La Traviata

Renée Fleming has matured into one of the finest sopranos around at the moment a true star with a sparkling personality and a velvettoned voice that is capable of wringing the finest emotions out of works by Strauss and Tchaikovsky that from a lesser singer could sound rather cold and clinical I wouldnt have thought her voice would be so well suited to Violetta Valéry in La Traviata and it does take some getting used to but I think she at least brings a distinct quality to the role with an emotional heart that isnt always necessarily there when a leading diva uses it primarily as a display for her vocal talents Its served well also by Antonio Pappanos conducting of the Royal Opera House Orchestra in a traditional but effective production by Richard Eyre