la Traviata

La Traviata was delightful. Prof. Smith saw the Thursday show, I was there last night with a few students (of which, two were HUMsters, Paisley and Rachel). I thought the production was stellar musically, very tight and exacting, with the three leads Violetta (Jennifer Black), her lover Alfredo (Jonathan Boyd), and his father Giorgio Germont (Mark Rucker) absolutely first rate; our very own Prof. Dan Boye (music c.v.) as the dueling Baron was very jealous and Baronish--and fell to the ground hard when Alfredo's bullet pierced him in the duel (good that he's recovering). The set was aimed at the period, with lush nineteenth-century costumes, something like this or this or this (the gypsy chorus and bull fighters dance; another version here). I've not seen so many bustles and ruffles in a long time. The performance Saturday night was sold out.
Anna Netrebko is still my favorite Violetta in this production from the Salzburger Festspiele in 2005.

There are a couple more high-culture options that fit into our syllabus this semester, the Charlotte Symphony has Wagner and Brahms yet to come.

Fri Mar 11 | Sat Mar 12, 2011
Christof Perick, conducting
WAGNER Rienzi Overture
WAGNER Siegfried Idyll
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 3

and

Fri Apr 1 | Sat Apr 2, 2011
Christopher Warren-Green, conducting
Oratorio Singers of Charlotte
BRAHMS Academic Festival Overture
BRAHMS Nänie
BRAHMS Song of Destiny
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1