Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Traviata
Review: As a film, not a stage production, this is the best available, if not without flaws. The Covent Garden live stage performance with Solti is terrific as well. Stratas' acting good as always but her pitch and tone quality often off the mark which I'm surprised wasn't fixed. Domingo is wonderful(I don't care about age; the performance is most important)and the cast singing is fine. Certainly far superior to the recent Paris broadcast with Cura! Moffo's Traviata is good but dubbing a film is always tacky and you just seem to have to make allowances for it. Looking good takes priority over singing; people who don't understand the dynamics of singing opera (not always attractive) prefer to have the singer's mouths "look pretty/handsome" - that's why I prefer videos of stage productions rather than opera movies. I just make allowances for the difference and don't let it get in the way of enjoying one of my favorite operas. I recommend this along with the Covent Garden and Beverly Sills' videos. It still weaves some wonderful magic!
Rating:
Summary: Lavish Entertainment
Review: This my third purchase of this work, the first two being on videotape. The second videotape was of poor visual quality. In particular the colours were faded. This is not the case with the DVD version. The colours are bright and the sound track is competent. For people who enjoy opera this is entertainment at its best. If you like this treatment of La Traviata then you should also consider Verdi's Rigoletto (Pavarotti, Wixell, Gruberova, Chailly)on the Decca label, a film directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle which is also superb entertainment. Pavarotti is outstanding as is Wixell.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good, Very Zeffirelli
Review: Give the singers a break- no Domingo doesn't look the part (in spite of his amusingly lightened and straightened hairdo) but I for one would rather see the actual singers in a filmed version, rather than beautiful actors lip-synching. While I prefer a lighter Alva-type tenor in this music, I find Domingo to be fully commited musically and dramatically: a very statisfying performance. Statas's voice is not perfect and her tongue does that strange wagging thing, but she really captures Violetta's fast-failing health both vocally and visually. Even better- you can see the fear in Violetta's eyes as she realizes that she is running out of time. Thus, the coloratura is no mere showy display: it's an exploration of Violetta's building desperation. How much more believable it is, then, that an intelligent, been-around-the-block gal as this should do something so self-delusional as run off with Alfredo when she knows in her heart that it will never work. You really have to love the look of this film- it has a faded quality that puts the whole work into a fittingly soft focus: the lush purple/violets and reds- it looks just like a Monet or a Renoir come to life. Exactly what I want from Zeffirelli. The only bad thing that keeps me from giving this 5 stars: the strange cuts that he makes (similar to the jarring, disorienting cuts in Romeo and Juliet)- such as Violetta's death. Why cut away from her? It destroys the impact of the final moment. Still- the love and commitment from all involved triumph over all concerns.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice try
Review: I like this movie a lot because of the good performance and excellent photography. Domingo's Alfredo is still good enough however, Stratas's Violetta is not good at all in Act I - her voice is quite annoying and it seems that she cannot adjust her breathing while she is singing - things become better when Germont shows up in Act II. Sound quality is much better than that recorded in an opera house, so is the image quality. It's a good choice for those who do not really enjoy opera (just like me) or who want to try something different.
Rating: 
Summary: watch the actual opera
Review: I rented this movie because I fell in love with the aria "sempre libera" and just had to see it performed. First, let me say I have heard Anne Moffo perform "sempre" (beautiful voice), and I was very disapointed to hear Teresa Stratas performance of it. Perhaps I'm holding Stratas to too high a standard, but in my opinion the aria was butchered by her. I've heard in the past that she's a wonderful vocalist, but I wasn't very impressed. As for the "opera-film", I suggest to anyone who is used to live operas not to buy this film. The characters lip sync (terribly I might add) and it takes away from the beauty of the opera. You get the impression you've watching a MTV video rather than a Verdi masterpiece. If you've new to opera, or very easy to please when it comes to opera, I think you'll enjoy it. But any seasoned opera buff would be much better off leaving this behind. Besides the priceless tenor role, this film is a disgrace to one of Verdi's most beloved operas
Rating:
Summary: Greatest music video known to man
Review: This video is the greatest music video known to man. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating but if you want to like opera, just watch this video. Domingo is so handsome, Stratas so perfect, MacNeil so belivable. I wish they wouldn't have left out the little parts they did. The story would have made more sense and I really missed the "lavaro" tenor aria. But still, a great video.
