La Traviata (2nd Time Lucky)

4 hours in the day queue produces results. A ticket to Netrebko's last night which, unbelievably, she was good enough to turn up to. Hvorostovsky took the night off, which was irritating, but I didn't really give a stuff since Netrebko was performing. The following review will hardly be a review at all, more of a eulogy to Miss Netrebko. For a proper review see my previous effort, La Traviata.

Well she was worth the wait. Pure operatic gold. Comfortably the closest thing we have to a divine being on earth. Weeping after Act III is one thing. This woman brought me to tears after only two. In no way does she look like someone dying of Tuberculosis. But she makes you believe she is. Her acting abilities are without doubt some of the best around. Her coughing is so believable it's difficult to believe she's then be able to blast out the sound she can. She fills the auditorium with her rich voice, sliding effortlessly through the difficult coloratura. Her "Sempre Libera" is every bit as good live as it is in recording. Who care's if she doesn't reach for the high E, what she aims for she hits with incredible ease. Whilst she can produce sounds that lift the roof off the building, she is also capable of immense subtlety and purity. Her "Addio del passato" is truly moving. Her voice floats out even when incredibly quiet. She generates such an atmosphere that the temperature seems to drop. As she finally falls to her death the whole audience is visibly moved. Hankies being whipped out left, right and centre. It's a complete performance. Her movement, voice and face operating in perfect harmony.

Jonas Kaufmann seemed to feel more comfortable performing with Netrebko. He seemed much more besotted with Violetta in Act I, and his "Di miei bollenti spiriti" was filled with joy. The same cannot be said of Hvorostovsky's replacement Andrzej Dobber, who produced a massive void of a performance. His opening aria was distressingly bad. He grew a little as the evening wore on, but he simply didn't have the firepower to keep up with Kaufmann and Netrebko.

This remains a stunning production. Netrebko's run is finished but I hope she'll be back soon. She really is that good.