Product Details

• Actors: Angela Gheorghiu, Ramon Vargas, Roberto Frontali, Lorin Maazel
• Directors: Liliana Cavani
• Format: Color, Widescreen, NTSC, DTS Surround Sound
• Language: Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Italian (DTS 5.1), Italian (Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: Italian, Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Arthaus Musik
• DVD Release Date: September 30, 2008
• Run Time: 134 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001DELWZY
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,698 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #8 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > U to Z > Vargas, Ramon

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 2007 production of Verdi’s La Traviata from Milan’s La Scala, with world-class singers and Lorin Maazel on the podium belongs among the best of the many fine DVD versions available. Its prime draw is soprano Angela Gheorghiu, whose 1994 Covent Garden assumption of the role of Violetta catapulted her to stardom. She doesn’t quite match the emotional power and vocal beauties of that performance but Gheorghiu does give us an intensely drawn portrait of the role and her voice remains in fine shape. Her acting has always been extraordinary and at La Scala she fully encompasses the doomed heroine; the last Act deeply touching. Her Alfredo Germont is Ramon Vargas, whose beautiful tenor voice and sensitive singing please the ear with sweet tones and individual phrasing that bring Verdi’s lines to life. Roberto Frontali as Alfredo’s father, the elder Germont, exhibits an imposing baritone voice, shading it beautifully in the scene where he convinces Violetta to give up his son. Frontali also shows commanding stage presence in the scene where he upbraids Alfredo for his ungentlemanly behavior. Supporting roles are well taken and the La Scala orchestra’s contributions are positive, with some fine wind solos. Maazel paces the opera well and conjures beautifully shaped Preludes to Acts One and Three, which embody some of Verdi’s loveliest string music. The staging is traditional in Liliana Cavani’s production, originally mounted in 1990 but still looking fine, albeit with some bits of superfluous stage business for the principles to occupy the eye and distract the ear. Dante Ferretti’s lavish set designs are fitting, although one can question the presence of a bed and a billiard table in the drawing room of Violetta’s country house. Gabriella Pescucci’s costumes are suitable, but some of the military officers in the banquet scenes appear to be clad in doorman’s uniforms. Paola Longobardo’s video direction is excellent: No extraneous camera movements to draw attention away from the stage and close-ups of the singers are usually head-and-shoulders shots well framed with ample space to keep the singers in context. Cuts within an aria are excellently timed as well, on the beat or at a point of mood change. Despite heavy competition from Gheorghiu’s Covent Garden DVD, Renee Fleming’s San Francisco Traviata, and the often weirdly modernistic Salzburg production with Netrebko and Villazon, this fine La Scala DVD is a serious contender. --Dan Davis

La Traviata is an all-regions disc in 16:9 ratio. Sound options include PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround. Sung in Italian, subtitles include English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Product Description

VERDI:LA TRAVIATA - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Traviata, October 4, 2008

By 

DDD (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: La Traviata at La Scala (DVD)

This new DVD from Arthaus faces formidible competition from Gheorghiu's first Violetta on Decca; this was her "double" debut, both on DVD and CD. It was her first undertaking of the role and clearly she meant to make it her own. The conductor, Solti, allows for the second verses to arias that are either frequently cut (O mio rimorso and Addio del passato) and includes the cabaletta to Di provenza--not one of Verdi's most inspired moments.

This new DVD uses sets that were new in 1990 although I don't think anyone could lodge a complaint in this area: they are opulent, plush and quite gorgeous. The conservative opera goer will have no complaint here. If memory serves me correctly this is the same production that featured Tiziana Fabriccini, an interpretation that was very controversial, Roberto Alagna and Paolo Coni and conducted by Muti. It should be re-released by whoever has the licensing rights.

Gheorghiu matches all the excellences of her earlier performance. She always looks stunning, sings beautifully and is an accomplished actress. I can't think of any other singer who has this role in her repertoire could match this diva. Yes, it's true that she doesn't take the optional high D at the end of the first act aria, but that's what it is: an option. Her performance is nuanced and touching. I have heard some of Fleming's performance but I find her superficial and dramatically utterly uninvolved. (A downside to the LOs Angeles DVD is Bruson who in his prime was a baritone to be reckoned with; here, at 70 (!) his tone is partched and is afflicted with a wobble which is very distressing.)

Vargas is a great improvement over Lopardo who is somewhat wooden and appears uncomfortable. The former would never be accused of being a great actor but his instincts are always right and while not being "handsome" he has a cherubic sweetness that is very engaging. He has clearly thought out the requirements of the music and brings a great deal of imagination. A pity that the second verse of O mio rimorso was cut as it spoils the musical balance that Verdi was aiming for. (Gheorghiu was also denied her second verse in the Addio del passato.)

Frontali is a vast improvement over Nucci who by rights should be able to shine in this role; the latter became a "Verdi baritone" by default. His milieu is clearly in the Donizetti/Bellini/Rossini operas. the voice is slender, but well focused, but I prefer Fontali's bigger more rugged sound. Of course he has no competition--at least none that I know of on the horizon.

Initially I had my doubts about Maazel. In the 70's (I am hazarding a guess)he recorded Traviata with Lorengar, Aragall and DFD. It was a near complete text if I recall, but Decca management doubtless came down with the mandate to get it on two LP discs. As a result the tempi were brutal in many cases and even though the set did garner some good reviews I have no doubt that it was due to Lorengar. Here Maazel seems much more relaxed and at one with the score. In short one of the best performances of Traviata that I have heard.

