La Traviata
14 – 23 July 2022
QPAC Lyric Theatre, South Bank
This new production of La Traviata, reimagined by director Sarah Giles, features an ensemble of some of Australia’s most exciting singers, including Lorina Gore as the famed heroine Violetta, Kang Wang as Alfredo, and José Carbó as Germont, backed by the Opera Queensland Chorus and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dane Lam.
Set in 1850s Paris, La Traviata encourages audiences to examine modern politics through a prism of the past, telling all sides of this universally popular tale of hedonism and heartbreak. Director Sarah Giles said audiences may have seen La Traviata before and be very familiar with the story, but they have never seen it told quite like this.
“When we think about La Traviata, we generally think about Violetta the party girl, Violetta the romanticised dying courtesan, lavish party scenes and great opulence,” Giles said. “What we tend not think about are the realities and complexities of sex work, the inherent imbalance of power between men and women, the punishing, unforgiving and inflexible society that Violetta lived in. And yet this is the world that her story takes place in. So, in this production we’re showing both sides of her story; the public and the private life of Violetta Valery. You’ll see the parties, the champagne, the glitz, and you’ll see the cruel reality of what happens behind closed doors and how contradictory the world was that Violetta had to survive and thrive in.”
Opera Queensland CEO & Artistic Director Patrick Nolan said that Opera Queensland are delighted to premiere this reimagining of Verdi’s La Traviata, a 169-year-old work that is the world’s most performed opera.
“Verdi’s music is astonishing and for all the wonderful chorus scenes in this opera, it is driven by finely nuanced dramatic writing,” Nolan said. “In this production, we are fortunate to have an ensemble of very talented singers who understand the multifaceted power of the voice to express drama. Award winning set and costume designer Charles Davis has created the breathtaking costumes as intricate period pieces with dazzling modern flair that reflect the excesses of the story.”
La Traviata is a co-production between State Opera South Australia and West Australian Opera. The production will include a season performance in Adelaide (25 July to 3 August) and Perth (20-29 October).
For ticketing and further information, visit the Opera Queensland website
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