La Traviata (Italian for « the rogue ») has been an exceptionally successful romantic drama since its premiere in 1853. Written by librettist Francesco Maria Piave for Giuseppe Verdi, the opera is often interpreted by its directors as the story of a courtesan who sacrifices herself to save the man she loves.

For Simon Stone, it’s a different story. Violetta Valery is a powerful woman who dominates men rather than submitting to them, making her own life choices despite the desires of men to commodify her.

She is reminiscent of the heroine of another opera composed twenty years later by Georges Bizet. Yet, while Carmen is a commoner living among the oppressed, the heroine of La Traviata, Violetta Valery, is more than just a first name; she also possesses a surname, living among the privileged.

She has assimilated their codes, and in Simon Stone’s inventive and contemporary staging, she chooses to be a media personality who assumes every choice she makes. An icon, much like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, famous simply for being known. An irrational contemporary tautology that provides an immense visibility and desirability fueled by social networks. Here, Violetta’s societal interactions and intimacy are displayed thanks to the ingenious stage design by set designer Bob Cousins, where stories, text messages and selfies unfold on two huge perpendicular and pivoting walls serving as indoor or outdoor space, depending on the plot’s needs.

However, a powerful heroine requires a powerful voice, especially on the gigantic stage of the Opéra Bastille. Let us, therefore, thank the extraordinary soprano Nadine Sierra. The singer is prodigious in the role, and remains radiant and beautiful whatever the situation. Her performance, akin to that of the greatest actresses, takes her from the nightclub to her deathbed. Her voice, capable of any feat, has a powerful, balanced timbre that surpasses any others, compelling us to laugh and cry at her slightest variations. And even if her lover Alfredo Germont, portrayed by tenor René Barbera, struggles to keep up with such power, Giacomo Sagripanti’s sensitive orchestral direction, the excellence of the chorus, Alice Babidge’s whimsical costumes and, above all, Simon Stone’s dynamic and relevant staging make this revival an exceptional evening.

Opéra Bastille, until February 25.

www.operadeparis.fr

 

LA TRAVIATA
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave
Musical direction: Giacomo Sagripanti
Director: Simon Stone
Sets: Bob Cousins Bob Cousins
Costumes: Alice Babidge
Lighting: James Farncombe
Video: Zakk Hein
Head of Chorus: Alessandro Di Stefano
Cast :
Violetta Valery: Nadine Sierra
Flora Bervoix: Marine Chagnon
Annina: Cassandre Berthon
Alfredo Germont : René Barbera
Giorgio Germont : Ludovic Tézier
Gastone: Maciej Kwaśnikowski
Il Barone Douphol: Alejandro Baliñas Vieites
Il Marchese d’Obigny: Florent Mbia
Giuseppe: Hyun-Jong Roh
Domestico: Olivier Ayault
Commissionario :Pierpaolo Palloni