For those who want or require a regie Traviata stay away. There is no Konzept here. I would dearly love to see the Venice performance (again Maazel I believe) and even though what I have seen of Villazon/Netrebko is more than offputting (more due to Rizzi who seems to be this generation's Molinari-Pradelli). The cover on the Bel Aire DVD is a Maryln Monroe 'manque"--not the association I make with Traviata. OTOH if a conventionally staged, directed production of this opera is what you want I can only recommend this new set.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent TRAVIATA Despite Controversy, October 11, 2008

By 

An Opera Fan (New York,U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: La Traviata at La Scala (DVD)

Puccini - La Boheme (The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Series)
The opening night of this production at La Scala last year was greeted by controversy that got the star soprano and conductor lustily booed by the angry audience. The Italian papers came up with some speculations as to why that nasty audience response happened. When I first looked at the cover of this DVD, the first thing I noticed was the pretty picture of Angela Gheorghiu ; the next, the names of Ramon Vargas and Roberto Frontali were printed significantly smaller than the names of the soprano and conductor Lorin Maazel. I thought it was in bad taste and slighted the other two principals who are top Verdi singers of this generation with distinguished operatic careers. After listening to the performance on this DVD, I thought I had a better take on the controversy than those Italian papers. My theory is that the soprano and conductor hatched a
scheme to do something on that first night performance that would surely enrage the passionate La Scala audience and make themselves the wronged victims. In a subsequent performance used for this DVD, they performed tremendously, and the guilt-ridden and contrite boo birds apologized with huge ovations for them, which was the object of their plot to sell this DVD. But to further reward the conspirators by printing their names much larger than everyone else is going too far. Having said that, the performance here is superb.

Despite some negative comments in the papers about the 20-yr old production sets used here, I prefer it to the Met's Zeffirelli production with its extremes and some garishness particularly in Act2. It's a relief to see Violetta in her last moments in a modest but decent surroundings, not in some dilapidated warehouse. All principals are in top form. As noted earlier, Vargas and Frontali are preeminent Verdi singers and great choice as the Germonts. Gheorghiu is not a typical or traditional Verdi soprano (the likes of Tebaldi, Freni or even Moffo) but she has a beautiful, expressive voice with dark shades for a wide range of expressions and is a very convincing actress. With sensitive and generous partners in Vargas, Frontali and Maazel, she can be a marvelous Violetta as demonstrated on this disc. My little complaint is the stage direction and coaching that let Vargas do a lot of distracting things while singing his one aria in Act2 - looking for cup and saucer, pouring his coffee, and singing his one-verse O Mio Rimorso while lugging a suitcase and rummaging through some unmentionables looking for a document. Miraculously, he did not miss a beat and sang with his customary elegance and vibrancy in rich and burnished tones. For the most part, the singing and acting of the three principals, the contributions of everyone, comprimarios, dancers, chorus, orchestra and , of course, the crafty Maazel throughout the opera - all make this brilliant DVD a must have and worthy addition to everyone's collection of this wonderful opera.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All three principals shine but it's Angela Gheorghiu's show, October 25, 2008

By 

Toni Bernhard (Davis, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: La Traviata at La Scala (DVD)

In Gheorghiu's 1994 performance of La Traviata from Covent Garden (also on DVD), her singing of Violetta is fresh and captivating but you're aware that she's concentrating on the music (which is not a criticism). In this 2007 La Scala production, thirteen years more mature as a performer, she just lets loose while at the same time achieving extraordinary precision in her phrasing and in her interpretation of the role. Her performance can only be described as a "tour de force." She performs the role as if she owns it. I've never seen "E strano" and "Sempre libera" sung with such unbridled confidence. The expression on her face during the curtain call to Act I tells us she knows she nailed it. Immodest, she is not (as another reviewer pointed out).

But don't let that put you off because onstage, where it matters, Gheorghiu gives one of the most dominating opera performances I've seen. Every note is sung with clear intention. Her one minute "aria," the cry "Amami, Alfredo," accompanied by fiery orchestration, dominated by the timpani (which reappears with heartrending effect in the final bars of the opera), is worth the price of the DVD alone. It's a powerful and heartbreaking moment.

As if Gheorghiu's performance were not enough to recommend this production, I think it offers the best threesome available in Traviata on DVD. As Alfredo, Ramon Vargas may not be as expressive an actor as, for example, Rolando Villazon, but Vargas creates a touching and vulnerable Alfredo and possesses a wonderfully rich and full voice. The word "burnished" is more often used to describe a baritone, but it applies to Vargas' tenor voice. Just listen to his Act III duet with Gheorghiu, "Parigi, o cara," and you'll hear that exceptional quality to which I refer. He is far superior to Frank Lopardo who is on Gheorghiu's 1994 Traviata. Lopardo is so wooden onstage that he's not believable as her lover.

Roberto Frontali is the best Germont I've seen on DVD. Germont is often played by baritones who are too young to be Alfredo's father. These otherwise fine performers appear stiff and uncomfortable in a role that requires them to play a much older man (Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Thomas Hampson come to mind, the former in the La Fenice Traviata featuring Patrizia Ciofi and the latter in the Salzburg production featuring Anna Netrebko). But Frontali is perfect for the role. His rich bass-baritone voice just rings out in "Di Provenza." It contrasts beautifully with Gheorghiu's soprano; their duet in Act II is one of the highlights of the production.

As always, the La Scala chorus is precise in its execution and beautiful in sound. It excels on all the La Scala DVD's I own. The concertato finale to Act II, with Gheorghiu's voice soaring above the chorus, is riveting.

I guess the thrust of this review is clear: if you're an Angela Gheorghiu fan, this production is not to be missed. Add to that the stellar performances by Vargas, Frontali, the chorus, the orchestra under the baton of Lorin Maazel, and this is the best La Traviata currently available on DVD.