For the best browsing experience, please download a modern browser. Internet Explorer 8 is outdated and may result in errors.

Seattle Opera. close navigation
close navigation
Buy Tickets

La traviata

May 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, & 21, 2023
McCaw Hall

Buy Tickets
Buy Ticket

Overview

Everything is just as grandiose as you would expect from an operatic scenic design. … [and] stunning costumes which are at once elegant and impressively mobile.”

– Broadwayworld.com


Music by Giuseppe Verdi; Libretto by Francesco Piave

Elegant. Emotional. Unforgettable. How much would you sacrifice for love? Violetta holds court at every party in Paris, toasting to high-class pleasures alongside affluent men. But beneath the grandeur lies a fatal disease. Will her time run out before she knows true love? Verdi’s timeless story of fate and sacrifice, renowned for its soaring arias and heart-wrenching ending, proves how “love is the heartbeat of the universe.”

Francesca Zambello’s “stunning new 4-star production” (DC Theatre Scene) features a grand set design and elaborate turn-of-the-century Paris costumes by Tony Award®–winning designer Jess Goldstein. From the famous brindisi drinking song to the heart-wrenching “Addio del passato” aria, La traviata spins an impressive outpouring of melody to convey Violetta’s unforgettable plight.

Four internationally heralded singers will make their Seattle Opera debuts in the opera’s lead roles: Armenian soprano Mané Galoyan, praised for her “emotionally intense and touchingly fragile” portrayals (Bachtrack), and South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu, called “one in a million” by OperaWire, appear as Violetta, while tenors Rame Lahaj (“hardly to be outdone,” Los Angeles Times) and Duke Kim (2021 grand finals winner, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions) fill the role of Alfredo.

Special Events & Availability

Family Day: Sunday, May 14 is Family Day at La traviata! For this specially designated performance, students age 18 and under pay only $20 for almost any seat. Family Days also feature special student-oriented activities during intermission.
Learn more

Relaxed Performance on Sunday, May 21: This performance date of La traviata will be a relaxed performance. The house lights will be left on a dim setting, and audience members will be able to enter and exit the hall during the performance. A quiet relaxation room and sensory-friendly activities will be available in McCaw Hall for patrons who might like a break before or during the performance.

Under 40? Save up to 50% on your tickets when you join BRAVO!, our young patrons group for opera lovers ages 21–39. Plus, enjoy special events and other exclusive benefits!
Learn more

Performance Information

Performance Information

McCaw Hall

Evening performance at 7:30 PM. Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM

In Italian with English subtitles

Performance Time: 2 hours 30 minutes with intermission

Movie-style rating: PG-13

Content Advisory

Have a Promo Code?

2022/23 Season Preview

Play Video Play PreviewPause Video

Subscribe Today

Save up to 20% over the cost of single tickets when you subscribe to the 2022/23 season! Plus, you’ll have a guaranteed seat, even if performances have reduced capacity. More benefits to subscribing include:

  • Access to the best seats at the lowest prices throughout McCaw Hall
  • Flexible cancellation through December 31
  • Hassle-free ticket exchanges
  • Streaming access for missed performances

Subscribe Now

COVID Safety

We strongly recommend all audience members wear a mask when attending Seattle Opera performances. Please review our safety page before every event and performance you attend to get the most up-to-date information.

Safety Protocols

Cast

Vuvu Mpofu

Violetta

Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 22/23:
Violetta, La traviata

Hometown: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements:
 Musetta, La bohème (Glyndebourne Festival); Violetta, La traviata (Opéra national de Lorraine); Pamina, The Magic Flute (Staatsopera Stuttgart and Theater St Gallen); Leïla, The Pearl Fishers (Cape Town Opera); Bess McNeil, Breaking the Waves (Theater St Gallen); Gilda, Rigoletto (Washington National Opera)

Last Updated: February 2022

Vuvu Mpofu

Violetta

Seattle Opera Debut
May 6, 10, 14, 17 & 20

Mané Galoyan

Violetta

Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Violetta, La traviata

Hometown: Berlin, Germany
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements:
Second Flower Maiden, Parsifal (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Corinna, Il viaggio a Reims (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Violetta, La traviata (Deutsche Oper Berlin & De Nationale Opera); Pamina, The Magic Flute (Deutsche Oper Berlin)

Last Updated: February 2022

Mané Galoyan

Violetta

Seattle Opera Debut
May 7, 13, 19 & 21

Rame Lahaj

Alfredo

Tenor
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Alfredo, La traviata

Hometown: Istog, Kosovo
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements:
Alfredo, La traviata (Teatro Comunale di Bologna); Mario Cavaradossi, Tosca (Opera national de Lorraine and Teatro Petruzzelli); Rodolfo, La bohème (Opera Wroclawska)

