On a very rainy night in Manchester, there was at least some comfort to be had in Manchester’s Opera House as they staged Ellen Kent’s production of Verdi’s famous tale of doomed love as part of her farewell tour.
I may as well start my review with the outstanding Viktoria Melnyk, who dazzled as the ill-fated heroine of this opera, Violetta. She sings with such power, control and emotion. Her voice is not just sublime and beautiful, it is mesmerising. It is worth seeing this show just to witness such a transcendent talent. Her charisma and presence alone made this show worth watching.
Hovhannes Andreasyan, as Alfredo, was also impressive. He gave an imposing performance, full of feeling and desire. Alfredo makes Violetta see that her material life is nothing without love. The message of the opera is that love conquers all. Andreasyan portrayed the man in love and the jealous, spurned lover with conviction.
The famous “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici”, the drinking song, was performed with gusto and is always a highlight of this opera. It provides an energetic beginning to the show before things start to get a bit more intense and emotional.
Iurie Gisca, as the father was dominant and commanding, if a little restrained. His strong baritone was used to great effect, but I did feel that his scene with Violetta in Act II lacked a bit of energy and purpose. It can’t be an easy scene to perform, as plot-wise, it does not make a lot of sense for him to say he needs his son at home, but the lovers have to be split apart somehow.
Overall, I must say that in Act II, the whole thing became a bit controlled and slightly pedestrian. It still maintained my interest, and there was undeniably artistry and skill on display of the highest order. Perhaps the dreary weather had permeated the performance, as it lacked that extra bit of punch to make it truly compelling theatre.
I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking. It was like an exquisite piece of sculpture. You can see an amazing level of proficiency and expertise on display. It looks absolutely fantastic, but ultimately it fails to move you. In itself, it is definitely worth seeing and is a valuable piece of art. For me, it just needed a bit more dash and drive to make it great.
The energy picked up in Act III, and as you would expect, the costumes were sumptuous, and the settings were gloriously realised. The ensemble was enthusiastic and performed their pieces with plenty of zest and zeal. It was unfortunate that when the curtain came down, there was a large gap, allowing us to see our heroine come back to life before the curtain calls.
The orchestra was the Opera International Kyiv from Ukraine, and Viktoria is also Ukrainian. It was moving at the end as the cast sang the Ukrainian national anthem whilst holding a Ukrainian flag.
La Traviata continues on tour, and Ellen Kent’s productions of Carmen and Madama Butterfly are on at the Opera House on 25th and 26th March, respectively. For more information, go to https://www.ellenkent.com/book-tickets/
Reviewer: Adam Williams
Reviewed: 24th March 2026
North West End UK Rating:
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