Reply With QuoteDrunk and disheveled Alfredo throwing himself like wild boar on undressed Violetta's breast is such a wonderful idea adding lots of modern appeal and meaning to this opera which otherwise would seem to rigid and dry.Originally Posted by Almaviva
Ooooohhh, Kristine Opolais will have her Met debut in January 2013, La Rondine (11, 14,18, 22, 26).
I. MUST. ATTEND!!!
I. MUST. INTERVIEW. HER!!!
I. MUST. KISS. HER. ON. THE. CHEEK. AND. BE. KISSED. BACK!!!
Sorry for the terrible sound, but this scene is probably the most sensual one I've ever seen in opera; her sex appeal is simply electrifying:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTAYNoZSQTA" target="_blank">
Last edited by Almaviva; March 11th, 2012 at 05:54 PM.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
Drunk and disheveled Alfredo throwing himself like wild boar on undressed Violetta's breast is such a wonderful idea adding lots of modern appeal and meaning to this opera which otherwise would seem to rigid and dry.
Schigolch liked this post
Objection noted, Aramis, and I do generally agree with you about these Regie things, and love La Traviata with a passion even without these add-ons... or especially without these add-ons... It's just that Kristine Opolais is so darn sexy!!! This can't be denied! So I'm sorry that this was done to La Traviata, but it doesn't make the scene any less sensual.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
You're cheating on La Bellissima???Does Anna know about this?
And Verdi/Piave claim that women are fickle!
Um . . . I think you missed it already.
Ah, but are you sure it will stop there?I. MUST. ATTEND!!!
I. MUST. INTERVIEW. HER!!!
I. MUST. KISS. HER. ON. THE. CHEEK. AND. BE. KISSED. BACK!!!
Two words at the end there: motor boat!
Seriously, this is pretty conventional by regie standards (you'd think there would at least be a stripper pole). And if an attractive young performer like Kristine Opolais can pull it off (literally), I say more power to her.
Last edited by Amfortas; March 10th, 2012 at 03:29 PM.
I also hear that she is playing Tosca at ROH.
Yummy yummy very yummy!
Ooops, 2013, I mean. And you know, this Regie touch is not that outrageous after all. La Traviata is the story of an escort girl, dammit! You know, these people are supposed to be sexy and to have lots of sex. The scene *is* congruent with the story. And I love the way she reacts startled, great acting. And, and... she is soooooo yummy!
Pardon me, Aramis!
And pardon me, Anna! I can't help! It's the way I'm wired! What heterosexual male wouldn't react positively to a scantly clad Kristine Opolais? Anna, if you do that Salome I've been waiting for, then I'll forget about Kristine, OK?
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
No.
Alfredo is opposed to people she dealed with before. As it's revealed just before the "Un di felice..." aria, he's first to love her and really care, not to mention that he is supposed to be idealistic and noble poet. Then, in this production, we get him drunk and messed up like fallen dandy coming back to Violetta in order take her with as much respect and gentleness as we could espect from baron or any of her previous "sponsors".
Well, if you read the source - the novel, not the play which got diluted for fear of the delicate sensibilities of the theater-going public at the time - it is pretty crude. Idealistic and noble poet or not, he is a passionate young guy falling in love with a very attractive young woman, so, the scene is not far-fetched. These things happen, when young people in love can't take their hands off each other and get rather febrile. Delicacy can happen later.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
Not in that libretto though. Somehow.
Alma... I downloaded that scene and others from Kristine Opolais' performance of La Traviata some time ago. I agree that she just exudes sensuality... sex. Where I agree with Aramis is that this Alfredo comes off as a big doofus grinning from ear to ear rather than the guy who is passionately in love with her and wishes to take her away from all this life of decadence.
"Suppose you were an idiot ... And suppose you were a member of
Congress .. But I repeat myself." -Mark Twain
Sure, I think it's a rather bad Alfredo. But oh well, I was paying attention to... cough couch, Kristine Opolais's singing.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
Yes the Alfredo drunken "booty call" was very heavy handed detail......should have been cutSure, I think it's a rather bad Alfredo. But oh well, I was paying attention to... cough couch, Kristine Opolais's singing.
I do approve of the dress removal during sempre libera since it symbolically matches the theme of Violetta's song of free spirit, nice touch and should be done more often with our beauty divas who have nothing to hide
I thought it was a cynical call to get men drooling.
It seemed to have worked.
Natalie
If some cynical Regisseur would like to have Jonas Kaufmann take off his clothes and get the women drooling . . .
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