Giuseppe Verdi, John Alldis Choir & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Aldo Ceccato, Beverly Sills, Nicolai Gedda, Rolando Panerai, Robert Lloyd, Mirella Fiorentini, Mario Carlin, William Elvin, Keith Erwen - Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato

Touching Traviata

ABOUT THE ALBUM: Verdi (La Traviata): Beverly Sills, soprano (Violetta) Nicolai Gedda, tenor (Alfredo), Rolando Panerai, baritone (Germont), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Aldo Ceccato; released as an LP by EMI in 1972, re-released as a CD by EMI, 1988 and 1997.

When this Traviata was made in the early 1970's, Beverly Sills was already an established opera singer at the New York City Opera where she reigned supreme and had not yet made her long-delayed debut at the Metropolitan Opera owing to Rudolf Bing refusing to hire her because he just didn't like her "openly American attitudes". This recording finds her in excellent vocal shape(she had been doing lyric coloratura roles such as Lucia and the heroines of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman) and her voice had not yet been damaged by singing the heavier bel canto roles of Queen Elisabeth I in "Devereaux" and Bellini's Norma. So this Violetta is one that shows off the true talent of this now deceased opera star(died in July 2007). Quite frankly, this is her best performance on any recording she made. Beverly Sills' Violetta is very moving and she will bring a tear to your eye in the Death Scene as well as make you want to dance in the festive and bouncy Act 1 Party, move you with her nobility and despair in Act 2. Throughout the opera, Sills demonstrates her talent for acting as well as singing with terrific flair. It's an exciting and poignant Violetta, if vocally impure. Sills never possessed a big Italian voice, being brought up in America, and her gift was that of the most renowned coloratura voice, not a dramatic voice, but she paved the way for non-dramatic, lyric singers also born in the States like Renee Fleming, Carol Vaness and Ruth Ann Swenson. Maria Callas owned the role until Anna Moffo came along, but up until that time, many favored a feisty and big voice, a fighter not a frail creature for Violeta. I think it's obvious that Verdi wrote her to be frail, like Puccini did with Mimi in La Boheme. A strong Violeta is unnatural. At the time, only Joan Sutherland rivaled Sills, and her portrayal of Violetta (twice, the more famous version being with Pavarotti) is too long, mannered and too artificial. Sills conveys emotion and no-nonsense sensitivity to her portrayal of Violetta, and I am always satified with this version, eventhough I have heard what critics and opera fans consider the superior Traviatas of Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Anna Moffo and Angela Gheorghiu. For Anna Moffo, the role was as easy as breathing. But many singers have struggled with Violetta. Caballe experimented with the part as did Mirella Freni. But Sills had known the role since her earliest days as a singer and it was her first real starring role. She sang Violetta many many times, being very familiar with the role. Beverly Sills in a class all her own and she pulls out all the stops. For instance, you can really tell the difference between the way she sings the care-free arias in Act 1 like "Sempre Libera" which she tops with the always sought after high hote. True, in this party scene, she sounds more like she's singing operetta (like she's Rosalinda in Fleidermaus) but it's still a right-on-target portrayal. By the time she's in the middle of the duets with Panerai's Germont, she is already a changed woman. Her voice is aptly able to portray suffering as in "Addio Del Passato". She lightens her voice and makes it sound as if she's ill in the last act, but has enough energy to produce the dramatic outbursts like "Morir Si prezo giovine". Despite whatever flaws critics noted, Sills makes a fabulous Violetta.

Nicolai Gedda is another reason to own this Traviata. His Alfredo is brilliant. He is older but he is a very elegant and heroic Alfredo, with a fit voice able to take on the lyric "De mie bollenti spiriti" and the usually ommitted tour de force aria "O mio rimorso". He is passionate and his voice is dark and masculine, a very fitting counterpart to Sill's femininity. This is one Alfredo that I always enjoy hearing. Gedda took care of his great voice and sang many roles during a long career. He looked good and sang great and everything he sings here is of grand quality.

Rolando Panerai is to my ears the best Germont. He portrays with ease the fatherly, noble and patriarchal figure that caused a threat to Violetta and Alfredo's romance. Panerai is not too severe in his phrasing and yet has power and warmth. His "Di Provinzia il mar" is very moving and his final scene with Violetta is a poignant moment. In fact, during that scene in which he, Alfredo, Annina the maid and Dr. Grenvil sing in an ensemble as Violetta is dying, I consider a moment in which each singer is doing the best interpretation of this moment, but particularly Germont who is ridden with guilt. Panerai was also a veteran singer of opera by this point but it hardly shows.

Aldo Ceccato, an Italian conductor, leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a very expressive, sensitive reading of the score. It makes me want to dance in the party scenes, has enough light to keep this opera from being too grand (it is Verdi's smallest-scale opera)but yet lingers in the more poignant scenes of real drama such as the Germont-Violetta duets, the end of Act 2 and the entire final portions. Ceccato resurrected the original score without any cuts. We hear "O Mio Rimorso" a fiery cabaletta for Alfredo, the second repetition in "Addio Del Passato" and even a caballeta after Germont's "Di Provenzia". This is a long and yet very satisfying Traviata. Any fan of the opera should own this, even if you own the Callas Traviata, the Scotto Traviata or other ones. The reviews speak for themselves. This is a very touching Traviata with a cast of great singers and a fine conductor. What more can you look for in Traviata ? September 25, 2008

Classic Verdi from the Classic Soprano

I searched for a definitive recording of La Traviata and was delighted to find this CD from the 70s of the great Beverly Sills. I was not disappointed in her artistry or in the quality of the supporting cast. A must-have in any opera-lover's collection. April 5, 2008

Simply The Best(s) Golden Classic Sills of 1970's!

