La traviata
CITY VICE, COUNTRY BLISS
Violetta, a high-spirited, popular courtesan. Alfredo, her devoted but naive lover. The rural bliss they choose is shattered by fear of scandal. When their love reasserts itself, she is already on her deathbed. Opera’s most moving reunion.
Verdi’s La traviata is based on the semi-autobiographical play, La Dame aux camélias (The Lady of the Camellias), by Alexandre Dumas fils. The subject is Dumas’s relationship with Marie Duplessis, someone that composer Franz Liszt once described as the only woman he had ever loved. Verdi’s acute and heart-rending response to a woman who died of TB at the age of 23 has immortalised not just her tragedy, but also her irrepressible character and appeal.
Running time 3 hours with interval.
Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
“With her gleaming, porcelain voice, Woodbury was able to express every emotion Violetta felt as a courtesan who, at first, did not believe in love and then gave in to love’s pain and joy.” - My San Antonio, on Amanda Woodbury
“Máire Flavin, in the title role [of Handel’s Alcina], with the glamour of a film star, handled her fall from regal witchy diva to broken woman affectingly.” - The Observer
“Mario Chang, singing Alfredo, is an elegant lyric tenor, and his theatrical poise added much drama to the opera. Chang paused at the perfect moments, offering a moment’s hesitation before toasting with ‘Libiamo ne’ lieti calici’.” - Cultural Voice of North Carolina (CVNC)
Cast and Creative Team
| Amanda Woodbury (Wexford 17 May; Dublin 21, 23, 25 May; Cork, 29, 31 May) | Violetta Valéry |
| Máire Flavin (Dublin 22, 24 May) | Violetta Valéry |
| Mario Chang (Wexford 17 May; Dublin 21, 23, 25 May; Cork, 29, 31 May) | Alfredo Germont |
| Yongzhao Yu (Dublin 22, 24 May) | Alfredo Germont |
| Brett Polegato (Wexford 17 May; Dublin 21, 23, 25 May; Cork, 29, 31 May) | Giorgio Germont |
| Anthony Clark Evans (Dublin 22, 24 May) | Giorgio Germont |
| Aebh Kelly | Flora Bervoix |
| Madeline Judge | Annina |
| Patrick Hyland | Gastone de Letorières |
| Brendan Collins | Barone Douphol |
| Ben McAteer | Marchese d'Obigny |
| Graeme Danby | Dottore Grenvil |
| Ben Escorcio | Giuseppe |
| Matthew Mannion | Flora's servant |
| David Scott | Commissioner |
| Irish National Opera Chorus | |
| Irish National Opera Orchestra |
Creative Team
| Killian Farrell | Conductor |
| Fergus Sheil | Conductor (31 May, Cork) |
| Olivia Fuchs | Director |
| Katie Davenport | Set & Costume Designer |
| Paul Keogan | Lighting Director |
| Jessica Kennedy | Choreographer |
| Medb Brereton-Hurley | Assistant Conductor |
| Richard McGrath | Chorus Director |
| John King | Assistant Director |
| Aoife O'Sullivan | Répétiteur |
| Annalisa Monticelli | Language Coach |
Soprano
Amanda Woodbury
This Season
La traviata
Soprano
Máire Flavin
This Season
La traviata
Tenor
Mario Chang
This Season
La traviata
Tenor
Yongzhao Yu
This Season
La traviata
Baritone
Brett Polegato
This Season
La traviata
Baritone
Anthony Clark Evans
This Season
La traviata
Mezzo-soprano
Aebh Kelly
This Season
La traviata
Mezzo-soprano
Madeline Judge
This Season
La traviata
Tenor
Patrick Hyland
This Season
La traviata
Baritone
Brendan Collins
This Season
La traviata
Baritone
Ben McAteer
This Season
La traviata
Bass
Graeme Danby
This Season
La traviata
Tenor
Ben Escorcio
This Season
La traviata
Baritone
Matthew Mannion
This Season
La traviata
Conductor
Killian Farrell
This Season
La traviata
Conductor
Fergus Sheil
This Season
Salome, La traviata
Director
Olivia Fuchs
This Season
La traviata
Conductor
Medb Brereton-Hurley
This Season
La traviata
Répétiteur
Richard McGrath
This Season
La traviata, La bohème
Assistant Director
John King
This Season
La traviata, Faust
Répétiteur
Aoife O’Sullivan
This Season
La traviata, Faust
