It certainly wasn’t warfare at Civic Theatre Saturday evening when San Diego Opera opened Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, the company’s final offering of a successful season. But the American soprano Elizabeth Futral was clearly taking no prisoners, out-singing everyone else and capturing the dramatic heart of this beloved four-hankie melodrama, while her compatriots on stage appeared to be shell-shocked by her vocal and dramatic prowess.

The San Diego Civic Theatre.

^{Photo courtesy of San Diego Theatres}

Although much of Futral’s wide-ranging repertory is clearly off the beaten path—she sang in the world premieres of Tan Dun’s The First Emporer at the Met and San Francisco Opera’s A Streetcar Named Desire by André Previn and made her L.A. Opera debut as Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare—she has been crafting her interpretation of Verdi’s cherished courtesan Violetta Valéry since 2004. Although I was not entirely convinced that this role was right for her when I heard her sing it at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2007, on Saturday I was willing to quote Henry Higgins: “By George, I think she’s got it.”

Futral’s take on Violetta emphasizes the vulnerability and desperation of the consumptive but beautiful courtesan in mid-19th century Paris, which filled her arias “Ah! fors’è lui” and “Addio del passato” with abundant, heart-tugging pathos. As Violetta attempts to bargain with the moralistic father of her lover Alfredo, who comes to insist she leave his son for the sake of the family honor, Futral suggests that she could agree with that demand in exchange for the fatherly approval she was denied. In toning down some of Violetta's independence and bravado, she crafts a more fragile and perhaps more sympathetic character than we usually encounter in this familiar story.

Of course, without Futral’s alluring, supple soprano voice, and the ease with which she delivers Verdi’s sinuous lines, these dramatic points would be moot. I could ask for more shimmer in the coloratura flights of her “Sempre libera” cabaletta, but no soprano fulfills all of the vocal requirements Verdi attached to this role, which many sage observers call the most difficult soprano role in the operatic canon.

Soprano Elizabeth Futral.

^{Photo by Ken Howard}

Futral looked stunning in the gala party scenes, and her stark pallor in her death scene was almost too frightening to watch. Otherwise, her magnetic presence was mesmerizing. The opening night audience adored her, and with good reason.

Ah yes, some may be wondering about those other eleven singers than make up the La Traviata cast. To be fair, Alan Opie’s rich baritone brought a suave maturity to Germont, père, and his sense of the characteristic Romantic grand gesture was admirable. But he was too eager to shed his fatherly bourgeois indignation and embrace Violetta. Romanian tenor Marius Brenciu lacked both the charisma audiences crave in Violetta’s dashing lover Alfredo and the brilliant upper range Verdi demanded of his leading tenors. Nor was his pitch to be trusted as he pushed the upper limits of his range. Brenciu could have sung Alfredo’s best buddy, except that Verdi didn’t write (or need) such a role in La Traviata.

As Gaston, tenor Joseph Hu sounded fresh and vibrant, and soprano Rebecca Skaar’s Annina made her small role as Violetta’s maid more sympathetic and vocally inviting than one frequently hears. Mezzo soprano Suzanna Guzmán as Violetta’s close friend Flora sounded dutiful, but could have taken a cue from Futral’s social savoir faire. Nicolai Janitzky projected the snobbish superiority of Baron Duphol, Alfredo’s rival, and bass-baritone Kristopher Irmitter proved sympathetic as the well-meaning physician Dr. Grenvil.

John Conklin’s scenic design for the third-act party festivities proved aptly opulent and festive, even allowing a modicum of space for choreographer Kristina Cobarrubia’s six campy gypsy dancers to entertain Flora’s guests. And the final scene, Violetta’s cramped bedroom in her steep physical and social decline, communicated the heroine’s hopelessness and claustrophobia. In this scene especially, Marie Barrett’s deft lighting design corroborated the orchestra’s every mood. But Conklin’s opera-opening party scene chez Violetta seemed dowdy and sadly in need of a make-over. David Walker’s costumes had the panache of the period, and the chorus appeared more elegant that usual. And they sang well, too, especially in Flora’s elegant soirée.

At the last moment, San Diego Opera Resident Conductor Karen Keltner took over conducting duties from the contracted guest conductor Italian Renato Palumbo, whom Artistic Director and General Manager Ian Campbell described before the opera began as "ill." Rumors during the last week of rehearsing indicated that this new conductor to the local company was experiencing some friction. We shall see if he completes the run. Keltner did a superb job on short notice, however, and only a few times did a slight variance occur between the pit and the stage. Overall, the orchestra’s robust sound and precision proved estimable in every sense.

UPDATE Renato Palumbo resumed his conducting responsibilities for this production on Tuesday, and I heard the Friday (April 23) performance with him in the pit. He proved a formidable conductor, increasing the tempo and drive of the big ensemble numbers, which added to the opera's dramatic intensity. He coaxed a more nuanced response from the orchestra, highlighting themes and countermelodies too frequently overlooked. I hope Palumbo, who only last year made his American debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago, will return to San Diego. Much as we love Edoardo Mueller in the Italian Romantic repertory, he cannot go on forever.

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