Violetta is a workhouse of an operatic role, and many many Soprani have tried to cut their teeth on it, tackled it, worked it to death, or flogged the dead horse: Stratas, Callas (forgive me, La Divina, this role for you was *no* Stupenda Asollutta!) Songbird-"mushmouth" Dame Joan Sutherland (but who can hear her actual words?)....THE Lovely Canary Sine-qua-Non: Ms. Sills is at her best here, forget the other characters, if you can, they acquit themselves anyway...but perceive PERT, PETITE, PURE PERFECT VOCAL LINES of La Sills! Since the Coloratura Voice is the *first to go* age-wise in singers, because of vocal strains on the high, light-timbred Coloratura "canary-songbird" type Soprano...be sure *any* Sills you buy is from no later than this recording, best earlier other works and perfs of her with the New York City Opera or other venues.

Violetta's Signature scena/aria in this Traviata role is of course the renowned "Sempre Libera" ...and if it gives you no chills anywhere, you haven't got a pulse! She trips and skips through all the potentially deathly multiple flowery runs of notes (melismas) like they were child's play (and this is an aria she learned as a a child, actually, from Mum's old 78s)

Acoustically, The lovely echo in the church used for this recording adds to the plus of Sills' voice in Her Prime... *NOBODY* had, nor will ever have seemingly: the agile, light, yet emotionally evocative and gutsy performing brilliance of our recently deceased American-Prize Ms. Sills... if someone doesn't name a Rose Cultivar after her, someone's head will role! ...and since her passing, Ms. Sills recordings are certain to rise in value, in any condition! I strongly recommend you also buy her "Anything in French" discography: the Donizetti *Three Queens*, and more... Beverly Sills, now that you're soloing with The Angels, let us worship and bow down (well, maybe not that far...but close!) Buy Sills! Buy *ANY* Sills, for collector's value, alone, if for no other reason...butthen listen and be transported and transformed!!! November 28, 2007

Sills' Violetta

There is no point in arguing that the voice of Beverly Sills is smaller than Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland; this is a fact that we all know. In spite of this, this recording of Traviata stands out because Sills combines the coloratura graces of Sutherland with the creativity and crystal clear diction of Callas. Sills can definitely keep her own and do so in this recording.

Nicola Gedda as Alfredo is splendid, and Panerai as Papa Germont is fantastic as well. The conducting is swift and precise; the sound is surpasses many recordings- including the Netrebko Traviata from Salzburg. October 22, 2007

Is there ANY DOUBT how pleased Verdi would be?

I have great regard for this recording of Beverly Sills in perhaps her real signature role. Lots of people would tell you "Manon", certainly, or "Lucia", or Elisabeth in "Devereauz", or perhaps "Baby Doe". I happen to simply love "Baby Doe", and, it was her truly great first big role. But, if one really wants to get down to the simple facts, Violetta, truly, was her best part, after "Manon".

I saw the lady on two occasions. Both times at the NYC Opera, once as Elisabeth in "Roberta Devereaux", and once in "La Traviata". Truthfully, I remember her most clearly as Elisabeth...but, I was fairly young, and look at the difference in the parts! Violetta is young, beautiful, and etc, as are most sporano parts, the same for .....Elisabeth was a walking veneration, in stately costume, with a face that was, simply, unforgettable! The only other character I remember as clearly is Norman Treigle as "Mefistofele"....

This Traviata certainly holds its own against the competition. I turn to it frequently, and always marvel, even after all these years, at Sills' creamy, silvery voice. It is unfortunate that she somehow never really made it to "front rank" in the eye of the general public. I suppose, as the NYC Opera was generally considered "second rank" to the Met, singers at the NYCO were also somewhat looked upon in the same way! How sad is that?? Then, by the time she did make it to the Met, her days of Violetta were over, and she sang somewhat heavier roles, for older characters.

Luckily for us, there is the recorded medium, which we can turn to time after time, and enjoy whenever we wish to. Admittedly, this is "second best" to a live performance, but at least we have the vocal interpretation, and luckily, I believe, there are some video performances also, so for those, we can see the Lovely Lady. Her recorded opera library, while not dense, is full of spectacular performances, and also some unusual roles...we need to be thankful for that.

While my favorite "La Traviata" will always be the Moffo/Tucker/Merrill under Prevetalli, there is, certainly, enough room for many interpretations. This is, then, one of the better ones to have as a viable "top tier" alternative. Maestro Ceccato is certainly famaliar enough with Verdi's score through years of performances to turn in a richly commendable performance. Nicolai Gedda....well, like Richard Tucker, somehow, with all his talent, and great singing voice, never really comes through to me as a three-dimensional character. (Again, as with Tucker, I never saw him "live", and this may make a world of difference...visual can be a great aid to characterization.) Rolando Panerai is very very good as Georgio Germont (but Robert Merrill will always hold this role for me), and his "Di Provenaz il mar" is really fine. Act III is stupendous, and of course, Act IV will break your heart as only Callas or Moffo could do. Or, as we so well know, Caballe, in the theatre could certainly do (I do not rank her RCA recording with Callas/Moffo efforts).

So, with all my ramblings, here, the final statement from me regarding this recording is this:

Certainly top tier, ranking with Callas and Moffo, great conducted interpretation, Panerai is very good, Gedda, too, is fine, but not my ideal. The secondary roles are all fine, here, too. So, do not hesitate to add this recording to your collection, either as a first recording, or as a secondary addition. This is Sills at her finest. ~operabruin

July 7, 2007

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