Delos Diary

"Truth is stranger than fiction"
or perhaps I should say "I told you so."

Toward the end of July, in search of some item to spice up this diary, I fantasized on a somewhat "different" production of La Traviata. In my version, based on this season's casting at the Met, Violetta (Renée Fleming) passes up young Alfredo Germont (Ramon Vargas) for the overpoweringly handsome Giorgio Germont, his father (Dmitri Hvorostovsky). The premise: why would a beautiful but vulnerable Parisian courtesan waste her remaining days on a sweet-voiced young tenor and pass up the stunning baritone with the silver hair and "mahagony" voice? Lightweight summer fun, I thought.
Fast forward to October. The opera production is a reality, a big success, and now come the reviews. I quote Justin Davidson from Newsday's October 2, 2003 review:

"Fleming's stunning if sometimes tenuous balance between ferocity and buttery vocal elegance, combined with Hvorostovsky's startlingly carnal presence, suggests that there is more to Violetta's act than self sacrifice. Confronted with the mature Germont, Violetta suddenly understands that her puppyish lover is not likely to prove great company in her final months. Alfredo will cringe while she withers, he will deny the obvious and ultimately he will leave. … Vargas … as Alfredo … one of the world's best lyric tenors at the moment … steps back and lets the two stage lions, Fleming and Hvorostovsky, pace and purr and roar."

I didn't make this up, but I do feel vindicated. Now what other new production can I meddle with?
(For Dmitri Hvorostovsky's way with Verdi, try Delos DE 3292 Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Verdi Arias.