Monday, March 7, 2011

Minnesota Opera Presents Elizabeth Futral as Verdi's Violetta

Act 2, Scene 2 (Photo: Michal Daniel)
"With soprano Elizabeth Futral as Violetta, tenor Bruno Ribeiro as Alfredo, and baritone Stephen Powell as Alfredo’s disapproving father, Giorgio Germont, La traviata offers a trio of astonishing performances. (Note: the roles of Violetta and Alfredo will be played on alternating nights by, respectfully, Georgia Jarman and Daniel Montenegro.) Futral is resplendent in the lead, voicing Violetta’s inner conflict with heartrending arias that soar to resoundingly poignant heights. Distinguished by a dazzling vibrato, spectacularly displayed in Act I’s show-stopping climax, Futral is an absolute revelation. Likewise, Ribeiro (so memorable in last season’s Roberto Devereux) allows vulnerability to color his expressive tenor. And rounding out the three, Powell’s sumptuous baritone establishes resolve, but without sacrificing the underlying sympathy of his character." [Source]