The last Violetta I saw was the glamorous and vocally precise Angela Gheorghiu, who brought along her own trunk of costumes. The trains! The gloves! The jewels! This time, Hei-Kyung Hong stars as Violetta Valery opposite debut artist Wookyung Kim as Alfredo in the first performances this season of the classic Zefferelli production. Which means that for the first time at the Met, the romantic leads are both South Korean.
While Hong is starting to show her age — "I'm 50, ladies and gentlemen! I can kick, stretch, and kick! 50!" — her voice is still shimmering, despite her tendency to scoop, which makes me want to call her the Asian Renée. Hong's interpretation is far more consumptive than Angela's (does a diva REALLY cough onstage? How grotesque!), yet hers is a far less convincing portrayal. Kim's debut was satisfactory. He has a strong voice but had a bit of a pitch problem in Act I. Still, I can't wait for Jonas Kauffmann later this season. His is an Alfredo for the senses.
Ticket price: $0
