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In the context of the Epidaurus Festival in Athens, the National Opera completes the successful 2023/24 artistic season with the popular “Traviata” in Giuseppe Verdi which will be presented at the Herodos Atticus Conservatory on July 27, 28, 30 and 31. The ill-fated love of the “Lady of the Camellias” for Alfredo Germont, inspired and set to music by Verdi through melodies of unique power, which remain indelibly written in the mind and heart, is revived with music directed by Pier Giorgio Morandi and conducted by Constantinos Rigos.
In the title role, the sought-after American opera star Nadine Sierra (July 27 and 30) and the distinguished soprano Vasiliki Karagianni (July 28 and 31).
As Vasiliki Karagianniswe had the pleasure of talking.
Tell us about Violetta, Giuseppe Verdi’s passionate heroine.
“Violet Valéry is Marie Duplessis in Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Lady of the Camellias.” A real person, this love story of hers, written a year after her death, is probably a personal experience of Dumas himself, that is, of the author, with her! A courtesan, then, who comes from a wealthy family and yet follows this profession; young, beautiful, fragile, full of passion for life, but unfortunately ill with the disease of the time; she is a young woman in love who, however, lives this intense life out of necessity, being as emotionally detached as possible. He unexpectedly learns about true love, which is socially unacceptable. And then she is called to sacrifice him; which she does, and all this worsens her health. And despite the reunion with her lover, it is already too late, “e tardi!…”, as she characteristically says before her last aria “addio del passato”, and, finally, she is led to death.
Is it a role you love? Are there elements of the heroine that you identify with?
“Violetta is a role that I not only really love, but I think it is a great challenge both vocally and interpretatively; especially interpretatively! The role of Violetta is particularly demanding. It is no coincidence that those who know music, and especially opera, say that to correctly interpret this role you need at least two different types of soprano! In the first act, a lyric coloratura soprano is needed. Here, Verdi wants to give the impression of a beautiful and brilliant young woman who leads an intense life, with the dances of the time. Therefore, he needs a brilliant voice, full of flexibility and comfort in the high notes. From the second act, however, the drama of the heroine begins and the soprano is called upon to have a darker color in her voice, in order to be able to adequately portray the drama that the heroine is experiencing, but at the same time to have elements and color. of the fragile, as it should be attributed, and clearly seen, and the deterioration of her health! Ideally, it is performed by a dramatic lyric soprano. The scene in which her lover’s father meets her and asks her to leave her son is highly dramatic and the emotional expressions of the role are very intense, something that continues until the end of the play, where the heroine dies; What a great challenge for a soprano! (…)
What I admire about Violetta from the beginning to the end of the play is her strength and her passion, she knows very well who she is, what she does, even how sick she is. The only period of her life that she carelessly allows herself to live freely are those two months in the countryside with Alfredo and when his father asks her to leave him with full conscience she says: “I expected… I left happy; …” (…)
Something I don’t agree with her about, though, is the sacrifice that makes her give him up, but I think she’s doing it because she knows he’s going to die, so in that case maybe she thought, “let the least bad thing happen to the Germont family.” I don’t know, that is, if he would have made the sacrifice if he had been healthy…” (…)
Would you like to tell us a few words about the world of the director of “La Traviata” by Konstantinos Rigos?
“Constantinos Rigos’s directorial approach to “La Traviata” is of the highest quality. With modern direction and highly inventive scenography, but with many classical elements, a wonderful marriage is created that I believe will satisfy even the most demanding spectator-listener. Ioanna Tsami’s costumes are wonderful, almost like those from a fairy tale. And, of course, the audience will also be able to enjoy ELS ballet in unique choreography! (…)”.
What advice would you give to a younger audience watching opera for the first time? Why did you choose “Traviata”?
“I would advise him not to worry too much about the project he is going to participate in. As I consider 99% of opera works to be masterpieces in themselves! What I would tell him to pay attention to are the performers and, in general, the actors, including the director and the set designer. In our time, I think that opera, in terms of staging and set design, is going through a great test. And I am not referring to modern ones in general, nor am I saying that I am against modern uploads. I am opposed to those who, with their own directorial version, distort the work itself, falsify the premise and give a misleading image of works that have been recognized, gradually evolved in the interpretation of great artists, survived and were loved for decades; !
The new listener, therefore, who sees a completely altered classical work, will be deceived, will be misinformed and will therefore form a false impression about the work itself. He then runs the risk of considering it misinformed. I emphasize that I am not against modern productions as long as they respect the composer, the premise, the artists and, above all, the audience! After all, our “La Traviata” in Herodion by Constantinos Rigos is fundamentally modern. But it has absolute respect for Verdi’s libretto and music.
Verdi’s “La Traviata” is a romantic story, but it is based on real events. I think that modern man hides a romanticism within himself. (…) Then Verdi’s incredible music is so descriptive and true (…) let’s not forget the well-known melodies that emerge from this work. A typical example is the “Brindisi” from the first act!
Another very serious reason to watch “La Traviata” is that it touches strongly on a very broad social issue, which I consider extremely timeless: that of prejudice in interpersonal and romantic relationships, and not only; (…)”.
You have starred in several productions of the National Opera. On July 1st, the impressive lineup for the new season was announced, where we will once again see you starring in iconic roles. What are your expectations for the new year?
“ELS feels like my artistic home. (…) next season, among my other performances, I will be reprising three of my favorite roles: Violetta in “La Traviata” – this time in Thessaloniki in the ELLS production directed by Nikos Petropoulos, Mimi in “Bohemian” Christmas – which I recently sang for the first time and loved, but also a wonderful and very favorite role of mine, that of Lucia di Lammermoor in the incredible ELLS co-production with the Royal Opera House in London! I really can’t wait!!!”
Load ID
Opera · Renaissance
Giuseppe Verdi
“Traviata”
July 27, 28, 30 and 31, 2024 Start time: 9:00 p.m.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
As part of Athens’ Epidaurus Festival
Musical direction: Pier Giorgio Morandi
Direction, scenery, choreography: Konstantinos Rigos
Costumes: Ioanna Tsami
Lighting: Christos Giogas
Video Projection Design: Vassilis Kechagias
Associate Architect: Mary Tsagaris
Choir Director: Agathangelos Georgakatos
Violetta Valery: Nadine Sierra (27, 30/7) / Vasiliki Karagiannis (28, 31/7)
Flora Bervois: Chrysanthi Spitadis
Annina: Eleni Voudouraki
Alfredo Germon: Freddy De Tommaso (27, 30/7) / Francesco Demuro (28, 31/7)
Giorgio Zermon: Dimitris Platanias (27, 30/7) / Tassis Christogiannopoulos (28, 31/7)
Gaston: Yiannis Kalivas
Baron Dufault: Nicholas Douros
Marquis of Aubin: Nikos Kotenidis
Doctor Granville: George Papadimitriou
Giuseppe: Nikos Katsigiannis
Treasurer/Curator: Ioannis Kontellis
With the ELLS Orchestra, Choir and Ballet