ROH Broadcast: La Traviata

The Royal Opera – Live Broadcast

Six sopranos take the role of Violetta this Season in two runs of Richard Eyre’s time-honoured production of Verdi’s La traviata. Verdi’s beautiful score contains some of his most inspired arias and duets, including Violetta’s joyous ‘Sempre libera’, and her poignant and passionate encounters with Alfredo and Germont. The superficial glamour of 19th-century Paris contrasts with scenes of great intimacy, culminating in the memorable, heart-breaking final act.

The Royal Opera welcomes Lisette Oropesa, Kristina Mkhitaryan, and Anush Hovhannisyan in the Autumn and Pretty Yende, Angel Blue and Hrachuhí Bassénz in the Spring to sing the favourite role of star sopranos in the most performed opera in the world.

Alfredo Germont and the courtesan Violetta Valéry fall in love at a party in Violetta’s Paris salon. Alfredo is determined to cure Violetta of her tuberculosis, and the couple leave Paris and begin a contented life in the country. But Violetta’s happiness is destroyed when Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont pays her a visit.

Violetta’s scandalous relationship with Alfredo is jeopardizing Giorgio Germont’s daughter’s engagement, and Germont persuades Violetta to leave his son. Heartbroken, Violetta promises not to tell Alfredo why. Alfredo is stunned when Violetta disappears, and decides she must have left him from self-interest. He confronts her at a Paris party and leaves her. Only when Violetta is dying does he learn the truth.

Language: Sung in Italian with English surtitles
Approximate running time: 3 hours 20 minutes (including two intervals)