Avoid the train to the West End, the time and the cost! Watch The Royal Ballet and Orchestra back catalogue of world-class opera productions in your village hall, starting Sunday 24th November.

For the 2022 RBO production of La traviata, Richard Eyre’s elegant production, conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti stars Pretty Yende as Violetta, Stephen Costello as Alfredo and Vladimir Stoyanov as Giorgio Germont. Recorded in very high definition video and audio.

Subtitles

Sung in Italian with English subtitles

The story

The story:

Violetta, a courtesan with consumption (Tuberculosis) lives a hedonistic life in Paris. At one of her parties she is introduced to Alfredo. She falls for him and they move out to the countryside to live an idyllic life. But the bills mount up and her consumption becomes worse. Violetta is secretly visited by Alfredo’s father, who asks her to end the relationship. Alfredo’s sister is to be married and their relationship could spoil a glittering society wedding. Reluctantly she agrees to leave Alfredo and writes him a farewell letter explaining all. Alfredo returns unexpectedly and Violetta goes out into the garden. Alfredo discovers her letter and realises she is leaving him. At a party at a friend’s house in Paris Alfredo begins gambling and has success. Violetta enters the party on the arm of one of her former lovers. There is a showdown between Violetta and Alfredo ended by her fainting. Alfredo’s father remonstrates with him for behaving so badly towards her. In the final act Violetta is close to death but manages to rally when she hears Alfredo is coming to see her. They are both briefly reunited and Violetta dies in front of him in what must be one of the most tragic of operatic deaths.  

Background

Verdi based La traviata on Alexandre Dumas fils's novel and play La Dame aux camélias, inspired by the life and death of the real Parisian courtesan Marie Duplessis. Verdi offered a more complex and sympathetic portrayal of his heroine than Dumas, highlighting Violetta's noble nature and her devotion to Alfredo. La traviata had an initially lukewarm reception, 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.

Richard Eyre's stunning naturalistic production contrasts the superficial glamour of 19th-century Parisian high life with intimate scenes for Violetta with Alfredo and Giorgio Germont, culminating in the heart-breaking final act. Verdi's sublime score contains some of his most inspired arias and duets, including Violetta's introspective 'Ah fors'è lui' and hedonistic 'Sempre libera', Violetta and Germont's poignant Act II encounter and Alfredo and Violetta's 'Parigi, o cara', in which they dream of a happy future.

Cast

VIOLETTA VALÉRY - Pretty Yende

ALFREDO GERMONT - Stephen Costello

GIORGIO GERMONT - Vladimir Stoyanov

ANNINA - Kseniia Nikolaieva

DOCTOR GRENVIL - David Shipley

FLORA BERVOIX - Angela Simkin

BARON DOUPHOL - Germán E. Alcántara

GASTONE DE LETORIÈRES - Andrés Presno

MARQUIS D'OBIGNY - Jeremy White

MESSENGER- John Bernays

GIUSEPPE- Nicholas Sharratt

SERVANT - Thomas Barnard

CONDUCTOR - Giacomo Sagripanti

ORCHESTRA- Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

CHORUS - Royal Opera Chorus

CHORUS DIRECTOR - William Spaulding

Creatives

MUSIC - Giuseppe Verdi

LIBRETTO - Francesco Maria Piave

DIRECTOR - Richard Eyre

DESIGNER - Bob Crowley

LIGHTING DESIGNER - Jean Kalman

DIRECTOR OF MOVEMENT - Jane Gibson

Your evening

When : Sunday 24th November

Doors open : 7:00pm, opera starts 7:30pm

Running time : 2hrs 15mins

Refreshments : a selection of wines by the glass and bottle will be available for purchase, along with tea and coffee

Act I: 30 minutes

Interval

Act II: 1 hour 10 minutes

Interval

Act III: 35 minutes

We will take an interval of approximately 15 minutes after the second act

Tickets

£6 - online, at Tysoe Post Office, or on the door

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