La Traviata was Verdi's first opera based on a contemporary story for its time. It's set in the height of the scandalous party life of 19th century Paris and stars a beautiful courtesan Violetta. The story follows Violetta through the last years of her young life, and has all the elements of a great opera: true love, betrayal and tragedy. At the time it was a very controversial opera because it's main character was immoral by the current day standards and because Verdi wanted it to be set in current day (1850 at the time) rather than a period piece like all of the other operas at the time. Now it is one of the most loved and popular productions to be shown around the world.
Royal Opera House in Covent Garden
Main floor lobby
Violetta and Alfredo, the main characters
Our view from almost at the top! They use every available space to fill the top part of the theatre while the lower sections are divided into roomy boxes. In that arch shown in the pic they even had standing room tickets!
The costumes and set designs were so creative and the music was incredible! We loved every minute of it and were sad when it came to an end. During the show I couldn't get over the feeling that it I had seen and heard this opera before, even though I knew I had never seen La Traviata. So when I got home, on a hunch, I downloaded a movie that I've seen a thousand times... as it turns out, this is the opera that Julia Roberts and Richard Gere go to see in Pretty Woman! Ha!
Jenn
