La Traviata, Royal Opera House

For many people, La Traviata is the quintessence of opera. The purest, tenderest love of nobleman Alfredo and “fallen woman” Violetta, is sprung across class boundaries, fanned to a heart-melting heat by the passion of the lovers and the meddlesome, snobbish opposition of Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont, then agonisingly chilled by Violetta’s collapse with tuberculosis. In comparison with many operas and their labyrinthine plots, this is a simple story - giving the final tragedy all the more deadly a potency.

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This production by distinguished theatre director Richard Eyre, which begins a long run in May, is now an old favourite, having received its Covent Garden debut back in 1994. It dramatises the relatively simple contrasts of Parisian high society and Violetta’s poverty effectively, without distracting from the centrality of the human drama.
There will be much interest in the casting and conducting, which is, in contrast to the production, all new. Venera Gimadieva, one of the most talented young sopranos around, plays Violetta until Sat 6th Februrary. Her 2014 Glyndebourne debut in the same role was one of the highlights of the festival, revealing a talent equally adept at naturalistic acting as she is at hitting the notes. Since then, she has refined the role in productions around Europe and the US. Saimir Pirgu, an international ward-winning tenor, will play Alfredo.
From Tues 3rd March, Maria Agresta (I due Foscari) will take over. Named “outstanding” by the New York Times, she has one of the duskiest soprano voices in the world. Her casting promises a different, but equally delectable, rendition of the part. Agresta will be matched by audience favourite Rolando Villazon as Alfredo, a role he has repeatedly shined in. Underscoring the variance between the two halves of the revival, Italian opera regulars Yves Abel and Nicola Luisotti will split conducting duties.