Verdi
La Traviata
Sydney Opera House5 July–4 November 2022
Verdi
La Traviata
Sydney Opera House5 July–4 November 2022
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Location: Sydney
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See All Events2022
July
05 Jul 2022
08 Jul 2022
12 Jul 2022
14 Jul 2022
16 Jul 2022
18 Jul 2022
21 Jul 2022
23 Jul 2022
27 Jul 2022
29 Jul 2022
October
22 Oct 2022
26 Oct 2022
28 Oct 2022
31 Oct 2022
November
02 Nov 2022
04 Nov 2022
Venue
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point, Sydney
Language
Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Running time
Approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, including two intervals.
Production partner
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
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Choreographer
Violetta Valéry
Alfredo Germont
Giorgio Germont
Flora Bervoix
Gastone
Baron Douphol
Marquis d'Obigny
Doctor Grenvil
Annina
Giuseppe
Messenger
Servant
Opera Australia Chorus
Opera Australia Orchestra
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
La Traviata at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Photographer: Prudence Upton
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…
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, including any requirement at the time of the performance that audience members be vaccinated. Full details of our COVID-Safe Plan will be published online closer to the event.
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, a rival courtesan, 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.
Act II
Scene i
Violetta and Alfredo have been living together for three months in a house in the country. When Alfredo discovers that Violetta is selling her belongings to pay for their expenses, he is conscience-stricken and leaves to visit his father, to raise some money. His father however has decided to call on Violetta to persuade her to give up Alfredo. Alfredo’s sister hopes to be married soon, and his relationship with Violetta jeopardises the family’s honour. Violetta realises that as a ‘fallen woman’ she would destroy Alfredo’s family and consents to leave him. She decides to leave instantly and writes a message to Alfredo, breaking off their affair. When Alfredo receives the message he is distraught and, despite his father’s attempts to console him, rushes off to wreak revenge on Violetta.
Scene ii
A party is being held in Flora’s house. Alfredo enters to join the gambling party. When Violetta enters on the arm of the Baron she freezes with tension. Alfredo begins to insult the Baron and the two rivals meet over cards, and Alfredo, unlucky in love, cannot lose a hand. The game is interrupted by dinner.
Violetta begs Alfredo to leave before Duphol seeks revenge. Alfredo insists she comes with him and, in desperation, she says she loves the Baron. Alfredo publicly humiliates Violetta and throws money at her as payment for her services. Alfredo’s father reproves him for such behaviour.
Act III
It is early morning and Violetta is sleeping. The doctor has given her only a few hours to live. Violetta rereads a letter from Alfredo’s father, telling her that the Baron was wounded in the duel with Alfredo and that Alfredo may have left the country.
But Alfredo has been told by his father of Violetta’s sacrifice and he returns — only to be confronted by the dying Violetta. He humours her by telling her that they should plan a new life away from Paris. Alfredo’s father has followed him and enters, followed by the doctor. Violetta suddenly feels revived, ready to start a new life with Alfredo — but this is only the symptoms of the last moments of her disease and she falls dead.