La Traviata - Verdi

Went to the Lyric last night for the first opera of the season. Pretty decent performance. We had to sit in the first balcony, so some of the sound was muted but each of the singers had a strong voice. Of course the music was pleasant, and the sets were very well done. Something about it prevented me from really being drawn into the performance - didn't even want to cry. Maybe the plot was just too predictable - although I give it some credit. At least Violetta had an illness (presumably TB) before the breakup rather than just getting ill from heartbreak. Also, her "sacrifice" was noble. The lack of a true villain, or even an unsympathetic protagonist, both made the story more believable and more flat. At the end, it all just seemed unnecessary rather than tragic. Recommendation - worth it, but not something for the memory books.