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In Catherine Malfitano the Metropolitan Opera has a thrilling new Violetta in "La Traviata." The New York-born soprano in her first assumption of Verdi's heroine at the Met last night demonstrated a rewarding lyrical expression within a valid dramatic concept.

Though the Met's "Traviata" production is barely three weeks old, her interpretation had little to do with what director Colin Graham worked out for her predecessor. Ileana Cotrubas. Miss Malfitano's went far deeper under the role's surface. A beautiful woman, she displayed the kind of vivacity - partly expressed in splendid coloratura - believable as a Parisian' courtesan, yet she seemed more, intense and more Latin than most Violettas, traits which properly set her apart from the jaded crowd around her.

In the Act II duet with Germont, the destruction of her spirit was etched in her face and voice, while in the final act the weakness of her "addio" and the desperation of the "grand dio" touched the heart. The soprano was consistently at her best at mezzo forte and forte passages. Her soft singing, often moving, ideally needed more support. She sang the almost never heard second verses of both her arias and managed to make each repeat interesting.

As Alfredo, the young Italian tenor, Dano Raffanti made an interesting debut. His voice had good color and?substantial weight. Though he was a bit tentative and sometimes phrased awkwardly, the buoyancy and life in his sound counted for much.

James Levine conducted a rhythmically taut performance, equal in intensity to Miss Malfitano, and Cornell MacNeil repeated his Germont.

Search by season: 1980-81

Search by title: La Traviata,

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