I saw Christine Schafer sing Gretel at the Met a few seasons ago and was instantly captivated by her voice and presence. Since then I have been a true fan, collected several of her recordings and videos. Regarding this production of Traviata, it again baffles me why directors with such bad ideas find jobs with major opera houses.
I find Christine Schafer really exciting and attractive with her childish face, with her dress and last but never never the least with her extraordinary voice. The localization and modernization of the libretto is director's choice and we should discuss this, but the music... the music is supreme!
I have to say I have only seen few great modern productions and this is not one of them. I love the mechanical movements of the secondary characters and I could even learn to like the childish innocent Violeta. But, as endearing as I find clumsy and emotional men, I cannot picture a clumsy Alfredo. Kaufmann makes it as credible as possible with his acting, but unless the director changes Verdi's composition as well, the minute the tenor opens his mouth, the shy character goes out the window.
This video clip answers the question, "Can Verdi's glorious music and great singing combine to overcome an awful and ridiculous staging and production?" Unfortunately the answer is no. Verdi's La Traviata makes sense in the period it was written for, the early middle to late 1800's. These "modernistic" productions always leave me feeling the producers skimped on the costumes and sets.
a brindisi with the chorus raising their hatcheck numbers, instead of champagne stems? Seriously??? I mean...seriously!? The good thing is that Schaefer's body befits a woman dying of consumption and I found her singing thrilling.
But... what a hell the choir's doing???? Kaufmann's my love like Schaefer - I find his voice similar to my most favourite Jon Vickers - Paris would remember his Nerone in L'Incoronazione di Poppea where he was partnered by divine Ghiaurov and eroticised Jones :-)
This is deliciously silly. They have made Kaufmann look as young as possible, something that's not hard to do. Christine looks quite mature in contrast. I thought maybe the yellow papers were the coat check tickets. But....
Absolute not silly, because the story is: a very young men and an ill mature woman. That's the point of this wonderfull love-story, the love helps her to live a little bit longer, but the father of this very young man destroys the love and kills her before her time. Please look to the story. Also the music tells it...
u know why they do this????. to atract younger audiences a little more modern because we are loosing audiences interested in opera. yes it's better the original way but this production also good well of course thats my opinion.
Ich bin jetzt wirklich an dem Punkt angekommen, wo ich es nicht mehr anders formulieren kann: Wenn ich diese SCHEISSE sehe, die Regisseure mittlerweile auf die Bühne bringen, wird mir schlecht .... einfach nur schlecht!
this is HORRIBLE - 'oreeebel (pardon my french ha-ha) all but the singers who aren't responsible for this disgrace! Verdi's ghost should haunt the director and the conductor till they mend their ways. Elotrello: do you really believe dressing Violetta up as Piaf does save the opera? Quite the contrary I should say. And: Don't underestimate young people. These disgraceful productions serve only the directors and their petty egos - they can't be creative so they distort the real thing uurrgghh
How fantastic is young Jonas. He's still gloriously fantastic now in 2024.
Lol
Love it so much !!! JK is really outstanding !!!
Bravoooo...Jonas and Christine...
I saw Christine Schafer sing Gretel at the Met a few seasons ago and was instantly captivated by her voice and presence. Since then I have been a true fan, collected several of her recordings and videos. Regarding this production of Traviata, it again baffles me why directors with such bad ideas find jobs with major opera houses.
La Traviata einmal ganz amüsant - - aber wunderschön zu sehen und anzuhören!
WONDERFUL. J. Kaufmann was a "baby" in this clip.When was it recorded?
Quelle beauté !
absolument fantastique!
I find Christine Schafer really exciting and attractive with her childish face, with her dress and last but never never the least with her extraordinary voice. The localization and modernization of the libretto is director's choice and we should discuss this, but the music... the music is supreme!
I have to say I have only seen few great modern productions and this is not one of them. I love the mechanical movements of the secondary characters and I could even learn to like the childish innocent Violeta. But, as endearing as I find clumsy and emotional men, I cannot picture a clumsy Alfredo. Kaufmann makes it as credible as possible with his acting, but unless the director changes Verdi's composition as well, the minute the tenor opens his mouth, the shy character goes out the window.
Is that Violetta or Little Orphan Annie?
excuse my ignorance... what do the numbers represent???
This video clip answers the question, "Can Verdi's glorious music and great singing combine to overcome an awful and ridiculous staging and production?" Unfortunately the answer is no. Verdi's La Traviata makes sense in the period it was written for, the early middle to late 1800's. These "modernistic" productions always leave me feeling the producers skimped on the costumes and sets.
on the other hand, seeing the same 19th century stage setting and costumes gets boring after 200 years. not all modernistic productions are bad.
a brindisi with the chorus raising their hatcheck numbers, instead of champagne stems? Seriously??? I mean...seriously!? The good thing is that Schaefer's body befits a woman dying of consumption and I found her singing thrilling.
But... what a hell the choir's doing????
Kaufmann's my love like Schaefer - I find his voice similar to my most favourite Jon Vickers - Paris would remember his Nerone in L'Incoronazione di Poppea where he was partnered by divine Ghiaurov and eroticised Jones :-)
@MusicalArtists AH OK!!! now i See. Thanks :-)
Queste produzioni così moderne e insensate non mi piacciono affatto. Comunque molto bravi gli interpreti.
This is deliciously silly. They have made Kaufmann look as young as possible, something that's not hard to do. Christine looks quite mature in contrast. I thought maybe the yellow papers were the coat check tickets. But....
Absolute not silly, because the story is: a very young men and an ill mature woman. That's the point of this wonderfull love-story, the love helps her to live a little bit longer, but the father of this very young man destroys the love and kills her before her time. Please look to the story. Also the music tells it...
Tiempo trop rapide à l'ouverture. Nous perdons le drame.
u know why they do this????. to atract younger audiences a little more modern because we are loosing audiences interested in opera. yes it's better the original way but this production also good well of course thats my opinion.
ma non si svolgeva nel '800 la vicenda ??
Je ne comprends pas !!!! surtout la danse de brindisi ....
Ich bin jetzt wirklich an dem Punkt angekommen, wo ich es nicht mehr anders formulieren kann: Wenn ich diese SCHEISSE sehe, die Regisseure mittlerweile auf die Bühne bringen, wird mir schlecht .... einfach nur schlecht!
this is HORRIBLE - 'oreeebel (pardon my french ha-ha) all but the singers who aren't responsible for this disgrace! Verdi's ghost should haunt the director and the conductor till they mend their ways.
Elotrello: do you really believe dressing Violetta up as Piaf does save the opera? Quite the contrary I should say. And: Don't underestimate young people. These disgraceful productions serve only the directors and their petty egos - they can't be creative so they distort the real thing uurrgghh
Сумашедший дом...
what nonsense.