Mobile Arts: ‘La Traviata’ was superb!

In Late summer Mobile Arts Councilcommunity director Charlie Smoke and I sat around in his dim office talkin’ arts. We got on the topic of “La Traviata” and he just gushed.

“Oh it’s beautiful. About this girl who all she wants to do is find her true love. And when she finds him, she can’t have him,” he said.

I looked forward to it ever since Mr. Smoke provided such an illustrative synopsis. My sister Dione was even cast as the “Gypsy Queen” in the second act, which meant that mother and father would accompany me to the show, and I wouldn’t have to go alone as I do often.

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A little after 7 p.m., we reached the lobby of the Civic Center Theatre, which was by now crowded with overdressed gray haired patrons. My tickets were free from MSO co-concertmaster Enen Yu. At Will-call, I unconsciously gave the opera personnel and volunteers an attitude, and as soon as I saw familiar Mobile Opera board members and employees, I angrily remembered that they were the ones who chose to oust music director Jerome Shannon. The whole shady ordeal was blamed on a “10 year itch” but I have another name for such unjust phenomenon (more on that later).

Our comp tickets, which usually provide seats in the balcony, were for 5th row in section A. We were right behind Mobile Bay Monthly editor in chief (and former Glamour and Redbook editor) Judy (AKA “Judson”) Culbreth.

When the opera overture began, I looked into the pit at Shannon and realized this was the last opera I’d ever get to see him conduct. Heck, it could be the last Mobile opera I ever see. I swallowed hard and hid a few tears. This was going to be harder than I thought.

The first act opened and I counted all the familiar faces: Sarah Wrightin a brunette wig who sung beautifuly and as always, was a terrific actress, Thomas Rowell, Lee Smith, and Andre Chiang (the latter both USA students).

Jane Redding, who sung the lead as “Violetta” was perhaps the best voice I’ve heard live, next to Elizabeth Fruthral (I heard her at the MET). Maybe she was just having a good night, but her tone is so smooth, so unjaded. And her diction was also perfect. All those little Italian accents didn’t get flattened by her phrasing, which I like.

Everyone else was equally good, but didn’t make such lasting impressions. Dione came rushing on in the middle of the second act to dance with Michael Wardlow. After intermission, a group of women sitting behind me had so many kind words about her, and then realized by looking at me that we were related!

The last act was slow, especially since the majority of the audience knew “Violetta’s” fate. Everyone around me kept whispering, “Why can’t she die already?” Maybe they were having audience fatigue from those two twenty minute intermissions.

My only complaints were the horrible way the supertitles were handled. It always irked me that when lines were repeated by vocalists, that those lines were never shown again and that the screen was left blank. What a horror for new opera attendees! I almost always have to explain that it’s just lyric repetition when the screen is blank!