Madrid, July 22 and 23, 2020.
Four months later its forced closure due to Coronavirus, opera returns to Madrid with La Traviata. Four challenging months in which the Spanish capital has been endured a hard lockdown due to the pandemic, being its focus in Spain. For this season, Teatro Real had scheduled two runs of performances for Traviata: one in May and the other one in July. Since the May run had to be cancelled, To give all the ticket holders their own chance and in order to follow all the safety rules by opening with at last 50% of the complete capacity, a run of 27 performances is being given throughout July, with most of the scheduled singers, in a total of five different casts. With this return, Teatro Real became the first major opera house to perform a complete opera and with world-class singers.
On July 15, the first cast featuring Marina Rebeka, Michael Fabiano and Artur Rucinski was live streamed worldwide on My Opera Player.
Safety rules and social distancing are being followed strictly: every seating zone is assigned a timetable for entering, and in scaled form, starting with the upper ones and finishing with the lowest. At entering, mask and gel are provided, you have to look into a camera, and step into a wet doormat and go through the a walk-through metal detector and dry your shoes, and then a nurse takes your temperature, after that you can finally show the ticket and enter. During the long, forty-minutes intermission your zone is assigned a delimited zone for movement with a bar and toilet, and you cannot go to another zone in the theater. At the end of the show, exit must be done staggered, and you have to wait until the file before you are empty, following the ushers' instructions.
The famous Willy Decker staging from Salzburg was scheduled for this performance, but the limitations of Covid-19 have made it to be replaced by a semi-staged performance, designed by Leo Castaldi. To respect the social distancing, the stage has been divided in squares, covering 2 meters of space to individual movement for any chorist and soloist. Few elements are seen on stage: bed, divan, desk, table... and soloists wear elegant costumes, and different for every act. They cannot embrace or kiss, and despite those missing elements in such a love story, emotions are ensured, with the dramatic skills of every member of the different casts: for example, when Violetta gives Alfredo a flower, they both take at the same time from their places, or they sing in the final act in one and another side of the bed.
The Teatro Real Orchestra had also to fullfil the safety rules, by enlarging the orchestra pit to make every musician placed at a safety distance one another, using the measure often used for Wagner operas. Nicola Luisotti (who conducts most of the performances) conducted the July 22 performance, with an opulent sound, the orchestra reaching an almost Wagnerian sound level, and maybe the emotion of returning or the devotion of musicians, something magic happened with the strings (in one of the most amazing renditions I heard from them) started with the Prelude. Sometimes the time went faster, but most of the time Luisotti reached a dramatic, Verdian sound and style from the orchestra. Luis Méndez Chaves conducted the following day, but it was completely different, the sound was more calm, smooth, with a shy starting of the prelude, more focused on helping the singers and a bit slower tempi, sometimes reaching an intimate performance. Méndez regained some energy for the second part, with a strong rendition at the end of Act 2 and a beautiful Act 3 prelude. The Teatro Real Chorus sang at their usual good level, and also devoted for this performance, sounding menacing, impressing, overwhelming at the end of Act 2 and lustful during the brief Carnival chorus in Act 3.
The 22nd July cast: Lisette Oropesa, Ivan Magrì and Nicola Alaimo with Nicola Luisotti.
On July 22, Lisette Oropesa sang the role of Violetta in a dazzling performance, with her powerful voice, low notes, amazing technique and coloratura during an unforgettable Act 1, and also able to move with her dramatic skills in Act 2 and 3, and also her pianissimo notes and singing in Alfredo, Alfredo di questo core and at the line "di chi nel ciel tra gli angeli", the latter one being a very beautiful moment. Ivan Magrì was an Alfredo with a big voice, but during the first part some of his lines were sung a bit fast. Nevertheless, he found his peak during the second part. Nicola Alaimo sang an authoritative Germont, but during the Di Provenza he seemed a bit light for the part.
The 23rd July Cast: Ekaterina Bakanova, Matthew Polenzani and Luis Cansino.
On July 23, Ekaterina Bakanova, who has toured many theatres with her Violetta, giving a beautifully sung rendition of the role, despite some coloratura troubles during the Sempre Libera, reaching her peak at the end of act 2, singing Alfredo, Alfredo with a nice dark, seductive and melancholic tone. During Act 3 she showed her acting and singing skills well fusioned to convey well the drama. Matthew Polenzani, the famous Met tenor in his Madrid debut, showed a big and youthful-toned voice for Alfredo, surpassing with his volume to everyone during first act even with some troubles too. However during the second part he also reached his peak, specially during Act 3 at the Parigi, o Cara. The Spanish baritone Luis Cansino sang the role of Germont, as I personally have never seen it before. His portrait of a tormented, and later remorseful father who is more forced than convinced to act like this was really moving. This is shown in his rendition of Di Provenza il mar, sung with sorrow but also tenderness. His great low notes were remarkable at the end of second act, too.
The supporting roles were sung at a marvellous level, with the usual well-known singers to this house: the veteran bass Stefano Palatchi as Doctor Grenvil, the baritone Isaac Galán as Douphol, the always accomplished tenor Albert Casals as Gastone, Sandra Ferrández with her nicely sung Flora and Marifé Nogales as a tender and well acted Annina.
The audience really wanted to return to the opera house, and enthusiasm was perceived. These performances are historical because Madrid has put itself into the map by showing that opera could be back to the stage with all safety measures, despite being semi-staged, leading by example for many theatres during these hard times.
I would like to end with a demostrative anecdote, to show how events could change unexpectedly. Three years ago, after a magnificent Macbeth performance with an amazing Plácido Domingo, the celebrated tenor was signing autographs, when someone asked him if he would sung Germont one day in Madrid. He answered that in 2020, if he reached his 4000th performance (what he did). How things are different today for all of us and for this Traviata!
My reviews are not professional and express only my opinions. As a non English native speaker I apologise for any mistake.
Most of the photographs are from the internet and belong to its authors. My use of them is only cultural. If someone is uncomfortable with their use, just notify it to me.
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