Rating:
Summary: in response to enh 77
Review: As one of the viewers who dislikes this film, I would like to respond to the comments of enh 77 below. "Sempre libera" is not an inconsequential component of the role of Violetta: it is a revelation in terms of her character development, and, like the rest of the opera, it lives today because of Verdi, not the librettist. That Stratas fails to meet the considerable demands of this aria is only one problem she has with Act One: she also can't sing the decorations in the Brindisi. A better suggestion than Dame Joan Sutherland (who could sing the role from beginning to end) might be Anna Moffo (who, during her brief prime, could sing it to perfection). Comparisons to Maria Callas are misleading and specious. Mme. Callas always based her interpretations upon the score, and worked very hard to realize every single marking that the composer left her. Settling for a generic, "emotional" performance such as Stratas gives in this film was anathema to her: she was a musician first and foremost, and every decision she made as an actress reflects this. As for Act Two, I still, after another viewing of this film, find Ms. Stratas's performance hammy (although I have to give her credit for maintaining some composure opposite the inutterably horrible Germont of Cornel MacNeil). I give this film one more star than I originally did because of Ms. Stratas's masterful and moving reading of the letter (right before "Addio del passato"). But that isn't singing. I believe that this drama exists today only because of Giuseppe Verdi. His score is perfect. This film misses every single point: it's unbearably sentimental, and, upon seeing it again before I wrote this, Domingo is less good and less handsome than I'd remembered, although at his indifferent best he still does the only good singing. I reiterate: lovers of Verdi's La Traviata should approach this video with caution. Viewers who thought that Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet was an improvement on Shakespeare's are welcome to it.
Rating:
Summary: THE Traviata experience
Review: If you watch this film just to hear "Sempre libera", your disappointment is guaranteed because what you should do is buy a Sutherland recording, but this is not the point here. This film is Teresa Stratas's glory and triumph. Her portrayal of Violetta is beyond criticism. The greatness of Stratas's acting has been acknowledged by everyone, but her singing is sometimes severely criticized, unjustly, by some people. Comparing her singing to that of Maria Callas, perhaps the greatest Violetta of all time, might be unfair, but it's not entirely to her disadvantage. Their styles are different and they move you in different ways. Callas's singing is more piercing in its intensity and power (sometimes too excessive); while Stratas's singing certainly doesn't lack any necessary drama, her voice has a genuine vulnerability and tenderness that are very feminine and more suited to the role. Stratas doesn't have the vocal brilliance required in the end of Act One, but her singing or interpretation elsewhere is perfection and entirely satisfying. She sings with total sincerity and exquisiteness. Her tempo choices (or Levine's?) are always natural and well-judged. There is a musical continuity that is rarely heard in other Traviata's. Verdi's music is served very well in this film. He would have been pleased by the overall result and especially by the ideal Violetta in Stratas. How he would have loved to have her in his Traviata premiere! While Stratas's performance of Violetta is totally believable and heartbreaking, Domingo doesn't convince as much. A little old and just slightly fat, his look isn't that of a natural Alfredo. (but who is?) His acting and singing are both very strong, but for some reason, he just can't make you believe that Violetta would fall in love with him. Perhaps Domingo's personality and voice are a little foreign to the role of Alfredo? It would be interesting to see Carreras in this role. His youthful passion and delicacy of singing would make him an exciting partner for Stratas. For me the highlight of this film is the entire Act Two. "Non sapete quale affetto" was sung and acted wonderfully, as the entire duet between Violetta and Alfredo's father. The second scene of Act Two was sumptuous (the dance is great!) and extremely intense. Levine and Stratas never leave you a chance to breathe before Violetta's confrontation with Alfredo. When Alfredo drags Violetta to the crowd to humiliate her publicly, the scene becomes almost unbearable to watch. Violetta looks at Alfredo with such despair and disbelief. She can't believe that the man she loves more than herself can be so cruel and hurt her in such a savage way. That look on her face is unforgettable. The third act is equally heart-rending. "Ah, non piu, a un tempio" and "Ah, gran Dio! Morir si giovine" truly break your heart. Violetta wanted to go to church with Alfredo but her weakness prevented her from doing it, and she realized that there is no hope left for her. Violetta's ultimate death was a frightening climax. In short, this is the ultimate Traviata experience and simply a film no music lover should miss. It's Stratas and Zeffirelli's glory, as well as Verdi's.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! What a Visual Delight!
Review: Amazing filmic effort to capture La Traviata. Not just as opera-for-the-ears but also as a grande opera-for-the-eyes...this is a sensual delight. Zeffirelli really does the town with sets, costumes, staging, voice mixing...his directoral effort is the real star of this picture...The only one glitch is occasionally Teresa Stratas looks lip-synced. In short, the total event is picture perfect. Domingo is strong and credible, Stratas is frail/sickly yet vulnerably demure, the entourage and extras are all well acted/sung...this is a great film with a great cast... No less than 5 stars. Stay home and see this with friends and lovers.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite opera!
Review: I just saw this for the first time a few days ago and I was awestruck. "La Traviata" is my favorite opera, and to see Placido play the lead was so incredible. Franco Zeffirelli did a fantastic job with this opera-movie. Visually, it is heaven for the eyes. As for the acting, it is a bit rough around the edges, but the beauty of the music makes up for it. Teresa Stratas' portrayal of Violetta is not the best I have heard. Placido was amazing as usual. The rest of the cast is good and the scene with the gypsies and bullfighters was absolutely stunning. This is a must-see for opera fans and even people who don't care for opera would enjoy it.
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