Pacific Opera gives La Traviata a modern twist
Betty Allison, here in the role of Annina from Pacific Opera Victoria’s <i>La Traviata</i>, is thrilled to be back home on Vancouver Island.
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Updated: October 04, 2009 12:15 PM
The last time Betty Allison played the role of Annina in La Traviata, she was dressed in period costume appropriate for 1850s Paris.
It was 2006 and marked her mainstage debut as a member of the Toronto-based Canadian Opera Company’s ensemble studio.
In reprising the role for Pacific Opera Victoria’s current production of the classic love story, the Ladysmith native finds herself in distinctively different garb – the Bohemian look of the late 1940s.
“The time frame has changed,” Allison said before opening night this week at the Royal Theatre. “Updating (the story) a little bit brings it open to the audience and puts a fresh spin on it.”
A graduate of the University of Victoria’s music and education programs, Allison also finds herself in a different place, physically and career-wise, than the last time she played Annina, the maid of lead character Violetta.
Not only is she back where it all started for her, this developing talent has come to the end of her internship with the national company and has started in the POV’s fall residency program.
“I’m so excited. I think it’s always great to come home,” she said.
“Toronto’s great – it’s not as bad as I thought it might be – but all my first experiences with opera were here, so it’s sort of a dream come true to come home and sing.”
The challenge of bringing La Traviata into the 20th century – a task that saw him painstakingly go through the script – fell to director Dennis Garnhum.
Having essentially seen the finished product during an orchestra run-through and costumed rehearsal Monday night, he was pleased with what he saw.
“The big thing was, I wanted to do something fresh,” he said. “I wanted to find a way to give a new look to Victoria audiences that know this opera very well, but I also want to attract younger people.”
Audiences can expect the usual high-energy performances from the lead characters, but with a little more fun and festiveness from the chorus than the original La Traviata, Garnhum said.
“It’s a masterpiece of music no matter what,” he said, adding “If you’ve never seen an opera, this is the one to see.”
Sookhyung Park, who played the title role in POV’s Daphne, takes on the demanding role of Violetta, while tenor Vale Rideout makes his POV debut in the male lead as Alfredo. Baritone Bruce Kelly rounds out the main characters in the role of Germont.
Show time
• La Traviata, in Italian with English surtitles, plays Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. and Oct. 6, 8 and 10 at 8 p.m. at the Royal Theatre.
• Tickets are available at the theatre box office 802 Broughton St., or by calling 250-385-0222.
editor@oakbaynews.com
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