Verdi La Traviata

This DVD of a live 2005 performance from the Zürich Opera under the musical direction of Franz WelserMöst has many things to recommend it the young tenor Piotr Beczala as Alfredo the marvelous Thomas Hampson as Giorgio Germont the playing of the Zurich Opera orchestra the simple but effective sets by by Erich Wonder the uncluttered stage direction by Jürgen Flimm It also has some flaws strangely variable volume level of the recorded sound sometimes coming on so loud as to make one reach for the volume control and the uneven performance of the Violetta Eva Mei who for all her merits gives a dramatically effective performance marred by occasional difficulties with vocal production Still overall I felt this was a moving production one that I would recommend although perhaps not as an only DVD of one of Verdis most popular operas