If we were to list the tourist attractions of Paris, we would probably stop tomorrow morning! However, not everyone would include one of them - out of sheer laziness, in particular - namely the Moulin Rouge, the famous cabaret in the more famous Montmartre district of the even more famous city of lights, Paris. But if we reverse the idea, when we say "Moulin Rouge" we immediately think of Paris and its nightlife!

Fondazione Arena di Verona has chosen the "Moulin Rouge" as the setting for the parties in Giuseppe Verdi`s opera "Traviata"! Somewhere a complete circle has resulted, the subject of the opera taking place right in the French capital!

I was wondering which act was going to take place at the "Moulin Rouge" and I assumed it was the third, Flora`s ball, because there are several events then: the arrival of the fortune-telling gypsies, the story of the young Andalusian and the bullfighter who heroically kills 5 bulls, Alfredo`s gambling table, etc. etc..... but what better place than the cabaret to throw money at a woman? I was partially wrong, Violetta herself was the representative of Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler, the real founders of the famous cabaret, an event that took place 42 years after the death of Marie Duplessis (born Alphonsine Rose Plessis), the courtesan who inspired the characters Marguerite Gautier and Violetta Valery.

So the first act, Violetta`s party, at the Moulin Rouge. Large, sumptuous sets, as the Arena in Verona always spoils us, many people on stage, possibly 200 or even more. Characteristic Moulin Rouge posters (among which "Le chat noir" stands out), the very name of the cabaret written above it, the cabaret stage in the center of the Arena stage. On the sides, two constructions were built, one with an elephant structure (! ), the other with a mill with red blades.

The second act kept the structure of the cabaret stage - a dome similar to the Grand Palais in Paris -, but made it look like a domestic greenhouse, an aspect also highlighted by several pots of green plants brought in and "planted" in front of it. The sides became two vertical greenhouses.

In the third part, the vertical "towers" were transformed into two large artesian fountains with a golden "foot", both with a red velvet background behind. The curtain of the former Moulin Rouge stage, now Moulin Flora, has the same color.

The final act was "wallpapered" with vertical panels that covered the MR stage. In front, the bed where Violetta was and some pieces of furniture. An interesting and specific addition to the Arena was the group of followers of the fat ox that Violetta hears: they were placed on the lawn behind the stage, high up, being visible from a great distance.

The cast featured Martina Russomanno from Italy and resident in Paris (just like Moulin Rouge! ) in the role of ViolettaValery, Yusif Eyvazov from Azerbaijan (Anna Netrebko`s often preferred partner) as Alfredo Germont and Mihai Damian from Romania as Giorgio Germont. Beautiful voices and fitting performances, with a plus for the tenor from Baku, a regular at the Arena di Verona. The direction belongs to Paul Curran from Scotland, and on the official website of the event it is specified that Moulin Rouge is a registered trademark of Moulin Rouge, so the involvement of the French cabaret in the production is an effective one.

Nota actuala: 9 (din 1 note acordate) - Acorda o nota!

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