Dutch National Opera
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
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Photo: Marta Syrko
REVIVAL
Dates
27 Jan-18 Feb 2024
Location
Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage
Running time
2:40, incl. 1 interval
Tickets
n.a.
Heartbreaking tale of a ‘material girl’
In La traviata, Giuseppe Verdi did more than justtell the story of a terminally ill courtesan. He alsoconfronted his contemporaries with their ownhypocritical morals. The German stage directorTatjana Gürbaca does the same in her incisive production of Verdi’s classic.
Photo: Marta Syrko
Heartbreaking tale of a 'material girl'
When Verdi decided to use Alexandre Dumas’ 1848novel La dame aux camélias as the basis for La traviata, it was the first time he had used a contemporary story for one of his operas – Marie Duplessis, the Parisian courtesan who inspired the main character, had died in1847. She was a cult figure, the epitome of success andglamour who was fated to meet a tragic end.
Poignant interpretation
Tatjana Gürbaca, one of today’s most exciting operadirectors, made her DNO debut in 2021 with her piercingproduction of La traviata. In this interpretation, ViolettaValéry starts as a carefree ‘material girl’ who becomes increasingly caught up in a capitalist system thateventually destroys her. Gürbaca strips the opera of allsuperfluous embellishments and lays bare the unforgiving toughness of the human condition against thebackground of a minimalist set. She directs the choruswith attention to the finest details. “Both individuallyand collectively, the chorus members seem preparedto do anything for the director Tatjana Gürbaca”, wrote Theaterkrant.
Top-notch vocalists
The role of Violetta Valéry demands an exceptionallyversatile singer and actor. It is sometimes claimed that from a vocal perspective the role ideally requires three different sopranos, one for each act. This challengingrole is in accomplished hands, both vocally and theatrically, with the Romanian soprano Adela Zaharia, whopreviously gave a fervent performance as Donna Anna inDon Giovanni at DNO.
The Ukrainian tenor Bogdan Volkov and the Armeniantenor Liparit Avetisyan alternate in the role of Violetta’s lover Alfredo Germont. The seasoned Verdi singerGeorge Petean completes the trio of main roles.The musical direction is once again in the hands of the energetic and passionate Italian conductor Andrea Battistoni, who this time will be conducting the RotterdamPhilharmonic Orchestra.
Performance information
Opera in three acts
Sung in Italian
Libretto Francesco MariaPiave
Musical direction Andrea Battistoni
Stage direction Tatjana Gürbaca
Set design Henrik Ahr
Costume design Barbara Drosihn
Lighting design Stefan Bolliger
Dramaturgy Bettina Auer
Revival direction Meisje Barbara Hummel
Violetta Valéry Adela Zaharia
Alfredo Germont
Bogdan Volkov(27 and 31 Jan, 3 and 6 Feb),
Liparit Avetisyan (9, 12, 15, 18 Feb)
Giorgio Germont George Petean
Flora Bervoix Martina Myskohlid*, Maya Gour (9 Feb)
Gastone Salvador Villanueva*
Barone Douphol Roger Smeets
Marchese d’Obigny Michael Wilmering
Annina Inna Demenkova
Giuseppe Dimo Georgiev
Dottore Grenvil Bart Driessen
Un domestico di FloraSander Heutinck
Un CommissionarioChristiaan Peters
* Dutch National Opera Studio
Chorus of DutchNational Opera
Chorus master Edward Ananian-Cooper
RotterdamPhilharmonicOrchestra
Original productionby Den Norske Opera(Oslo)
Online programme
Along with the printed programme book, we also offer online programme information for this performance.The online programme will take you behind the scenes with in-depth stories, articles, and interviews with the creators and cast.
Check out the online programme
5 reasons to look forward to ... La traviata
Read more
Teaser La traviata
Scenes from La traviata by DNO (2024) | Photos: Ben van Duin
Scenes from La traviata by DNO (2021) | Photos: Monika Rittershaus
Gürbacareveals theharshnessof thehumancondition
Artists
Cast
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Founded in 1918, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra isrenowned around the world for the intensity of its concerts.Led by chief conductor Lahav Shani, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is lauded for its colourful sound. Shani’spredecessor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is the orchestra’s honoraryconductor. In the 2022/2023 season, the orchestra playedMessa da Requiem for Dutch National Opera. This season,conducted by Andrea Battistoni, the orchestra will playLatraviata.
Rehearsal La traviata (2024) | Photos: Ben van Duin
Podcast - La traviata
in de media
Recensies
Verdi's 'La traviata' at Dutch National Opera: goosebumps and 'brava!' cries - ... soprano Adela Zaharia alone is reason enough to buy a ticket for this revival. A marvellously warm sound, [...]. The audience fully embraced her.
28 January
'La traviata' is very worthwhile, especially because of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the incomparable singing Adela Zaharia
28 January
Phenomenal Adela Zaharia shakes the opera to its foundations - [...] Added to this is an unsurpassed empathy that draws you in as a listener from start to finish: she does not sing the role of Violetta, she is Violetta.
1 February
From touchingly simple melody lines to waltzing feverish mass scenes, La traviata has it all.
29 January
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