La Traviata

The role of Violetta the tart with a heart in La Traviata is one of the most demanding in opera. She is on stage virtually the whole opera first as a good time girl, then as a the responsible lover of Alfredo – but initially deemed not worthy enough by his family – and finally the heroine dying of tuberculosis. The Russian soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan attracted glowing reviews so Joyce El-Khoury had a hard act to follow. But follow it she did in a bravura performance. This is Verdi’s best known opera adapted from the Alexander Dumas novel and play The Lady of the Camelias and therefore no surprise in this year’s festival. Leading sopranos have been attracted to the role notwithstanding its rigour because at Glyndebourne the genesis from rehearsal to audience performance is a much longer one than many other Opera houses allowing the singer to grow into the role. This was not a new production directed by Tom Cairns.

The costume was modern dress and the sets of Hildegard Bechtler spare. This meant you did not get the sense of location of Paris of Dumas, its carefree frivolity and promiscuity. This is essential to the understanding of Violetta. However the chemistry with Alfredo (Attila Ayan) worked and the final tragedy had impact. Her singing had great control and mastery. I was sitting at the back of the stalls and could hear every note clearly.

As ever Glyndebourne was a model of a slick operation. You could say that at their prices they should be. However high prices do not necessarily a happy time mean. It does at Glyndebourne. We ate well in the Nether Wallop carvery, the service was good, the beef succulent and my companion, a chef at a rest home, would have been qualified to identify any sloppiness. Instead of walking through the throngs of Covent Garden and getting stuck in a traffic jam, as happened in my last two trips there, we were treated to open road and a glorious sunset over the Downs which was worth the admission money alone.