This is the time of year when the Royal Opera aims to keep people happy by providing standard fare, usually, it almost goes without saying, about people who are very unhappy indeed. True to form, it is alternating La Traviata and Turandot for almost a month before rising to Mozart. All the more important that these perennials should be kept fresh, and on the whole they are. There are quite a lot of odd things about both productions, especially from the musical standpoint, but no signs of inert reliance on routine.
In Traviata the most controversial thing is the conducting of Maurizio Benini, now a Royal Opera favourite, though some people find that strange. He launches the prelude with extreme quietness and pretty slowly, which I found effective. After that, he favours wide fluctuations of tempo, not always it seemed with complete agreement from the singers.
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