Verdi: La Traviata.(Video Recording Review)

[] Bonfadelli, Peebo, Leveroni; Piper, Ricci, Bruson, Sarti, Tisi; Orch. and Ch. of Fondazione Arturo Toscanini, Domingo. TDK DVD DVUS-OPLTR (Naxos, dist.), 139 mins., plus "bonus" documentary

Franco Zeffirelli returned to Busseto's 300-seat Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in February 2002 with a new Traviata. Without a giant theater at his disposal, the legendary director is free to concentrate on what he does so well--characterization. Of course, decor is not entirely sacrificed, despite the tiny stage, and costumes (by Alberto Spiazzi) are spectacular. As with the previous year's Aida at the same theater, a mostly-young, relatively unknown cast was assembled, Renato Bruson as Germont being the exception.

Zeffirelli employs his now-familiar flashback gimmick, staging the Act I prelude, with Violetta walking around ill in her nightgown. This valid touch works better than his solution to the difficult, prolonged "Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core" ensemble of Act II, in which he isolates Violetta from her real surroundings by giving her a ghostly light and a surreptitiously adorned new costume. However, aside from a few other slight twists (Violetta is played as very weak during "Parigi, o cara," thereby diminishing the effect of her subsequent collapse), the maestro mines the drama brilliantly, taking care of detail and motivation with the entire cast and chorus.

Stefania Bonfadelli is an excellent, instinctive, honest singing actress. Her voice, at this point, is more functional than exceptional, but she manages the role and even interpolates a force-of-will E-flat in "Sempre libera." Her emotions read clearly and seem to cross her face, as they should, right before they materialize in word, note and gesture. The score ...