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Venue

State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne

Language

Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Running time

Approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, including two intervals.

Production partner

Production patron

Raise your glass, bat your lashes, it’s Paris in the salons and you’re the life of this party. He’s staring at you, he’s singing for you…Are you tempted?

Violetta wears velvet and lace and drinks only the finest champagne from crystal glasses. Her parties are legendary, her company desired. She’s free and freespirited, living outside society’s bounds, and for the courtesan, it seems like the party will never end. Could a little love really change everything?

La Traviata is so popular because it puts a life we can only dream of on stage, with its risqué glamour, joys and sorrows.

Verdi’s music sings of freedom with flying melodies, makes merry with rousing drinking songs and leaves us with passionate duets between breaking hearts.

This production by Elijah Moshinsky is one of our most successful, featuring lush party scenes in Paris and beautiful autumn afternoons in the countryside.

Lavish sets and exquisite costumes combined with Verdi’s famous score offer the perfect way to experience opera for the first time, or the chance to revisit a favourite with an exciting new cast.

Home-grown talent Stacey Alleaume is rapidly gaining international recognition. Here, she reprises her role as Violetta after a stunning season in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour.

Cast & Creative

Conductor
Director
Revival Director
Choreographer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Violetta Valéry
Alfredo Germont
Giorgio Germont
Flora Bervoix
Gastone
Baron Douphol
Marquis d’Obigny
Doctor Grenvil
Annina
Giuseppe
Messenger
Servant

Opera Australia Chorus
Orchestra Victoria

La Traviata, 2022

Cheat Sheet: La Traviata

Here's what you need about the world's most popular opera.

What happens in the story? Who was the composer? What should I expect from the music? Here’s everything you need to know…

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Pre-performance Dinner

Enjoy dinner before the opera

Pre-performance Dining at Arts Centre Melbourne

Allow us to make your dinner reservation for you at Arts Centre Melbourne. You’ll be served a three-course menu for just $95.

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Keeping you safe at the theatre

COVID Safety

Our performances will comply with all Public Health Orders and adhere to our epidemiologist-approved COVID-Safe Plan.

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Synopsis

Act I

Violetta has been to a sanatorium to treat her tuberculosis. On her return to health she throws a party to mark her re-emergence in the demi-monde under the protection of Baron Duphol. Her guests have just completed a long lunch and the Baron is reading the last pages of a novel by Dumas to Violetta as Flora enters with her protector the Marquis.

Alfredo is introduced to Violetta by the decadent Gaston. Alfredo has begged Gaston to introduce him to Violetta. He has long been enthralled by her and has enquired after Violetta every day of her illness.

Violetta insists that everyone sits together and drinks a toast to the occasion. Alfredo is prevailed upon to sing a drinking song from Provence.

As the guests leave to dance in the ballroom, Violetta feels faint and is momentarily left alone. Alfredo re-enters and confesses his love for her. She asks him to return the following day.

After her guests leave and she is alone, Violetta begins to consider the conflicting feelings of love and hedonism that are pulling her in opposite directions.

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