Traviata: Vous méritez un avenir meilleur (English: Traviata: You Deserve a Better Future) opera by Benjamin Lazar, Florent Hubert, and Judith Chemla after Verdi’s La Traviata and Dumas’ La Dama aux camélias. Directed 2018 by Benjamin Lazar at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris. Stars Judith Chemla (Violetta Valéry), Damien Bigourdan (Alfredo Germont), Jérôme Billy (Giorgio Germont), Élise Chauvin (Flora Bervoix et Anina), Florent Baffi (The Doctor), and Benjamin Locher (Baron Douphol). Also features musicians Marie Salvat (Violin), Myrtille Hetzel (Cello), Axelle Ciofolo de Peretti (Clarinet), Renaud Charles (Flute), Bruno Le Bris (Contrabassa), Gabriel Levasseur (Accordian), Sébastien Llado (Trombone), and Benjamin Locher (Horn). Arrangements and Musical Direction by Florent Hubert and Paul Escobar; vocal coach was Alphonse Cemin. Sets by Adeline Caron; costumes by Julia Brochier; lighting design by Maël Iger; make-up and hairdressing by Mathilde Benmoussa; assistant to stage director was Juliette Séjourné. Spoken parts in French; sung in Italian. Directed for TV by Corentin Leconte; produced by Xavier Dubois. Released 2019, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Superficially, this looks like one holy mess. But it comes to us from Xavier Dubois and BelAir, folks who likely would not waste money on something worthless. Below are some still photography images that may help. First, here’s the tiny, dilapidated Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord:
Here’s a high-angle shot probably from the 3rd balcony:
Next 3 images of Chemla (we think) as the traviata:
We now have one surprisingly favorable review of this from the most knowledgeable Hugo Shirley in the April 2020 Gramophone at page 114. Shirley says that virtually the entire Verdi score shows up here in one way or another. It’s a play spoken in French that constantly bursts into Italian song with results that “are free and fresh, direct, and often moving in unexpected ways.” Forget what you think you know about the fallen lady and enjoy a “bold, convincing example of how to rework a familiar text.”
H’m, this needs to be on our buy list. If you have seen this live or in Blu-ray, we would like to hear from you with comments that might fill out this report. If you are a native English speaker, get this to work on your French and Italian.
The official clip shows all the weirdness in action. Be sure to keep the video open until you have seen all the segments:
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