Last Updated: February 2022

Rame Lahaj

Alfredo

Seattle Opera Debut
May 6, 10, 14, 17 & 20

Duke Kim

Alfredo

Tenor
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Alfredo, La traviata

Hometown: Seoul, Republic of Korea
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements:
Lysander, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Santa Fe Opera); Camille de Rosillon, The Merry Widow (Palm Beach Opera); Le Remendado, Carmen (Washington National Opera)

Last Updated: January 2022

Duke Kim

Alfredo

Seattle Opera Debut
May 7, 13, 19 & 21

Michael Chioldi

Giorgio

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Giorgio Germont, La traviata

Hometown: New York, NY
Seattle Opera Debut: Baron Scarpia, Tosca (’21)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Marcello, La bohème (’21)
Engagements: Rigoletto, Rigoletto (Metropolitan Opera); Tonio, Pagliacci and Falstaff, Falstaff (Palm Beach Opera); The Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman (Utah Opera); Giorgio Germont, La traviata (Phoenicia Festival and NYCO)

Last Updated: December 2022

Michael Chioldi

Giorgio

May 6, 10, 14, 17 & 20

Joo Won Kang

Giorgio

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Giorgio Germont, La traviata

Hometown: Gunsan City, Korea
Seattle Opera Debut: Nourabad, The Pearl Fishers (’15)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Dandini, Cinderella (’19)
Engagements: Marcello, La bohème (Mostly Mozart Festival and Lincoln Center Festival); Baritone Soloist, “Un Gala in Maschera” (Merola Opera); Figaro, The Barber of Seville (Fort Worth Opera); Ping, Turandot (San Francisco Opera); Giorgio, La traviata (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis)

Last Updated: February 2022

Joo Won Kang

Giorgio

May 7, 13, 19 & 21

Sarah Larsen

Flora Bervoix

Mezzo-Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Flora, La traviata

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Seattle Opera Young Artist 2011/12, 2012/13
Seattle Opera Debut: Mercédès, Carmen (’11)
Previously at Seattle Opera:
Stewardess, Flight (’21); Lola, Cavalleria rusticana Highlights Recital (’20); Soloist, Ode to Beethoven (’20); The Composer, Ariadne auf Naxos (’15); The Secretary, The Consul (’14); Maddalena, Rigoletto (’14)
Engagements: 2nd Dame, Die Zauberflöte (The Metropolitan Opera); Flora, La traviata (The Metropolitan Opera); Laurene Powell Jobs, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Austin Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Atlanta Opera)

Last Updated: January 2022

Sarah Larsen

Flora Bervoix

May 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20 & 21

John Marzano

Gastone de Letorieres

Tenor
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Philistine Messenger, Samson and Delilah in Concert; Gastone de Letorieres, La traviata

Hometown: Tacoma, WA
Seattle Opera Debut: Giuseppe, La traviata (’17)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Le Remendado, Carmen (’19); Ruiz, Il trovatore (’19)
Engagements: National Semifinalist, National Council Auditions (Metropolitan Opera); Andronico, Bajazet (Portland Opera); Alfredo, La traviata (Vashon Opera); Camille de Rosillon, The Merry Widow (Tacoma Opera); Tony, West Side Story (Symphony Tacoma); Arturo, Lucia di Lammermoor (Vashon Opera)

Last updated: November 2022

John Marzano

Gastone de Letorieres

May 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20 & 21

Darren Drone

Barone Douphol

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Baron Douphol, La traviata

Hometown: Sherwood, AR
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements: Sacristan, Tosca (Dallas Opera); Marcello, La bohème (The Glimmerglass Festival); Falstaff, Falstaff (Opera San Jose); Preacher Man & Bilal (cover), The Walkers world premiere (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Zuniga, Carmen (Portland Opera); Falstaff (cover), Falstaff (Santa Fe Opera)

Last Updated: October 2022

Darren Drone

Barone Douphol

Seattle Opera Debut
May 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20 & 21

Christian Zaremba

Marchese d'Obigny

Bass
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Marchese d’Obigny, La traviata

Hometown: Rutherford, NJ
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements: Sparafucile/Monterone, Rigoletto (Opera Colorado); Leporello, Don Giovanni (Berkshire Opera Festival); Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro (Austin Opera); Sarastro, The Magic Flute (Opéra de Montréal); Colline; La bohème (New Orleans Opera); Sarastro; The Magic Flute (Théâtre du Capitole)

Last Updated: October 2022

Christian Zaremba

Marchese d'Obigny

Seattle Opera Debut
May 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20 & 21

