Soprano Katarina soars as a heart-breaking Violetta in Utah Opera’s “Traviata”
Utah Opera is closing out its season with Verdi’s La Traviata. Saturday night’s opening performance in the Capitol Theatre was most notable forsoprano Lydia Katarina’s compelling performance as Violetta Valéry.
Dramatically, Katarina was utterly convincing as the doomed Violetta, charting the character’s arc from the carefree, live-for-the-moment courtesan, to a woman deeply in love, and lastly to a shell of her former self as she lies dying in her final, agonizing hours. At Saturday’s performance, she brought extraordinary depth to her characterization that captured the audience and drew them into the character’s world.
While her acting was top notch, Katarina’s singing was just as captivating. She possesses a lovely clear voice that stretches from a fluid coloratura to a warm, enticing lower register.
In Act I, she brought fiery passion to both the “Libiamo” and, particularly, to the vocally challenging “Sempre libera,” as she sings of the joys of love and enjoying the life she has, while still doubtful whether Alfredo is truly in love with her. Katarina’s burnished lower range served her well in “Addio, del passato,” where she laments her former life and the cruelty of dying at such a young age.
Ricardo Garcia, the scheduled Alfredo, stepped away from the production due to illness. He was replaced by local singer Isaac Hurtado. Hurtado demonstrated that he has some solid acting chops and is a fine singer possessing a dark, full-bodied tenor.
However, at Saturday’s performance, the lack of rehearsal time was apparent. At the start, his singing was characterized by a very broad vibrato that was at odds with Katarina’s focused soprano; consequently, their voices never quite meshed in the duet “Un di, felice” where he professes his love for her.
Fortunately, Hurtado’s singing and vocal quality improved as the opera progressed, and their final duet, “Parigi, o cara,” where Alfredo and Violetta dream of a future together, was poignant and heart-wrenching, showing some genuine chemistry that was lacking in the first two acts.
One of the highlights of this production is baritone Weston Hurt as Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont. His rich, lyrical voice lent itself beautifully to his extended Act II aria, “Pura siccome un angelo.” Hurt poured his heart and soul into this emotionally driven and powerful plea, where he exhorts Violetta to leave Alfredo for the sake of his family.
Mezzo-soprano Julia Holoman, a current Utah Opera resident artist, was excellent as Flora Bervoix; her light, flowery voice captured the nonchalant high spirits of her role.
Rounding out the cast are Stephanie Chee as Annina, Violetta’s loyal maid; Christopher Clayton as Baron Douphol; Rodney Sharp II as Marquis d’Obigny; Aaron McKone as Gastone de Letorières; and Kevin Nakatani as Doctor Grenvil.
The Utah Opera Chorus was resplendent as always, bringing their singing and acting talents to the fore in their roles as party guests of Violetta in the opening act, and then as guests of Flora’s lavish Act II fete.
In this otherwise traditional production, the dancers (three male and three female) play a much more integral part in the story than in previous Utah Opera Traviata stagings. Aside from their usual appearances in the two party scenes, they also appear during the Prelude to Act 3, reprising part of their routine from the opening act, as if Violetta has a vision about her former life as she lies on her deathbed. Daniel Charon, former artistic director of Ririe Woodbury Dance Company, was the choreographer.
Conductor Robert Tweten led members of the Utah Symphony in a dynamic and vibrant account of the score. And stage director Garnett Bruce’s pacing is spot on and never lets the large scenes drag; he also allows the more intimate and emotionally intense scenes to play out and unfold naturally.
Utah Opera’s La Traviata runs through May 17. utahopera.org
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