La Traviata returns to the Astra this month

The Sunday Times today 17 October 2010 is publishing in its Cultural and Entertainment  section a feature on Teatru Astra's La Traviata, which is being reproduced in full below.  A beautiful full colour picture from the 2009 Rigoletto accompanies the article.

The Teatru Astra in Gozo is opening its theatre season, and the ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea, with an appointment not to be missed – Verdi’s perennially fresh opera La Traviata in a production that is meant to once again be the subject of many a conversation in encounters of culture-buffs and opera lovers.

With two representations, on the 28^th and 30^thOctober, La Traviata will be making a most welcome return to the Astra, twenty-one years after it was first presented in April 1989.

Once again the Teatru Astra has embarked on an outreach initiative for students to enable them to attend and start appreciating the beauty of opera. Again for La Traviata, the Teatru Astra, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family, is heavily subsidising a limited number of tickets bought for the opening night performance for students under 25 years old, and any accompanying adult, who will be paying only €10 and €40 respectively.

Separately, workshops with students will be held tomorrow in Malta and Tuesday in Gozo to help them appreciate the different modes of expression through music, taking excerpts from La Traviata as well as popular songs. A lecture, free of charge, for the general public will be held tomorrow at the Robert Sammut Hall in Floriana at 6pm to help the audience appreciate better what will be produced on stage later on this month.

This year, Italian opera director Marco Gandini has been entrusted with this production that will retain a classic, rather than a traditional, interpretation. Mr Gandini, whose impressive curriculum vitae cites productions of opera at the Teatro alla Scala – Milan, Teatro dell’Opera – Rome, Teatro San Carlo – Naples, the Arena di Verona, the Metropolitan in New York, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in London and the New National Theatre in Tokyo among many others, has uninterruptedly since 1992, worked as associate director with opera and film director Franco Zeffirelli. His attention to detail and the influence of film will be noticeable in Mr Gandini’s interpretation of La Traviata.

The cast that has been engaged for this production is also set to further push the benchmarks that the Astra has been setting, particularly in recent years. Gozitan soprano Miriam Cauchi, who has made a reputable name for herself with her challenging roles at the Astra in recent opera productions, will sing the demanding leading role of Violetta. The Astra audience recollects Ms Cauchi’s excellent interpretation as Gilda in last year’s Rigoletto and her previous engagements as Liù in Turandot (Astra – 2008) and her leading soprano roles in Suor Angelica (Astra – 2006) and Pagliacci (Astra – 2006).

Italian tenor Alessandro Liberatore will be making his welcomed debut in the Maltese Islands as Alfredo. Mr Liberatore has been described as emulating the great tenors of a glorious past age with his bel canto style that should go down very well with the local audience.

Italian baritone Marco Chingari, whose remarkable strong voice and presence on stage earned him positive reviews following his performances of the title role of Macbeth (Astra – 2007), Scarpia in Tosca (Astra – 2004) and Iago in Otello (Astra – 2003), will be returning to the Astra, this time as Germont.

Other roles will be interpreted by Georgina Gauci as Flora and Dorienne Portelli in that of Annina. 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.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra will be once again conducted by Festival Mediterranea music director and Teatru Astra resident conductor Prof. Joseph Vella, while the Teatru Astra Opera Chorus, made up of the main elements of the Laudate Pueri Choir together with members of the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, will be prepared by chorus mistress Maria Frendo.

Currently the final touches to the stage, built by Carmel Zammit and Emanuel J Farrugia, are being done by scenographer Mauro Tinti and scenic artist Joseph Cauchi, while the last alterations and creative touches to the costumes are being done by Luca Canfora, Emanuel Grima and George Farrugia. 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.

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 may be obtained from mediterranea.com.mt. Booking is available on 21550985 or 99883007 or [email protected]

La Traviata and Festival Mediterranea are being organised by volunteers at the Teatru Astra 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.

17-10-2010