The biggest applause I have yet seen at the Deutsche Oper went to Anja Harteros and Piotr Beczala in Götz Friedrich´s old La Traviata production Monday evening.
Anja Harteros without doubt is a first-rate Violetta, tall and dark with a clear voice and unstrained coloratura. She looks the part and act convincingly as well. She does however have a tendency to hit the notes rather sharp and her vibrato is too large especially in the middle register for someone as young as she is. But I do not think her Violetta may be matched by many others today.
Matched by Piotr Beczala, simply an ideal Alfredo with his clear warm voice and appealing stage presence. Not to forget Markus Brück´s fine Germont pére.
Also a well-deserved success for the resigning (and much critiziced) musical director Renato Palumbo. He did have some trouble synchronizing with the singers, but so they did over at the State Opera, where Daniel Barenboim had more than average trouble synchronizing the Don Giovanni with René Pape a couple of days ago, making Palumbo keep rather good company here..
Agree that Harteros is superb as Violetta. She does tend to hit the notes a little sharp but the wobble in the middle register is really very slight (I'd read you review before we went this Thursday and was listening for it). Can't wait to hear her as Elisabetta.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I do prefer Fleming. The Fleming of 2007 was not the Fleming of 2003 but still quite magnificent, and she did have that little toping of cream
To my taste at least Harteros blows away Gherigiou. Haven't heard Netrebko yet (or seen the DVD - there is one, isn't there?). Generally I'm more of a Harteros than Netrebko fan but, fwiw, I did prefer the latter's Donna Anna so we shall see.