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