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| Emma Matthews stars as Violetta in La traviata. Photo by Branco Gaica |
If there’s one thing you can guarantee when you put on a production of La traviata, it’s that someone in the audience will want to sing along. Up in the “gods” of the Joan Sutherland Theatre circle on opening night, fans leaned forward on their seats when Alfredo began the famous "Brindisi", nudging their seatmates “Ooh, I like this one!”
In a tiny coaching room at The Opera Centre just a few minutes before a rehearsal, I’ve cornered the three women in the Principal cast of La traviata. Leading lady Emma Matthews sits with her “opera sister” mezzo-soprano Dominica Matthews, who is no relation, and young soprano Natalie Aroyan.
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| Dominica Matthews as Flora Photo by Branco Gaica |
Emma is taking her second turn as the doomed Violetta, following a hugely successful performance of the “fallen woman” on Sydney Harbour last year. She’s looking forward to tackling the role in a more intimate setting. It’s Dominica’s fourth time playing the fabulously flirty role of Flora, in Elijah Moshinsky’s much loved and often performed production.
Verdi’s La traviatais known for its beautiful music and take-home tunes, and it is well known even outside of opera circles. That is a blessing and a curse for the performers on stage, Emma says. “There are so many people that know it, and they generally want to sing along. You’ve got to be better than all of the recordings. And there’s a lot of pressure to sound a certain way.”
While there can be pressure to impress, playing to a crowd in the know does have its advantages, Dominica says. “It is really good when you first start and you hear the crowd go ‘ooh’,” she laughs.
It’s Natalie’s first turn as a Principal in Verdi’s classic, playing Violetta’s loyal maid, Annina. She gets lots of nice recitative moments, and also a chance to watch an idol in action: Emma is one of Australia’s best known sopranos, and in this opera, she tackles an aria that daunts even the most experienced of singers.
When I ask Emma about “that e-flat”, she laughs. “The aria is my favourite part! When I first learned I was doing this role, [Artistic Director] Lyndon Terracini told me to sing "Sempre Libera" again and again and again, so that when I got to it, all I could think of was, ‘Yay, it’s here!’ Because it’s such a bloody hard piece to sing, sopranos get to it and are terrified.”
It was good advice, Emma says. “I love singing that aria now, I really enjoy it. I’m so glad there’s an interval afterwards, because I almost fall over when I’m done, but I do love it. It’s a glorious piece to sing.”
Conductor Patrick Lange has pushed the singers to play with their dynamic range, something Emma is enjoying immensely. As a lighter-voiced soprano, she says her forte (loud) singing can be softer than other singers. “But he’s getting me to find the softest, softest singing that I can do, so my forte sounds louder by comparison.”
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| Natalie Aroyan plays Violetta's maid, Annina Photo by Branco Gaica |
Natalie has been busy taking notes - singing alongside a soprano she has watched from the cheap seats is a
dream come true. “And kind of like having the best seat in the house!” Natalie jokes.“You learn from everything they do, how they sing, even watching Emma in rehearsals is a learning experience. How do you handle yourself? How do you handle the difficult parts? How do you deal with five people telling you something different at the same time?”
In rehearsals, there are so many people in the room. “Everyone has an opinion about how something should be sung,” Natalie explains, “and when you have five people telling you about the language, the intention, the music, the movement, it’s hard to take it all in. For a singer to be able to stand there among that and deliver an amazing piece of music is an accomplishment in itself.”
“But in the end, it’s you standing up there,” Dominica says.
I’m interviewing the trio on the day of the Sitzprobe, and each singer has their own reasons for loving this rehearsal.
For Emma, it’s a chance to focus on the music, without any of the distractions of the movement and costumes. Natalie loves listening to the orchestra, in such close proximity. “It really makes me think I have the best job in the world. This is what I get to do,” she says. Even though she has performed it so many times, Dominica still likes to see it all come together. “The music is so beautiful, it’s heartbreaking at times.”
That said, each of the singers says it is easier to feel the part and sing the music once in costume.
Rehearsing in casual clothes is very different to wearing the lavish, corseted, and long-trained dresses of this period production.
“From the instant you step into the makeup room and they start putting on that wig or placing the first pin curl, every step is becoming that person,” Emma explains.
“Putting her on,” Dominica adds. “You walk differently.”
“You literally walk in her shoes,” Natalie finishes.
The sumptuously detailed production is now playing at the Sydney Opera House.
For more information and tickets, click here.