Widespread rumors that Gheorghiu, after pulling out of all her Traviata dates in Rome except two, throwing the Franco Zeffirelli-directed production into chaos, was going to pull out of her Milan Traviata in July (her proper operatic debut there, she has only appeared in a recital as of now) have been at the moment put to rest.
La Gheorghiu will in fact appear, they're hoping at la Scala, in at least three productions of the Lorin Maazel-conducted opera (she was supposed to have been booked for six, but whatever), singing opposite Ramon Vargas. Elena Mosuc, a reliable if not OMGOMGOMG-exciting Violetta, has been put under contract for the same production (she's been therefore added to the understudy Irina Lungu as Gheorghiu's alternate, just, ya know, in case, wink wink).
The fun part is that on May 4 la Scala will begin the sale of the tkts for Traviata, and I know I'd spend the 204 euros (yikes!) to catch our drama empress, AG: Lungu or Mosuc, not so much, with all due rezpekt.
We'll see!
Around lunchtime, then, in Roma, our own Franco "Frengo" Zeffirelli, in the course of a massive press conference where he introduced the even more massive cast of his Traviata, debuting Friday night at Opera di Roma (Frengo's eighth Traviata -- what a career).
"A completely new Traviata -- he promised the assorted audience of journalists, critics, photographers, Opera di Roma management and staffers, grips, friends of friends, boyfriends, male and female escorts, cabana boys and general hanger-ons -- Completamente nuova and radically different from my earlier productions, closest to the original Dumas envisioned. In my old age, I think I have found the ideal solution to the staging of this most difficult opera. The protagonist is 'Santa Violetta martire dell'amore', Saint Violetta martyr for love".
Saint Angela rawks our unholy sox!
Opera di Roma has also stolen the Met's game plan: Friday night, Traviata will be broadcast live to 22 Italian movie theatres (none of them in Rome, even if it's all sold out already lol!), a joint Microcinema / Poste Italiane / Cinecittá holding / Istituto Luce / Rai project: the ticket's price, 10 euros.
Other initiatives: 150 opera tickets for each performance will be given away for free to music-loving representatives of Rome's massive immigrant community. And the day before la prima conductor Gianlluigi Gelmetti will speak to the students of Università La Sapienza, Zeffirelli and Opera di Roma GM Ernani will appear at Dams Tre university for a lecture.
Gheorghiu will sing only on the nights of the 20 and 24: the other Violettas will be Irina Lungu, Myrto Papatanasiu and Anna Rita Taliento. Alfredo will be Vittorio "hawtness" Grigoli, Marius Brenciu and Alfredo Portilla. (in the picture above you can see the entire cast, photographed yesterday in St. Peter's Square)
Whew!
That was close!
^^^update^^^
The 22 cinemas where Traviata will be broadcast are in the following cities: Milan, Mantua, Modena, Vicenza, Pordenone, Perugia, Bari, Brescia, Vicenza, Genova, Verona, Cesena, Turin, Padova.