Friday, January 25, 2008
Four months of planning and rehearsals culminated Thursday night when KU Opera’s presentation of “La Traviata” opened at the Robert Baustian Theatre in Murphy Hall.
The opera, which is an adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ novel and stage play “Camille,” is a love story centered around a young Parisian woman named Violetta. Andrea Garritano, New York City graduate student and one of two sopranos who plays Violetta on alternating nights, said the tragic story was one even modern audiences found emotionally powerful.
Contributed photo. Violetta: Tausha Torrez. Germont: Lane Johnson.
“It’s an extremely heart wrenching story, but it’s based on something that everyone on Earth can relate to — relationships, love, life and death,” Garritano said.
Charles Martinez, a Wichita graduate student and tenor who plays Violetta’s lover, Alfredo, said the entire cast had been looking forward to the opportunity to put their hard work on display since auditions began in September.
“It’s really easy in rehearsals and when you are doing stuff over and over again for the energy to kind of fall,” Martinez said. “But once you put the audience there, it brings a whole new energy into the atmosphere.”
Tim Ocel, associate professor of opera and the show’s director, said the performance was designed to be as professional as possible. Ocel is a professional opera director, costumes were rented from an opera costume house in Baltimore and sets were produced professionally as well.
“We prep them as if this were a professional performance,” Ocel said. “I ask them to act, to be and commit to scene work the way I would ask professional opera singers to do that.”
“La Traviata” was among the top 10 most frequently performed operas in North America in 2007 according to Opera America. Garritano said it was rare for students to have the opportunity to participate in a professional-style performance that was as complex and well respected as “La Traviata.”
“This particular opera, the role I have is kind of known as one of the warhorse roles for a soprano to be singing,” she said. “It’s really an amazing opportunity for me to sing it, to learn it, to rehearse it and to perform it.”
pullquote
It’s an extremely heart wrenching story, but it’s based on something that everyone on Earth can relate to — relationships, love, life and death
-Andrea Garritano, KU graduate student
The production is performed entirely in Italian with subtitles projected in English to allow the audience to follow the plot.
In addition to a dedicated group of Lawrence opera aficionados, Ocel said faculty and students helped provide the overwhelming support the program has enjoyed.
“There are a lot of opera devotees out there who are kind of rabid about opera,” he said.
Although opera isn’t considered a traditional college activity, Garritano said many first-time opera-goers enjoyed the experience far more than they anticipated because it unified theater and music.
“It’s not a typical thing,” she said. “If anybody is looking for a new experience or trying something that they’ve never done before, this presents a great opportunity.”
In addition to Thursday’s opening performance, KU Opera also will present “La Traviata” on Jan. 26, 29 and 31 and on Feb. 2 in Murphy Hall. Tickets cost $7 for students and $15 for adults and are available at the Lied Center and Murphy Hall box offices.
— Edited by Jared Duncan
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