Giuseppe Verdi was well on the way towards renown and prosperity when he took up the story of Violetta, a famed courtesan whose intensely romantic and colourful but tragically brief life marked the emergence of realism into Italian opera. Verdi and Alexandre Dumas fils intended this melodrama to have a contemporary setting, and David Livermore’s stunning production maintains this wish by placing his elegant and powerful cast firmly into the 20th century. This alchemy of masterful acting, vivid bel canto voices and the vitality of Zubin Mehta’s conducting results in a triumphant and unforgettably poignant operatic experience.

‘…Welcomed by an ovation from the moment he entered the podium, Zubin Mehta offers a reading of broad and deep breath, strenuously supported by the Maggio ensembles, which touches unforgettable results especially in the poignant lyricism of the last act…’ – La Nazione

‘Starting with Nadine Sierra’s Violetta, gifted with an extraordinary voice, limpid, ductile, with great control of her means and credible in every nuance of her character, one of the most loved of Verdi’s operas. She is the absolute protagonist, but without obscuring the two important male parts. Francesco Meli’s Alfredo is above all credible, with an elegant and powerful emission at the same time ...’ – QN La Nazione

‘…At the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, La traviata directed by Davide Livermore is an acting masterpiece, with a singing company centered around the stunning Nadine Sierra, the very engaged Francesco Meli and the stainless Leo Nucci ...’ – apemusicale.it


Cast:
- Violetta Valéry: Nadine Sierra (soprano)
- Alfredo Germont: Francesco Meli (tenor)
- Giorgio Germont, suo padre: Leo Nucci (baritone)
- Flora Bervoix: Caterina Piva (mezzo-soprano)
- Gastone, Visconte di Letorières: Luca Bernard (tenor)
- Annina: Caterina Meldolesi (soprano)
- Il Barone Douphol: Francesco Samuele Venuti (baritone)
- Il Marchese d’Obigny: William Corrò (baritone)
- Il dottor Grenvil: Emanuele Cordaro (bass)
- Giuseppe, servo di Violetta: Alfio Vacanti (tenor)
- Un commissionario: Giovanni Mazzei (baritone)
- Un domestico di Flora: Egidio Massimo Naccarato (baritone)

Director: Davide Livermore
Set designer: Giò Forma
Light designer: Antonio Castro
Costume designer: Mariana Fracasso
Video: D-wok
Video director: Tiziano Mancini

Recording place: Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence