UCT OPERA SCHOOL AND CAPE TOWN OPERA: Verdi’s La Traviata, with Noluvuyisa Mpofu, Thobela Ntshanyana, Mandisinde Mbuyazwe, Ané Pretorius, Marco Titus, Martin Mkhize, Raimondo van Staden and Bongani Kubheka. UCT Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kamal Khan, directed by Angelo Gobbato, design Michael Mitchell, lighting Faheem Bardien, choreography Sean Bovim. At Artscape Opera House. DEON IRISH reviews
THE frequency with which Verdi’s La Traviata has been staged in Cape Town over the past four decades is testimony both to the work’s popularity and to its abiding artistic merit.
The 1973 production by Capab at the then Nico was followed by the beautiful 1985 Cazalet designed version, revived in 1989 and 1994 (with the superb Jenny Drivala as Violetta). Then came a new production by Gobbato, revived in 2004 at the Joseph Stone and subsequently also at Artscape. Lastly, in 2011 we had the frequently bizarre Talevi production of markedly vacillating quality.
This time it’s back to the future, with the hugely experienced and deft touch of the former Director of UCT’s Opera School once again at the helm for a production that is in the main stylish, visually alluring and faithful to the libretto.
On the podium is his successor in the UCT post, recreating the score with an almost entirely student orchestra in what proved to be an exceptionally nuanced reading.
Gobbato notes in the programme that he has attempted to keep the depiction close to the milieu for which it was conceived, even if a handful of decades later. Mitchell has obliged with some beautifully conceived costumes and sets which, despite lacking the authenticity of fin de siécle clutter, capture the essential elegance of an alluring period.
The opera recounts the history of Violetta, a fêted Parisian courtesan, and Alfredo, a young Provencal, whose affair with her is thwarted by the intervention of his conservative father. By the time the father relents and assists in achieving a reconciliation, it is too late: Violetta is in the terminal stages of tuberculosis.
Gobbato obtains fine performances from his student cast, who respond to his always engaging narrative style with some nicely drawn characterizations and credible presentments. Only in the extended brutality of the closing moments of the third act did one find oneself musing on the contextual appropriateness of Gobbato’s trademark violence against women. One really can’t imagine an entire roomful of her friends failing to intervene.
Nearly all of the leads have multiple castings, so this review deals only with the opening night cast. Pride of place goes, unreservedly, to Mpofu as the tragic Violetta.
I first heard her in the Bryn Terfel gala concert last year, when she joined him in the Quanto amore duet from L’elisir. Not since first hearing Yende as the Countess in Figaro have I been so captivated by the voice of a student singer. But the warmly inviting quality and natural placement which I then described as a rare and valuable gift has blossomed further into a truly exceptional instrument.
Not only that: Mpofu has herself attained sufficient theatrical stature to handle one of the most taxing roles in the repertoire with aplomb. She is, after all, barely off the stage through four extended acts in which she is required to portray the ever-changing fortunes and fates of a superficially brilliant yet innately conflicted character.
The role presents hurdles at every turn: the ungratefully low tessitura of some of the first act writing (two full and brilliant octaves required in Sempre libera) being matched by the floating top notes required in the last act; indeed, the final top A in Addio del passato was delivered with such crystalline fragility as to compel one to hold one’s breath.
Her portrayal of Violetta might be convincing and sympathetic; but it is the abundant musicality and gratifying technical proficiency of the vocal delivery that speaks of many hours of studious preparation. We should all follow this singer’s career with keen anticipation.
Opposite her, Ntshanyana was an engaging Alfredo, who got considerably better as the evening wore on. Nerves were an obvious problem in the first act and produced an intrusive vibrato in consequence; however, as he settled this disappeared and a very melodious and flexible tenor came to the fore. He was at his best in the final two acts: a thing of spite and uncontrolled rage in the card scene; a meltingly warm presence in the final moments. His Parigio duet with Mpofu in the closing moments was sheer loveliness.
Of the other roles, Mbuyazwe was a credible if rather one-dimensional Germont, his interactions with Violetta in the second act not quite achieving the necessary tension of sympathies in consequence.
I much enjoyed Titus’s Gastone and Kubheka demonstrated a formidable vocal and thespian presence in the slight role of the doctor.
Orchestral playing was assured and balances beautifully judged. Strings deserve mention for their stratospheric and tautly cohesive opening of the final act; the principal clarinet handled the many solos with aplomb; the trombones managed the gruff accompaniments in the final act with pleasing accuracy.
The really exciting thing was how good ensemble remained through the manifold changes of tempo and dynamic in this richly detailed score.
Kahn deserves unreserved compliments both for his conducting, and for his inspired training of this wonderful group of young musicians.
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