La Traviata à Paris / Gvazava, Cura, Panerai; Mehta (2000 TV film) [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This recording comes from the "real-time" Traviata presented on European television in June 2000. The idea was to heighten the drama by placing the opera in Parisian locations that still reflected the 1850s setting, and then having the soloists sing as plausibly as possible to a recorded soundtrack. The effect was somewhat bizarre--especially when it appeared that Violetta's cramped, little Act IV apartment had a mysteriously grand concert-hall acoustic. The recording, however, allows one to judge the performance on its musical--and not its televisual--merits, and on the whole it comes off rather well. Dreamboat tenor José Cura makes a passionate and convincing Alfredo, and Eteri Gvazava captures the pathos, if not the sparkle, of Violetta. She excels in the dramatic deathbed music of Act IV, but is less happy in the spinto (and fiendishly difficult) scales and leaps of "Sempre libera" in Act I. The warm orchestral accompaniment is sensitive to the singers, but just occasionally lacks power. All in all, this is a good introduction to the opera and a neat tie-in to the TV production. --Warwick Thompson

La Traviata à Paris / Gvazava, Cura, Panerai; Mehta (2000 TV film), Music, Giuseppe Verdi, Zubin Mehta, José Cura, Eteri Gvazava, Rolando Panerai, Nicolas Rivenq, Magali Léger, Raphaelle Farman, Alain Gabriel, Giorgio Gatti, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta, Vocal, Vocal Music

La Traviata à Paris / Gvazava, Cura, Panerai; Mehta (2000 TV film)
Average customer rating:

A flop

good but not great

La Traviata a Paris a wonderful experience

Wonderful music, very well sung

angel music

La Traviata à Paris / Gvazava, Cura, Panerai; Mehta (2000 TV film)
Giuseppe Verdi , Zubin Mehta , José Cura , Eteri Gvazava , Rolando Panerai , Nicolas Rivenq , Magali Léger , Raphaelle Farman , Alain Gabriel , and Giorgio Gatti
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004TT0K
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

La Traviata A Paris: Preludio - Zubin Mehta
Atto Primo: 'Dell'invito Trascorsa E Gia L'ora' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Primo: Brindisi 'Libiamo, Libiamo Ne'lieti Calici' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Primo: 'Che E Cio?' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Primo: 'Oh! Qual Pallor!' - Jose Cura
Atto Primo: 'Un Di Felice' - Jose Cura
Atto Primo: 'Si Ridesta In Ciel L'aurora' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Primo: 'E Strano! E Strano!...Ah, Fors'e Lui' - Eteri Gvazava
Atto Primo: 'Follie! ... Sempre Libera' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Lunge Da Lei' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'De'miei Bollenti Spiriti' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Annina, Donde Vieni?' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Oh Mio Rimorso!' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Alfredo?' - Rolando Panerai
Atto Secondo: 'Pura Siccome Un Angelo' - Rolando Panerai
Atto Secondo: 'Dite Alla Giovine' - Rolando Panerai
Atto Secondo: 'Dammi Tu Forza, O Cielo' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Ah, Vive Sol Quel Core' - Rolando Panerai
Atto Secondo: 'Di Provenza Il Mar' - Rolando Panerai

Tracks:

Atto Secondo: 'Avrem Lieta Di Maschere La Notte' - Raphaelle Farman
Atto Secondo: 'Noi Siamo Zingarelle' - Raphaelle Farman
Atto Secondo: 'Di Madride Noi Siam Matadori' - Raphaelle Farman
Atto Secondo: 'Alfredo! Voi!' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Secondo: 'Invitato A Qui Seguirmi' - Jose Cura
Atto Secondo: 'Ogni Suo Aver' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Secondo: 'Di Sprezzo Degno' - Nicolas Rivenq
Atto Terzo: Preludio - Zubin Mehta
Atto Terzo: 'Annina? - Commandate?' - Eteri Gvazava
Atto Terzo: 'Teneste La Promessa' - Eteri Gvazava
Atto Terzo: 'Addio, Del Passato Bei Sogni' - Eteri Gvazava
Atto Terzo: 'Largo Al Quadrupede Sir Della Festa' - Emanuela di Pietro
Atto Terzo: 'Signora... - Che T'accadde?' - Jose Cura
Atto Terzo: 'Parigi, O Cara, Noi Lasceremo' - Jose Cura
Atto Terzo: 'Ah! Gran Dio! Morir Si Giovane' - Jose Cura
Atto Terzo: 'Ah! Violetta! - Voi, Signor' - Rolando Panerai
Atto Terzo: 'Se Una Pudica Vergine' - Rolando Panerai

