Verdi - La Traviata / Patane, Moffo, Bonisolli, Rome Opera House

Starring:Anna Moffo, Gino Bechi, Franco Bonisolli, Glauco Scarlini, Afro Poli, Arturo La Porta, Athos Cesarini, Mafalda Micheluzzi, Gianna Lollini, Maurizio Piacenti
Director: Mario Lanfranchi
Studio: Video Artists Int'l
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Musically, this is a quite satisfactory Traviata. Visually and sonically, it has a few small problems (pre-digital sound, imperfect tape splices, moments of imprecise lip-synchronization), but it can be recommended for those who enjoy less-than-perfect historic recordings. Anna Moffo was an endearing Violetta, and her identification with the role is lovingly captured by director Mario Lanfranchi, who was her husband, with charming close-ups and detailed attention to her body language. Giuseppe Patane was one of the best Italian opera conductors of his generation, and he treats Verdi's masterpiece with stylistic sensitivity allied to technical expertise. Franco Bonisolli is visually and vocally just right for the role of the impetuous Alfredo and Gino Bechi gives a properly stern portrayal of his insecure, bourgeois father. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

La Traviata with Anna Moffo (1968).......2007-06-08

No filmed "Traviata" will suit all tastes. Part of the difficulty is that most of the really illustrious interpreters of the title role (Olivero, Callas...) were never filmed in it. There have, of course, been excellent "Traviatas" with sopranos who were famous in different areas of repertoire (e.g. Teresa Stratas), or who were still in the early stages of their careers, and probably still developing their interpretations (e.g. Angela Gheorghiu). But to this day, astonishingly, the only "Traviata" ever filmed with a leading interpreter of the part, at a time when she had fully matured and polished her rendition, remains Anna Moffo's.

The plot calls for a coloratura soprano who (a) might plausibly be considered a famous beauty, and (b) might plausibly be suffering from serious tuberculosis. Moffo, in 1968, has no difficulty filling both those demands. Her voice is still in excellent condition. (Turn from this to her 1974 "Czardasfurstin", and you'll hear a very, very sad decline. A couple of years after that, her last attempts to sing "Traviata" at the Met were received disastrously.) Her acting is detailed, intelligent, and coherent; it's slightly stylized and at times faintly balletic, rather than entirely "naturalistic", and that, in our view, suits a non-naturalistic romantic opera. She portrays a colorful, many-sided character, and may not appeal to viewers who want a very dark-toned, unremittingly tragic Violetta.

Bonisolli (as Alfredo) and Bechi (as Giorgio) are both in their very best form. The former acts more sensitively and sings with greater variety of tone than in his 1973 film with Freni. The latter's Act II confrontation with Violetta has become a classic of its kind; it's absolutely "real", and you don't have the slightest difficulty seeing each character's point of view. Patane's fluid conducting and Lanfranchi's graceful film direction support the performances effectively without providing any distractions.

There are standard stage cuts: the tenor's and baritone's cabalettas are omitted (rightly or wrongly, both are often felt to jar with the tone and quality of the rest of the score) and Moffo sings only one verse of the "Addio del passato" (most of the role's famous interpreters, including Callas, have felt that it would be anticlimactic to traverse this music a second time).

VAI's DVD transfer is taken from a print with faded color (you may be able to judge from the disc's cover photo whether this will bother you) and some audio clicks, as well as a few moments when the soundtrack skips a fraction of a second (never more than that). It has excellent English subtitles (despite assertions to the contrary in some reviews elsewhere). If you want a good "Traviata" with modern picture and audio quality, you have several options at present; the least controversial recommendation among them might be the Gheorghiu/Solti DVD.

Philippe Flinois recently provided a lavish updated comparative videography of "La Traviata" in the L'Avant-Scène Opéra series. He found different merits in different performances, of course; but overall, he had "no hesitation" preferring this film, "both musically and cinematically", even to the famous Zeffirelli version with Teresa Stratas.

Moffo in her legendary role!.......2007-02-23

I must completely disagree with any disgruntled reviewers of this wonderful dvd performance of "La Traviata" starring the beautiful & talented Anna Moffo. The print and sound quality are excellent. So what if they are lip-synching! Many of us including myself were not even born yet when Moffo was in her prime and were unable to see her live performances. This is a terrific memento of the greatest American born soprano in her heyday. The acting and cast are all outstanding. 5 stars for Ms. Moffo's portrayal of Violetta. Pick it up and see for yourself.
Brava La Moffo!

Awful.......2006-03-22

I love La Traviata and adore Anna Moffo...but this was an awful "movie" to say the least. I baught this DVD under the impression that it was a live performance; however, it is in movie format with lip-syncing...and even that is horrible. Anna looks as if she is just speaking the words rather than singing them. The sound quality is that similar to a record player (scratchy and unclear at times). I was very much disappointed with the purchase of this DVD. You'd be better off simplying buying a CD recording of Anna Moffo's La Traviata because the acting is not that good either. Her Bel Telephone Hour video is much better...I would recomend that...it has a much better version of her La Traviata

A Classic Traviata Remembered.......2005-09-01

The film is old, and the cinematography dated; however, we are fortunate to have such a vibrant Violetta. Without such films, we become jaded by the stylized, and often leaden, performances of today. We also need a sense of history. This film gives us a point of departure from which we can understand other interpretations of the opera. Anna Moffo is clearly a more believable Violetta than we are likely to find today. Her looks are distinctive, fitting with the character, not like the emotionally barren performances of most sopranos these days.

Horrible technical quality, OK performance.......2003-03-09

It is very difficult to enjoy the music and singing with such a low sound quality. ... As for the film itself, it is much inferior to the 1976 Zeferelli/Stratas movie in all the respects: staging, acting, singing, and conducting. Lip-syncing is just awful. Patane's tempi are all too fast, and Verdi's moving masterpiece becomes too hasty. As if he was late for dinner that day, and wanted to finish faster. Moffo's acting is much inferior to Stratas', and voice wise Stratas is also more interesting, at least in this particular role. Of course, this might be just to my taste, but Stratas made me cry because of the sympathy to her heroine. Here, well, nice voice, beautiful woman, but not touching at all, as this opera is supposed to be. In sum, the only reason you may want to buy this DVD is, if you are such a die-hard Moffo fanatic that simply cannot miss any Moffo sighting. Even in this case I would suggest that you consider not endorsing the amateurish level DVD transfer by VAI with your hard earned dollar.

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