Director Simon Stone’s ‘modern take’ is all about celebrity. Whereas Verdi and librettist Piave’s 1854 opera is historically based, on Alexander Dumas fils’ ‘The Lady of the Camellias’, the real-life story of a courtesan. Violetta’s consumptive heroine tragically falls in love with Alfredo’s aristocrat, the class system ostracising her, the 19th century ‘fallen woman’, la traviata.

The close-up of Pretty Yende’s eyes is like a mascara advert. (The eyes open.) On multi-screens we see Violetta Valéry’s on-line profile. She’s an ‘influencer’. Then, texts to her mother about a hospital appointment. This backgrounds Verdi’s sublime overture (Vienna State Opera Orchestra under Giacomo Sagripanti).

Outside ‘Martina’s’, she’s on the guest list. Then introduced to Alfredo Germont by the Marquis. They’re all taking selfies in this bling-fest. A magnum of champagne on a plinth: Libiami! Juan-Diego Florez, ascends the podium, his tenor resplendent. Let’s drink from the cup of pleasure, and pass the hours intoxicated with joy. Yende’s crystal, glittering soprano sings of spending happy hours with him. The chorus, Vienna State Opera’s is terrific. Here, the contemporary setting is credible.
She invites him to dance; then staggers as if in pain: ‘a chill’. Clever, as the stage turns to red-yellow camellias. ‘How pale she is.’ A reminder of Dumas’ Dame aux Camélias. ‘Has she no heart? – A heart?- How long have you loved me? Florez’ tenor declaims gloriously: One heavenly day- a love beat that is the heart of the universe. Mysteriously, she protests, doesn’t know how to love; forget me. She stands clutching her bag, Yende’s flights of coloratura suggest transient, ambiguous appeal. They exit. There’s a white, shining-new Lexus on stage. The day is full of parties. Fabulous chorus!

Violetta’s aria- his words went straight to her heart; unknown joy to be loved- is sung in front of a Turkish take-away. Beneath a billboard advertising perfume, VILLAIN she’s promoting. She reprises Florez’ ‘love-beat, heart of the universe’. This social butterfly, has she really fallen in love? She flies from pleasure to pleasure.

E strano. Ah, fors’e lui. Could he really be the one? They’re texting each other. We see her What’sApp log, Florez on his laptop. Yende, smile totally captivating, her spectacular soprano explodes with energy. She’s wearing a silver-glitter party dress, curvaceous, cut-so-low… Florez, in cropped deejay, the rich playboy, to Yende’s alternative society. It’s witty, entertaining. But Stone’s up-to-the-minute concept doesn’t really engage with the opera’s darker themes.

Opening Act 2’s supposed to be a country house near Paris. Florez appears with a wheelbarrow, wearing a cowboy-checked shirt. His aria sings ardently, by her side he’s a man reborn. Florez’ virtuoso tenor exults. Even the silly staging doesn’t detract from the artistry of an outstanding cast.

Anina, Violetta’s servant, has been to Paris ‘to sell the horse and carriages.’ But – mixed, multimedia messages- a huge screen shows banks statement with a SECOND WARNING to ‘Frau Valéry’. – ‘How shameful for him!’ And Yende’s Violetta, now appears riding a huge tractor on stage!!

Alfredo’s in Paris to ‘rearrange his affairs’. His father Germont arrives, Igor Golovatenko in casual beige jacket, carrying a modern shoulder bag. Golovatenko’s magnificent baritone is sung with sympathetic warmth. He’d read they’re selling up? Yende sings enigmatically, she loves Alfredo, God has forgiven her. How kind he sounds. Until he asks ‘another sacrifice of her’. He fears for his two children’s prospects; wants her to cancel ‘the marriage that has made her so happy.’- (CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES warn the stage titles; a distraction.)
Yende sings plaintively, Violetta, the end is near. The punishment is so cruel, she’d rather die. Golovatenko’s persuasive. But she’ll have none but Alfredo. He believes her, but ‘men change, love fades with time.’ In Verdi’s great aria, boredom is swift to rise. Then who’s to comfort her. Yende sings heart-rendingly, so she’s to give up her dream and be ‘Angel to his family fortune’?
She’s resigned, God has forgiven her, but shows no mercy. But Yende sings tenderly, tell your daughter, a victim of misfortune has made a sacrifice for her, before she dies. This weak, unhappy woman.

