Product: La Traviata (2001)
Rating: 5.0
More than 5 stars - and a Deep Bow to Mr. Shicoff
Yes of course Mme Gruberova is fabulous; that's how she exists.I direct your attention to Mr. Shicoff. I have been listening to and watching performances of La Traviata for approximately 50 years. I'm used to it. But I was amazed at Mr. Shicoff's acting in Act I, and blown away in Act II, Scene 1 (when I had to ask someone to bring on the Kleenex) and, at the end of Scene 2 found myself sobbing.Mr. Shicoff is the ONLY tenor of my 50 years listening who shows any acquaintance whatsoever with the writings of Dumas Pere et Fils. He's not pretty to look at, he doesn't try to eclipse everyone within miles of his stardome - he just recreates Alfredo. And breaks one's heart, for Dumas Fils was a gentleman to his fingertips and had a heart that could break.The only critique I have of this DVD is that Mr. Shicoff's Act II Scene 1 cavatina was cut. With an actor like him, we could have used it. Savored it. If there were more tenors around like him, but there aren't and never will be, this opera could be performed as "ALFREDO".Mr. Shicoff is the tenor who should have shared Traviata with Mme Callas.