LINCOLN CENTER

Metropolitan Opera

La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi

Tonight was an adventure is a different way.  The singers were all simply spectacular.  This is, after all, The Met.

The adventure for us tonight centered around Placido Domingo.  Carolyn and I agree that he is our favorite singer.  Of The Three Tenors, he always seemed like the best to us.  His voice was prettier, more pleasantly textured, on pitch, more lyrical, and he seemed like a nice man.

In 1970 Placido sang the tenor role of Alfredo in La Traviata at The Met.  Now, 43 years and 47 Met roles later, he made his second Traviata debut by singing the baritone role of Germont, for the first time ever!  For additional information, he has conducted La Traviata 14 times with The Met.

Germont has a great aria in the second act that is one of my very favorites.  The question tonight was, "Is Placido pushing this too far and trying something that will not meet his standards?"

Well, Placido was wonderful.  It was a special evening hearing him sing and hearing his first baritone effort as Germont.  He truly is a great artist and we got to see and hear it.