Creative Team

Carlo Montanaro

Conductor

Conductor
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: 
La traviata

Hometown: Cecina, Italy
Seattle Opera Debut
Don Quichotte (’11) 
Previously at Seattle Opera: The Elixir of Love (film, ’20); Rigoletto (’19); Il trovatore ('19); Madame Butterfly (’17); Mary Stuart (’16)
Engagements:
Lucia di Lammermoor (Teatro di San Carlo); Ernani (Opera Australia); Tosca (Opera National de Paris); Nabucco (Deutsche Oper Berlin); The Tales of Hoffmann (Opera de Las Palmas); Madama Butterfly (Opera Australia); Tosca (Opéra National de Paris)

Last Updated: January 2022

Carlo Montanaro

Conductor

Francesca Zambello

Original Stage Director

Stage Director
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Original Stage Director, La traviata

Hometown: New York, NY
Seattle Opera Debut: Faust (’87)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Porgy and Bess (’18); Aida (’18); Billy Budd (’01); Tristan und Isolde (’98); Florencia en el Amazonas (’05,’98); War and Peace (’90)
General Director of The Glimmerglass Festival, Artistic Director of The Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center
Engagements:
Stage Director, West Side Story (Teatro Lirico di Cagliari); Tenor Overboard (Glimmerglass Festsival); Aida (LA Opera); Carmen (Washington National Opera); Dialogues of the Carmelites (Houston Grand Opera); La Traviata (International Festival of Vocal Music “Opera Apriori”)

Last Updated: February 2022

Francesca Zambello

Original Stage Director

Peter J. Davison

Original Set Designer

Set Designer
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Original Set Designer, La traviata

Hometown: London, UK
Seattle Opera Debut:
Porgy and Bess (’18)
Engagements: 
Set Designer, The Rake’s Progress (Metropolitan Opera); The Marriage of Figaro (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino); Florencia en el Amazonas (Lyric Opera of Chicago); “Gods and Mortals” (Glimmerglass Festival); Il trovatore (Glimmerglass Festival); “To the World” (Glimmerglass Festival)

Last updated: February 2022

Peter J. Davison

Original Set Designer

Mark McCullough

Original Lighting Designer

Lighting Designer
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23:
 Original Lighting Designer, La traviata

Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Seattle Opera Debut: 
The Elixir of Love (’98)
Previously at Seattle Opera:
Porgy and Bess (’18); Aida (’18); Norma (’03)
Engagements: 
Lighting Designer, Aida (LA Opera); Così fan tutte (Washington National Opera); La traviata (International Festival of Vocal Music “Opera Apriori”); Florencia en el Amazonas (Lyric Opera of Chicago)

Last updated: February 2022

Mark McCullough

Original Lighting Designer

Jess Goldstein

Original Costume Designer

Costume Designer
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22:
 Original Costume Designer, La traviata

Hometown: New York, NY
Seattle Opera Debut:
Engagements:
Costume Designer, John Lithgow: Stories By Heart (American Airlines Theatre); Dead Man Walking (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Il trittico (Metropolitan Opera); China Doll (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre); On the Town (Lyric Theatre); Mothers and Sons (John Golden Theatre)

Last Updated: February 2022

Jess Goldstein

Original Costume Designer

Seattle Opera Debut

Andrea Beasom

Choreographer

Choreographer
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Choreographer, La traviata

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Seattle Opera Debut
Engagements: Rigoletto (Opera San Antonio); The Silent Woman (Bard Summerscape); La traviata (Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Glimmerglass Festival, Atlanta Opera, Washington National Opera); The Anonymous Lover (Los Angeles Opera); Eugene Onegin (Washington National Opera); Alcina (Washington National Opera)

Last Updated: October 2022

Andrea Beasom

Choreographer

Seattle Opera Debut

Michaella Calzaretta

Chorus Master

Chorus Master

Hometown: Muscatine, IA
Seattle Opera debut: The Elixir of Love (’22)
Michaella Calzaretta made her Seattle Opera debut earlier this season as the company’s new chorus master and head of music staff. Acclaimed for her high standards and superb preparation skills, Calzaretta oversees all musical activities at the company and prepares the chorus for main stage productions. Michaella previously served as chorus master and assistant conductor at Utah Opera, where she recently completed five seasons. She is a doctoral candidate in choral conducting at Indiana University.

Last Updated: September 2022

Michaella Calzaretta

Chorus Master

Back to Top

Photos

Listen to the Music

Season Sponsor

James and Sherry Raisbeck

Principal SINGER SEASON SPONSOR

Joan Watjen—in memory of Craig M. Watjen

Young Singers Season Sponsor

Maureen and Richard Swanson

Production SPONSOR

Ann P. Wyckoff
4Culture
City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Chorus SPONSOR

The late Robert Julien

ARTIST SPONSOR

Toby Bright and Nancy Ward—Jonathan Dean, Dramaturg

Main Image © Philip Newton | Photos: © Scott Suchman