Anna Netrebko has returned to La Scala to sing Violetta as she sings ‘addio' to the role. She will sing in a Traviata once more in Paris next February, and then that's it for the curvy Russian and the consumptive courtesan.
The idea of tackling this role at La Scala was my idea, so I talked it over with Pereira. I was very worried about it and extremely nervous. Singing Violetta at La Scala is a high-wire act.
Her courage was rewarded on her first night with fourteen minutes of applause.
La Scala's current Intendant, Alexander Pereira, oversaw her first appearance in the role when he was head of the Salzburg Festival in 2005.
Today, I feel that I am capable of giving much more to the role than I was ten years ago.
It's never all work and no play for Netrebko when she's in Milan… she's a shopaholic.
I've bought everything and then some. The wardrobes of my two houses in Vienna and New York are overflowing. But I can't help myself. And I just go crazy for shoes!
In June, she'll be back in Russia, in St Petersburg, for the White Nights festivities.
At the Mariinsky I'll sing Adriana Lecouvreur for the first time; Valery Gergiev will be conducting.
Netrebko will be opening La Scala's season again this year, for the third time – Don Giovanni and Giovanna d'Arco were the previous operas – when she sings in Andrea Chenier alongside her husband, Yusif Eyvazov, in the title role.
I'm happy that I'll be working again with Riccardo Chailly. La Scala is an important opera house for all singers. To be applauded here is a special honour because the public are very knowledgeable, and know every single note of the operas. They listen with intensity. The first night went well, but here it's not good enough to sing well once; it has to be your best at every performance.
Anna Netrebko was speaking to the Corriere della sera's Giuseppina Manin.
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
I expected no less than a huge success!!! Brava!!!!
MERECIDO !!!!!!
QUEEN!!!!
Thank you for the posting, Graham. Glad she delivered the goods!
Our visit from UK to see Anna Netrebko was rewarded by her stunning performance on 14th March. What a performance!!
I was very excited to participate on the 14th of March and I must say I really don’t get the fuss surrounding Anna Netrebko anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I still think she is good..but surely not the best. I think people should try to understand that the most popular does not mean the best! Every voice is different and brings something new to a role but, in my opinion, Traviata is not for her voice anymore, her voice is big and she is hitting the high notes, but sounds heavy and too-soon worn-out! I think that’s because of her repertoire decisions that really don’t suit her and ruin her voice.
The audience was crazy about her, but I do think Netrebko is the best example that PR is everything nowadays. Moreover, she seems like she wants to do everything but a real, true artist know his limitations and when to say no. I read she is doing only this year 4 new roles. I think Aida is a perfect role for her, but Adriana?! Give me a break..
After watching her live at La Scala, I think she is highly overrated.
Liebe Anna, du bist aber einmalig. Alles gutte.
agree