The scene is poignant, beautifully sung by both, but the staging- the model house, like cardboard, tatty. What’s she to do?- Tell him she doesn’t love him.- ‘Embrace me like a daughter’, she pleads. Their relationship, sexually ambiguous. (Backstage a movie-screen shot of Florez/Yende in romantic close-up. Kitsch.)

Yende’s leaves Alfredo, in a passionate aria- behind them people in a cafe- she, pretending she’ll return. And now she must write to him. What to say? (She texts.) In a confusing sequence, Florez arrives- is he waiting on a table? He reassures her he still loves her. But has no idea of financial realities. Yende sings touchingly, love me Alfedo as much as I love you.

A courier arrives with a letter from Violetta.- It gets confusing! Didn’t she text him? – ‘Alfredo, by the time you read this…’ Germont comforts his son, reminding of his patriarchal family duty, and ‘the bright sunshine of his native country’. Golvatenko sings lyrically, this Verdian gem, God brought him there, the voice of honour not silenced in him. But hypocritical.

Neon installation. A night club. Their multicultural friends joined by a troupe of gypsies and bullfighters. Verdi’s glorious Bohemian and Gypsy Choruses robust, idiomatic. When we consult the stars, nothing’s hidden. They sing, draw a veil over the past.
Florez now in black t-shirt, red bow, Douphol, in black leather, surreptitiously brings in a bag of coke. But the gorgeous Yende is now virtually unrecognisable in a silver gown, glitter hair. Trashy. But she wishes she could die, sings have pity on her: the fallen woman, La traviata. (She tries to warn Alfredo he’s in danger from arch-enemy Douphol.)

Violetta’s humiliation is devastating. ‘Do you know this woman?’, Alfredo taunts her. – She sacrificed her belongings for him.- Now, sanctimoniously, he’ll remove the shame from his name. Florez, manic, repays her, showers her with notes. The Chorus, affronted, ‘You have insulted a woman.’ And Germont accuses Alfredo- ‘where is my son?’- no longer recognises him. Yende collapsed on stage, sings soon he’ll know how much she loved him. (Now Florez, on his knees, realises what he’s done.)

Act 3 is a travesty, yet redeemed by magnificent singers and chorus. But the hospital scenes are in poor taste.( Violetta’s room, with only a few hours to live, she reads Germont’s letter: Alfredo,fled abroad, returning for her forgiveness.)

Another video close-up of Yende’s eyes, lashes moving. The backdrop to the sparse strings of Verdi’s Act 3 Prelude, the tragedy to unfold. But we’re in a modern hospice ICU unit. Yende’s on a drip. Yet she steps out into the queue for a club. (Is she imagining back-scenes- in flashback- from her earlier life?) Well it’s a gross distraction from the bed-ridden tragedy. Yende sings, her body suffers; a priest was called, yet she’s staggering along. Now she’s sitting in front of a statue, in a public square? Take good care of yourself, wishes Germont; ‘but this illness kills all hope.’

Now the stage returns to another blow-up of Yende/Florez in a photo-shoot. Nostalgic memories? But now she’s in an ICU, (tended by Anina.) Florez rushes in, sings passionately, judge how much he loves her. They’ll leave Paris, a brighter future lies before them, their life together. She ‘feels better already’, shakily leaves hospital; and collapses. She’s suffered so much; all her hope an illusion. Florez, desperate, exhorts her not to abandon hope. Wonderful singing, but the choreography is awkward. She stumbles back to bed; her doctor’s too late. Germont’s foolish old man- Golovatenko’s terrific performance- sees the harm he’s done. A close-up of an erotic clinch seems grossly insensitive. She dies entering a shaft of white light. Act 3, Violetta’s dying, iconic, one of the most moving in opera; yet unconvincing in this radical concept, purged of pathos. We’re denied the emotional catharsis. © P.R. 7.3.2021
Photos: Pretty Yende, Violetta), Igor Golvatenko as Giorgio Germont; Juan Diego Florez, Pretty Yende © Michael Pöhn/ Wiener Staatsoper