Kang Wang / Reviews

The tenor Kang Wang could almost be said to have been cruelly cast in a role like The Drowning Man, who proves murderous when he stabs The Deer of Nine Colours – only to find that he, too, as his own karma, will die and rot beside the deer he has killed. His voice was intensely beautiful, and its scope was breathtakingly powerful in how far he could use it. In no sense is this voice a small one; there’s no strain to it and he can hold a note – and tail it off – magnificently. There was nothing linear about this singing, rather it was taken in a broad long arc; the care for detail was ear-catching. Singers don’t often become distractions for me in concert performances but Kang Wang did – and only in a very positive way

Verdi’s La Traviata is one of the most enduring and popular operas of the standard Western canon. It tells the story of socialite and courtesan Violetta and her love for Alfredo, which is so strong it leads her to leave him for his own good. Oh, and she is also dying of consumption, which used to be a popular plot point in the 19th century. Possibly because so many people did, in fact, die of consumption. Some of Verdi’s most lyrical and accessible music is to be found in this work, which is one of the reasons it is often recommended as a great “beginner’s” opera. This latest iteration sees Opera Queensland, West Australian Opera, and our own State Opera pool resources to deliver some fine theatre.