Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Opera North return to The Lowry with Verdi’s La Traviata, which follows Violetta (Maire Flavin), a young, sociable courtesan who falls in love with Alfredo Germont (Oliver Johnston) but selflessly sacrifices their love at the request of his father. Violetta goes on to be publicly humiliated by Alfredo before dying in his arms.
As the centrepiece of the plot, there is a fine line to walk between the delicate, vulnerable, and ultimately sickly side of Violetta’s condition, and her innately sensual, powerful character. Flavin treads this fine line with ease, bringing the contrasting sides of the character to life with sensitivity whilst delivering a vocal performance that is both vulnerable and powerful in equal measure. It is a delight to witness.
Stephen Gadd’s performance as Alfredo’s father, Giorgio, captures the financial scheming of the parent determined to marry his other child to a wealthy family, but perhaps strays too far into the realm of pantomime villain. This is reflected by the audience booing when Gadd steps out for his bows. His voice is nonetheless a clear and formidable force across the second and third acts.
The rest of the central cast struggle slightly when competing with the sheer size of the orchestra, under the baton of Manoj Kamps. Whilst this is perhaps the largest pit I’ve ever had the privilege to hear, with all the attendant power and dynamism, it does have the effect of drowning out some of the vocal performances. This is a shame when it comes to the solo singers, but veers into the inexcusable when overpowering the chorus in Brindisi, one of the most famous melodies in operatic history.
The set – designed by Madeleine Boyd – starts strong with a projected eye capturing the voyeurism of the first act peering into one of Violetta’s parties but tails off into minimalism across the remaining acts. In a performance with two intervals to allow for set changes, there is little excuse for this.
Despite these quibbles, Alessandro Talevi’s direction ensures that this remains a lively and vibrant evening, with the orchestra rendering Verdi’s score beautifully.
-Daniel Shipman
Opera North present La Traviata at The Lowry until Thursday 17 November 2022.