Lyric Opera of Chicago Will Perform Complete Score of Verdi's LA TRAVIATA Throughout Run, 11/20-12/20

Lyric Opera of Chicago's new production of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, opening on November 20 and continuing for nine more performances through December 20, will be performed absolutely complete, general director Anthony Freud announced today. Beginning with the company's inaugural season (1954), the work has been presented by Lyric in 13 seasons, but never with every note of Verdi's score included.

Conducted by Massimo Zanetti and directed by Arin Arbus (debut), Lyric's new production will star Marina Rebeka (Violetta, debut), Joseph Calleja (Alfredo), and Quinn Kelsey (Germont).

Traditionally cut material that will be performed in this production includes:

• Second verse of Violetta's Act I aria, "Ah, fors'è lui"
• Second verse of Alfredo's Act II cabaletta, "O mio rimorso"
• Both verses of Germont's Act II cabaletta, "No, non udrai rimproveri"
• Second verse of Violetta's Act III aria, "Addio del passato"
• Full second half of Violetta/Alfredo duet, "Gran Dio, morir si giovine"

"La Traviata is one of the world's most popular operas," notes Freud, "and it's always surprising to me that we seldom hear the complete score. Because we're presenting a brand-new production and have a conductor and director who are enthusiastic about exploring the opportunities offered by doing the score complete, we are giving our audiences the chance to hear something very rare. Performing the complete score strengthens and deepens Verdi's masterly characterizations, intensifying the relationships between the characters and the motives for their reactions."

Maestro Zanetti, too, believes that the work's dramaturgy is significantly enhanced by performing the score complete. He cited the second verse of Violetta's Act One aria, in which "she's singing about her dream of how ideal love would be - that's exactly what Alfredo represents. We need that second verse to totally understand the picture she has in mind. There is also her Act Three aria, which is a great farewell to life. She is anticipating that she will die alone; in the second verse, she's saying, 'There will be no flower, no cross, on my grave.' The picture is that she is completely alone, and if we don't hear those words, we don't fully understand her feelings."

For tickets and further information, call (312-827-5600) or to go www.lyricopera.org.

The new Lyric Opera production of La Traviata is generously made possible by the Julius Frankel Foundation in honor of Nelson D. Cornelius, Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil and Daniel Fischel, and Helen and Sam Zell. It is a coproduction of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and Canadian Opera Company.

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