01 Jan 1985
Die Nacht aus Blei
A surreal movie by peter Weigl starring Michael Biehn and Lubomir Kafka.
Verdi La Traviata
A Dramatically Effective 'Traviata'
This DVD of a live 2005 performance from the Zürich Opera under the musical direction of Franz Welser-Möst has many things to recommend it -- the young tenor Piotr Beczala as Alfredo, the marvelous Thomas Hampson as Giorgio Germont, the playing of the Zurich Opera orchestra, the simple but effective sets by by Erich Wonder, the uncluttered stage direction by Jürgen Flimm. It also has some flaws: strangely variable volume level of the recorded sound sometimes coming on so loud as to make one reach for the volume control, and the uneven performance of the Violetta, Eva Mei who, for all her merits, gives a dramatically effective performance marred by occasional difficulties with vocal production. Still, overall I felt this was a moving production, one that I would recommend, although perhaps not as an only DVD of one of Verdi's most popular operas.
Top Billed Cast
Eva Mei Violetta
Piotr Beczała Alfredo
Thomas Hampson Germont
Katharina Peetz Flora
Miroslav Christoff Gastone
Valeriy Murga Baron Douphol
Irène Friedli Annina
Giuseppe Scorsin Doctor Grenvil
Richard Mayr Marqués D'Obigny
Franz Welser-Möst Conductor
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