Title: Compelling modern production of original score
Product review: Robert Carsen's modern settting (1960s) for this opera works incredibly well largely because of the committed performances of the three principals: Ciofi is a very moving Violetta, Sacca a virile Alfredo and Hvorostovsky a powerful but nuanced Germont. The updated sets and lighting succeed better here than in any other modern production of an opera that I have seen, even the giant one dollar bills floating down with Verdi's image on them. Maazel leads an at times slow but powerful performance of the original score (which contains many interesting earlier and slightly fussy versions of Verdi's later reductions). This DVD makes a fascinating comparison with the earlier classic, traditional La Fenice performance (Gruberova, Shicoff, Zancanaro and Rizzi); this too will become a classic.
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