Royal Ballet and Opera Principal Julia Rausing Trust
Professor Paul Cartledge and Judith Portrait OBE
Bertrand and Elisabeth Meunier
Music
Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto
after Alexandre Dumas fils’ play La Dame aux Camélias
Francesco Maria Piave
Conductor
Richard Hetherington
Director
Richard Eyre
Designer
Bob Crowley
Lighting designer
Jean Kalman
Director of movement
Jane Gibson
Violetta Valéry
Hrachuhí Bassénz
Alfredo Germont
Ismael Jordi
Giorgio Germont
Simon Keenlyside
Doctor Grenvil
Barnaby Rea
Annina
Veena Akama-Makia
Flora Bervoix
Jingwen Cai
Baron Douphol
Grisha Martirosyan
Gastone de Letorières
Ryan Vaughan Davies
Marquis D'Obigny
Ossian Huskinson
Giuseppe
Luke Price
Messenger
Thomas Barnard
Servant
John Morrissey
Principal Guest Concert Master
Vasko Vassilev
Children
Evelyn Rose Rata, Anastasiya Hristova
Actors
Peter Cooney, Dana Myzer, Richard Gittins, Paulo Lopes, Harold Addo, Vidal Sancho
Dancers
Fabrizio Amanajas, Andrew Ashton, Rain de Rye Barrett, Natasha Moss, Laura Boulter, Stefanos Dimoulas, Nicholas James, Simon Jaymes, Mark Joslin, Bless Klepcharek, Claudia Mia, David Murley, Eduardo Nunez, Paula Puga, Laura Canela Queralt, Leticia Sanchez, Josie Sinnadurai, Vlad Troncea, Robert Wilkes
Chorus
Royal Opera Chorus
Chorus Director
William Spaulding
Chorus Master
Genevieve Ellis
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Sopranos
Rebecca Goulden, Rosalind Waters, Kathryn Jenkin, Vanessa Woodfine
Mezzo-sopranos
Jeanette Ager, Clare McCaldin, Zoë Haydn
Tenors
Simon Biazeck, Andrew Busher, Andrew Mackenzie-Wicks
Basses
Oliver Gibbs, Gavin Horsley
Music preparation
Richard Hetherington, Ben-San Lau, Leanne Singh-Levett, Edward Reeve, David Sutton-Anderson
Assistant Director
Ruth Knight
Assistant to the Movement Director
Paula Puga
Language coach
Isabella Radcliffe
Additional costumes
Emma Jealouse, Ian Costello, Nicholas Lynne, Amedine Bello, Annette Herold
Audio Description
Julia Grundy, Jonathan Nash
Patron
HM The King
Music Director Designate
Jakub Hrůša
Director of Opera
Oliver Mears
Director of Casting
Peter Mario Katona
Administrative Director
Cormac Simms
Violetta is a well-known Parisian courtesan. At one of her parties, her guest Gastone introduces her to Alfredo Ger...
Violetta is a well-known Parisian courtesan. At one of her parties, her guest Gastone introduces her to Alfredo Germont. Alfredo and Violetta sing together in praise of wine and pleasure. Violetta invites her guests to dance, but suddenly feels unwell – she is seriously ill with tuberculosis. The guests go on without her, but Alfredo stays behind. He tells Violetta that he is in love with her, and offers to take care of her. The guests leave. Alone, Violetta realizes she is attracted to Alfredo, but in her situation thinks she can only expect to live for pleasure. Her resolve wavers when she hears Alfredo outside.
Alfredo and Violetta have been living together for three months. Alfredo learns from Violetta’s maid Annina that Violetta has been selling her possessions to pay their bills. He leaves for Paris to raise more funds himself. Violetta receives an unexpected visit from Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont. His daughter’s forthcoming marriage is threatened by the scandal of Violetta’s affair with Alfredo. He asks Violetta to give up his son. She reluctantly agrees to leave Alfredo, but begs Germont to comfort his son after she has gone. Germont departs, praising her courage. Alfredo returns and after Violetta begs him to always love her, she goes out. A messenger brings Alfredo a note from Violetta, saying that she has left him. Germont returns to comfort his son and beg him to come back to the family home. Alfredo, who doesn’t know all that has happened, decides to follow Violetta to Paris.
Guests gossip, dance and play cards at an elegant party given by Violetta’s friend Flora Bervoix. Alfredo arrives and gambles recklessly. Violetta and her new protector Baron Douphol arrive, which provokes Alfredo to challenge the Baron to a game of cards. Alfredo wins. Violetta asks to see Alfredo alone. When she refuses to leave with him, he summons the other guests, and throws his winnings at her as payment for their life together. Germont arrives and denounces his son’s insulting behaviour, and the Baron challenges Alfredo to a duel.
Violetta is dying. She sends Annina to watch the Carnival festivities, and re-reads a letter in which Germont tells her that Alfredo now knows the truth about her sacrifice and will come to her. To Violetta’s joy, Alfredo arrives with Annina. Violetta and Alfredo excitedly plan a new life together away from Paris. But they realize that their plans are in vain: Violetta is too ill to recover. With Alfredo, his father, Annina and Doctor Grenvil in attendance, Violetta resigns herself to death. A sudden rush of life convinces her she has recovered, but it is a symptom of the final stage of her illness. She collapses dead in Alfredo’s arms.
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