La Traviata new production for local opera buffs

In what can be arguably defined as a significant coverage in the local press in the run up to the Opera La Traviata and Festival Mediterranea, The Malta Independent on Sunday of today 24 October 2010 features prominently yet another page article which is being reproduced below.  La Traviata and the heritage events of the ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea featured also in today's The Sunday Times of Malta and Il-Mument. The Sunday Times's piece has been uploaded in the preceding news item.

A favourite work for many local opera goers will be returning to the local stage in an entirely new production. Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata will be making a welcome return to the Teatru Astra in Gozo, twenty-one years after the theatre presented it for the first time in April 1989, this time in a production that its director prefers to call ‘classic rather than traditional’.

La Traviata, which will be performed on Thursday 28 October and Saturday 30 October, will be opening the ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea, a yearly extravaganza of music, culture and history that has become one of the most anticipated cultural events on the islands. 

Based on Alexandre Dumas novel La dame aux camelias, La Traviata was composed in 1852, during one of Verdi’s most prolific period which also saw the great maestro pen his wonderful Il Trovatore and Rigoletto.

With Miriam Cauchi as Violetta in the leading role in La Traviata, the production augurs great anticipation and a guarantee for success after her resounding triumph as Gilda last year in Rigoletto and Liù in Turandot the year before that.  Ms Cauchiis the leading opera soprano on the islands whose versatility and stage presence have won over critics and audiences, both in Malta and abroad. 

Alessandro Liberatore, an Italian tenor whose bel canto style has been described as emulating the great tenors of a glorious past age, will sing the role of Alfredo, whilst the part of Germont will be interpreted by Marco Chingari. Mr Chingari will be making a most welcome return to TeatruAstra after wonderful performances in the title roles of Macbeth, Scarpia in Tosca and Iago in Otello.

These leading roles will be supported by Georgina Gauci in the role of Flora and Dorienne Portelli in that of Annina. Both Ms Gauci and Ms Portelli have acquitted themselves admirably in minor roles at Teatru Astra in previous opera productions.  Frans Mangion will sing Gaston, Joseph Lia takes on the role of Barone Douphol, Giampiero Cicino will be the Marchese d’Obigny, Kenneth Scicluna sings the part of Dottore Grenvil, Mario Portelli that of Giuseppe, Violetta’s servant while Armando Tomasello sings the part of the Commisionario.

Festival music director and conductor at the Teatru Astra, Prof Joseph Vella, is celebrating his 40th year in this role. With his reputation and experience in the operatic field, having guided Teatru Astra to the top echelons of musical excellence, establishing the theatre as one of the top venues for such productions, Prof Vellawill once again conduct the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra for both performances of La Traviata.

As has been the case for the past 23 years, Maria Frendo will be in charge of the Teatru Astra Opera Chorus, made up of the best elements on the islands, including that of the well-known Laudate Pueri Choir, together with a strong male participation from members of the Teatro dell’Opera from Rome.

This new production will be under the direction of renowned Marco Gandini, whose productions in the major venues in Italy, including Teatro alla Scala and Teatro dell’Opera in Rome have won him rave reviews. Mr Gandini has, uninterruptedly since 1992, worked as associate director to world-known film and opera director Franco Zeffirelli.

The production blends foreign talent withthe best of local resources including in the backstage field, with design left in the hands of Italian scenographer Mauro Tinti while local scenic artist Joseph Cauchi is responsible for turning the built set into seemingly real-life scenes. Carmel Zammit and Emanuel J Farrugia have managed to transform Mr Tinti’s designs from paper to larger-than-life rooms and ambiences while Emanuel Grima and George Farrugia are currently giving the final touches to Luca Canfora’s ideas for costumes. Choreography for La Traviata is being prepared by Felix Busuttil with the participation of the YADA Dance Company and the YADA Dance Academy, Gozo at the Teatru Astra.

For La Traviata, Teatru Astra is once again making a limited number of tickets available for students under the age of 25 on opening night, at heavily reduced prices on a first-come first-served basis. Students under 25 years will be able to attend the Thursday performance at just €10 with any accompanying adult also benefiting from a 20% reduction on the original ticket price, paying only €40 each. The scheme, originally launched last year by the Teatru Astra to encourage younger members of society to have easier access to the beauty of opera, is being repeated this year thanks to the collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family that has backed this latest reach-out initiative of the TeatruAstra together with an educational programme that was implemented earlier this week.

La Traviata opens this year’s edition of the month-long Festival Mediterranea, organised by the Teatru Astra for the ninth consecutive year. The festival offers a wide variety of cultural events, ranging from music, theatre, dance, history, heritage (with the participation of leading scholar Dr David Trump), and local crafts including those related to food and wine, until 28 November.

More information on La Traviata or any of Festival Mediterranea events is available from mediterranea.com.mt. Booking may be done on 21550985 or 99883007 or [email protected]

La Traviata and Festival Mediterranea are being organised by volunteers at the TeatruAstra in collaboration with Bank of Valletta, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Vodafone Malta Foundation, the Ministry for Gozo and the Ministry for Finance, the Economy and Investment.