It is pointless to separate singing and acting in a Dessay performance. Dessay joined in with lilting, carefree exchanges during the “Libiamo” duet and chorus. But she soon warmed up and rose to the occasion when Alfredo, the man who has fallen for her from afar (the tenor Matthew Polenzani, who sang beautifully all night), offered a toast. Dessay sounded vocally shaky, with some wobbly sustained tones and dry patches. Singing Violetta’s first effusive lines, Ms. But when she heard the bustle of guests approaching, she shook out the wrinkles from her dress, took a whiff of a white camellia, and put on her party face. Dessay appeared in a short crimson cocktail dress, looking haggard and blank faced.ĭragging her feet, she walked unsteadily, a woman with no doubt that her life is slipping away. Luisi conducted the orchestral prelude, which begins with melancholic music for strings, the petite Ms. To the side a gigantic clock ticks off the diminishing minutes of Violetta’s life. The production places the action entirely within a curved, bright-gray wall that looks like an arena.
Dessay, who had originally intended to be an actress, made a wrenching impression as the fatally ill courtesan. This was her first time portraying the touchstone role of Violetta at the Met. Dessay sang the second performance, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Dessay missed the first performance on Friday night due to illness, so the veteran soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, an admirable artist, took over. Last season the Metropolitan Opera had an enormous success with Willy Decker’s grippingly spare, almost surreal new production of Verdi’s “Traviata.” It has come back this season as a vehicle for the soprano Natalie Dessay.
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