Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Verdi - La Traviata

Opera superstars Renée Fleming and Rolando Villazón star in the sumptuous 2006 Los Angeles production of Verdi's tragic masterpiece, La Traviata. This performance was the highlight of James Conlon's much-anticipated inaugural season as the music director of Los Angeles Opera, a post that followed his impressive tenure at the Paris National Opera. The lavish production was filmed in Hi-Definition Widescreen to capture all of the excitement and drama on stage. Veteran Verdi baritone Renato Bruson rounds out this dynamic ensemble. Renée Fleming's heart-breaking portrayal of Violetta, as captured on this extraordinary DVD, has earned her rave reviews from press and Rolando Villazón returns to the role that made him an international powerhouse after his critically-acclaimed, soldout performances at the 2005 Salzburg Festival.
Customer Review: Old style opera! In the bad sense.
Well, this is a good oportunity to watch and listen Fleming, Villazón, Bruson and Conlon together. But the mise en scene by Mrs. Placido Domingo is so bad. Looks like a poor old style in a little town! And Fleming, one of my favorites sopranos, is not Violetta.
Customer Review: I saw this live
and it was not remotely close to being a great Traviata. Fleming did not project well; Villazon seemed stiff and nervous; Conlon is clearly not an accomplished Verdian conductor; the sets were average at best. Too many USA people just give any Fleming performance an inflated rating because she is attractive and is from the USA.


There's a place where MUSIC lives. A place where music hangs its hat and puts its feet up on the furniture. A place where people don't just talk about SONGS and CDs and lyrics, but live them night and day. That place is Nashville, MUSIC CITY. Nashville is also a place to visit throughout the year with ideal climates for all seasons.

Visit Music City year-round:

Spring is a delightful time in Middle Tennessee as the rolling hills are a lush, vibrant green. Because of the mild climate found, many plants are well suited for the area including tulips, azaleas, irises, magnolias and dogwoods. Days are warm while evenings can be chilly.

Summer is ablaze with many concert festivals in Music City. Several nights during the week you'll find live outdoor concerts scattered around town. Midday can be very warm as the humidity tends to be higher in the summer months. Light clothing and sunscreen is recommended for the full season.

Fall is a celebrated time throughout Tennessee. Visitors come from all over to see the annual changing of the leaves in mid-October. Days are warm and pleasant. Evenings require a sweater or light jacket. Since the weather is changeable, layered clothing is a good idea to accommodate sunny days and cooler nights.

Winter is a great time to visit the city's many attractions decked out in their holiday finery as Nashville truly shines throughout the winter with millions of twinkling lights. Although the climate is mild, winter temperatures do range from cool to cold. If a snowfall occurs, it is usually in January or February and is seldom heavy.

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