Amazon.com

This recording comes from the "real-time" Traviata presented on European television in June 2000. The idea was to heighten the drama by placing the opera in Parisian locations that still reflected the 1850s setting, and then having the soloists sing as plausibly as possible to a recorded soundtrack. The effect was somewhat bizarre--especially when it appeared that Violetta's cramped, little Act IV apartment had a mysteriously grand concert-hall acoustic. The recording, however, allows one to judge the performance on its musical--and not its televisual--merits, and on the whole it comes off rather well. Dreamboat tenor José Cura makes a passionate and convincing Alfredo, and Eteri Gvazava captures the pathos, if not the sparkle, of Violetta. She excels in the dramatic deathbed music of Act IV, but is less happy in the spinto (and fiendishly difficult) scales and leaps of "Sempre libera" in Act I. The warm orchestral accompaniment is sensitive to the singers, but just occasionally lacks power. All in all, this is a good introduction to the opera and a neat tie-in to the TV production. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

A flop.......2004-02-03

A Violetta that sounds like a cheap imitation of Callas, Cura sounding crude and Panerai way over the hill. There are much better Traviatas out there than this one.

good but not great.......2003-06-29

I just had the opportunity to see a rebroadcast of the TV film, and completely disliked the visual performance, including the staging, the camera work, and the acting. Now, if you close your eyes, and listen to the music, you might actually enjoy it. Although it is a stretch to compare it with the classic recordings of the same, it does hold its own, at least it is not bad. The exception is the elder Germont. I never had the chance to listen to Rolando Panerai when he was younger, but here at 75, his voice is stiff, lacks emotion, and contains too many rough edges to my liking. While I agree with one of the reviewers who dismisses the critical comment about this performance by pleading ignorance to the academic finer points, and focusses instead on the enjoyment aspect of the show, I am also in agreement with the author of that critical comment, why bother with this one, if you can't completely enjoy it.

OK, some of you may want to find a different presentation of the old classic, in that sense, you probably won't be disappointed by the musical portion of it (if you can overlook the one role I mentioned above), but for those of you looking for the DVD, I would suggest to stop that search right now, not because it is not available in stores, but because of its less than pleasing visual presentation.

The raison d'etre of this sound recording is the made-for-television event of broadcasting from Paris, purportedly made by the same crew that made the Tosca from Rome. While Tosca from Rome was a live performance, a grand artistic tour de force, this TV film was made in such an amateurish fashion, that it looks like the entire crew had a lobotomy after the first success. The direction, the use of cameras (angles, movement, etc.), as well as the acting evoked from the performers are horrendous. The under-the-table scene in Act I is unnecessary, and looks to be a copy from Boheme; the use of Steadycam (it is mounted on the cameraman, and his going and stopping give the feeling of discontinuity) gimmick is not much of an improvement from Dave Letterman's Monkeycam years ago; and the camera angle and zoom is very curious, the director seems to like to place obstacles, like tree leaves, tall grass, furniture, and other things, between the camera and performers. I was so distracted by his constant obscuring of Germont and Violetta's faces in Act II that I kept thinking "ticks, ticks, ticks" when they walked into the overgrown tall grass, and "will she scream if she finds a worm" when they kept walking into the hanging willow leaves. 8-)

I may appear to be a little cynical, but my point is that if it fails to capture the attention of the audience, the director failed his job. This production's visual part is full of unsuccessful experiments, it is painful to watch. So if you have to get this performance, get the CD version, but stay away from the video (get the Zefferelli version instead to see how it's supposed to be done).

La Traviata a Paris a wonderful experience.......2002-04-13

The finest la Traviata I have ever heard. Bold orchestration and deep rich vocals. Wonderful listening experience. It's a great CD for fledgling opera buffs who want to start with the best execution of the best composers.

Wonderful music, very well sung.......2002-04-12

So what if they overdubbed to make a good TV show... the singing is just fine. Not perfect, but Gvazava and Cura put on a very good show.

Remember that this beautiful music and drama was created as entertainment. Let's not get in the way of enjoying this fine performance with pointless academic refernces to other people who may have done it better. Lighten up folks!

Having vented all of that,I'm looking forward a release of the DVD version of this performance. The CD just is fine, but watching it as a full performance is even better. Just saw it broadcast by the CBC while in Toronto. Get the DVD, listen - watch, enjoy.

angel music.......2001-08-24

level of recording and presentation beyond excellence. Couple Gura/Gvazava is a guarantee of full success. Please find me the DVD.

Track Listings: