La Traviata lifts the spirits at the 2012/13 Gala

The MPO, led by MD Claus Peter Flor performed Verdi's perennial La Traviata to a packed house on 8 Sep 2012. The concert performance led by 3 rising stars of the opera stage saw soprano Sonya Yoncheva (playing Violetta), Jean Francois Borras (playing Alfredo) and Alberto Gazale (playing Alfredo's father, Giorgio). With a concert performance, props were kept to a minimum and English subtitles were projected above the Klais organ. Naturally when Verdi required 12 singers in total and a chorus, cuts in the opera and orchestral interludes were inevitable - making the story a bit choppy as I know the plot from Carlos Kleiber's wonderful DG SACD recording and also Sir Georg Solti's DVD staging. What was superb about the show was especially the wonderful singing from Yoncheva and also her acting of Violetta's (courtesan) character. The 2 male singers were alright but not quite reaching the heights Yoncheva set. The MPO played reasonably well - considering that there were new members in the orchestra. New concert-mistress Anna Reszniak appeared to be a tad slow in her leading of entries. Obviously, she needs time to settle into her new post. Maestro Flor led a dramatic performance, though not entirely tight in ensemble. The audience was highly appreciative of the efforts of the DFP and MPO that brought us opera on the opening night of the season. May this be the first of many other concert opera nights in time to come!