Friend of San Diego Opera, German soprano Anja Harteros , just sang her first Violetta in La traviata at the Met Monday night and it was a solid success. The New York Times said "Harteros sings with an elegantly dark-hued and fluid soprano that is weighty enough to project easily, even in pianissimo moments." The London Financial Times said "she does command a lustrous, wide-ranging soprano capable of much thrust in moments of abandon, much shimmer in passages of introspection, and much suavity between the extremes. She manages the florid outbursts with expressive point yet without feverish exaggeration. She sustains the long, arching lines with easy grace. She looks lanky, lovely and elegant, moves meaningfully, respects the line that separates pathos from self-indulgence." Anja sang her first Violetta on our stage in 2004 and we knew then that this would be a special role for her (that's her up above from our production in a photo by Ken Howard). For those ...
