Live and love, to the last breath.
Heart-rending arias meet harsh realities in this captivating story. Experience the devastating beauty of Verdi’s music in some of opera’s most famous tunes.
Royal Ballet and Opera Principal The Julia Rausing Trust
Professor Paul Cartledge and Judith Portrait OBE
Bertrand and Elisabeth Meunier
At one of her lavish parties, the celebrated Parisan courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont. She has just returned to the city following a period of illness, and is touched by Alfredo’s concern. The two instantly fall in love, and Alfredo asks Violetta to join him in the countryside. Though hesitant to leave behind her life of luxury and freedom, she agrees, following her heart.
After three months of living with Alfredo, Violetta, alone at the house, receives an unexpected visit from his father, Giorgio Germont, who persuades her to abandon Alfredo to save the Germont family from scandal. Though heartbroken at the thought of leaving Alfredo, Violetta eventually agrees. Rather than return to his family home, Alfredo follows Violetta to Paris. But when he finds her with her former protector Baron Douphol, tensions erupt. With Violetta’s health increasingly fragile, will it be too late for Alfredo to make amends?
A moving story about a woman in love that features one of opera’s most famous melodies (the ‘Brindisi’ chorus), La traviata is perfect for first-timers and a favourite among regular opera-goers. Alexander Joel and Richard Hetherington conduct two casts led by Aida Garifullina and Hrachuhí Bassénz as Violetta, Francesco Demuro and Ismael Jordi as Alfredo and George Petean and Simon Keenlyside as Germont. In director Richard Eyre’s world of seductive grandeur, the tender and devastating beauty at the centre of Verdi’s opera shines bright.
La traviata (literally: she who has strayed – tra – from the path - via) is inspired by the life and death of the real-life Parisian courtesan Marie Duplessis, about whom Alexandre Dumas fils wrote a novel and play: La Dame aux camélias. Verdi offers a complex and sympathetic portrayal of the heroine, highlighting Violetta's noble nature and her devotion to Alfredo. Initially, La traviata had a lukewarm reception after its 1853 Venice premiere, but after Verdi revised the work in 1854, it became enormously successful. It is currently the most performed opera in the world, and the role of Violetta a favourite for many star sopranos.
Verdi's sublime score contains some of his most inspired arias and duets, including Violetta's introspective 'Ah fors'è lui' (Could it be him) as she contemplates falling in love, before celebrating her independence in the spectacular ‘Sempre libera' (I must always be free). The 'Brindisi' chorus (also known as the Drinking Song) on the other hand, celebrates love and life through a rousing waltz between the flirtatious Violetta and Alfredo.
There is lift access and step-free routes to over 100 seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony and Amphitheatre. There are 10 steps or fewer to some seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony, Amphitheatre and the Donald Gordon Grand Tier. All seats in the Orchestra stalls are accessed by 9 steps or more.
We have an assistive listening system available to use. This opera is sung in Italian with English surtitles. Captions and translations in English will be displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium.
An Audio Introduction of La Traviata is available through our Sound Cloud.
The opera lasts 3 hours and 10 minutes with two intervals.
Upcoming accessible performance of La Traviata:
There will be an Audio Described performance on 14 September at 7.00pm.
There will be a British Sign Language and Captioned performance on 17 September at 7.00pm. Captions include more information on sounds in the performance.
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