of St. Louis

As the program for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis production of La Traviata reminds us, the 1853 premiere of this Verdi favorite was something of a disaster, capped by the fatal miscasting of a soprano whose girth made her attempts to portray a consumptive beauty laughable rather than tragic.

Nearly 150 years later, the Opera Theatre production is at the other end of the spectrum. I won't say this is a perfect La Traviata, but it's close enough for me. As Violetta, the original courtesan with a heart of gold, Mary Dunleavy isŠwellŠperfect. Her voice is liquid gold, neatly complementing the gilded candelabra and mirrors of Vincent Mountain's ornate but functional set, and always completely in control. Her range - both in terms of dynamics as well as octaves - is astonishing. And to top it all off, she looks great and is a convincing actress. What more could you ask for?

Well, how about a strong supporting cast? Opera Theatre provides that as well. While hardly in Dunleavy's league as an actor, tenor John Bellemer is a credible Alfredo Germont, madly in love with Violetta, and his solid, powerful tenor melds beautifully with Dunleavy in the love duets. As Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's scandalized father, baritone Gary Lehman is compelling and gives us a beautiful "Di Provenza il mar" in Act II. Even the minor roles such as baritone Samuel Helper's Doctor Grenville and mezzo Edyta Kulczak's Flora Bervoix are fully realized, and Cary John Franklin's chorus sounds marvelous. Ditto the orchestra, ably conducted by Stephen Lord.

La Traviata is one of the "big three" Verdi operas from the 1850s - the others being Rigoletto and Il Travatore - and the only one of the three to deal with what was then a contemporary subject - the culture clash between the hedonistic and creative bohemians of Paris' left bank and the scandalized middle class. It's not unlike the culture wars that have been raging here in the USA since the 1970s, and I couldn't help thinking how easily Giogio Germont's pompous and destructive moralizing in Act II could transfer to the mouth of (say) Dr. Laura.

But even if we set aside the contemporary resonance, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis production of La Traviata is a triumph and definitely a "must-see", no matter how often you may have seen this opera before. Run, do not walk, to the box office or call 314-961-0644 before it's all over on June 24th.

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