The 'excellence' in the opera
Saturday, 17 April 2010 , 20.00

‘Set in an oval of indescribable grace, two black eyes, surmounted by eyebrows of so pure a curve that it seemed as if painted; veil these eyes with lovely lashes, which, when drooped, cast their shadow on the rosy hue of the cheeks; trace a delicate, straight nose, the nostrils a little open, in an ardent aspiration towards the life of the senses’... – this is Violetta Valery’s portrait, the famous La Dame aux camélias belonging to Alexandre Dumas, fils; while the following quotation:

‘As if descending directly from one of Winterhalter’s paintings, she looks and sings as if born specifically to play Violetta; little cold water on her brow taken from the champagne ice bucket and she starts to move about the scales of the cabaletta Sempre libera as if she had done nothing else but sing all her life” – is Angela Gheorghiu’s portrait (photo) made by the weekly newspaper Financial Times in 1994, immediately after her fulminating debut in La Traviata, on the legendary stage of the Covent Garden Royal Opera in London.

‘Now, when Sutherland is enjoying a well-deserved retreat from activity, when Caballe and Freni have reached their career decline, when Kiri Te Kanawa and Jessye Norman – today’s megastar sopranos – they might not be the first choice of an opera director anymore, Angela Gheorghiu seems to be the next Diva’ – declares this time The Daily Telegraph ; and since November 1994, Angela Gheorghiu’s ‘star’ has begun to shine fully and intensely.

Today, fifteen years after that London La Traviata, Angela Gheorghiu is famous, adored and definitely the most authentic Diva of the contemporary opera performance; and every time she returns on stage with the role of Violetta she defines excellence in the opera. So take a listen to her performing this role, live from the MET!