La Traviata at California Center for the Arts

The great opera LA TRAVIATA will be presented by Pacific Lyric Association Friday, Saturday and Sunday October 20-22 at California Center for the Arts in Escondido. LA TRAVIATA is a masterpiece written by Verdi, set in the luxurious party scene of 19th century Paris and encompasses forbidden love, jealousy and loss. It is based on the play and book “La Dame aux camélias” (1852) by Alexander Dumas fils and has some of the most beautiful and dramatic music ever composed for the operatic stage. Famous pieces include "Libiamo", "Sempre libera" and Verdi’s heartbreaking duet "Pura siccome un angelo".

La Traviata means “The lost one” and is referring to Violetta Valéry, a beautiful courtesan who after a year of sickness decides to throw a lavish party to celebrate her recovery. She is introduced to the young admirer Alfredo Germont who is one of the few who came to visit her at the hospital. However as their romantic relationship evolves Violetta’s impure past comes to haunt her by the visit of Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont.

Starring sopranos Emma Berggren and Yewon Ella Yoon as Violetta, tenors Gerardo Gaytan and Felipe Prado as Alfredo, baritones Carlos Oliva and Michael Sokol as Germont; the cast also includes Hiroko Yoshinaga and Kelsey Fahy as Flora, Jack Adkins and Shawn Taylor as Gastone de Letorieres, Thomas Lokensgard as Barone Douphol, Sara Frondoni and Lily Berthold as Annina, Stephen Blavet as Machese d’Obigny, Bryan Dahl as Dottore Grenvil and Robert Sheaffer as Giuseppe.

The opera is directed by Gabriel Reoyo Pazos and conducted by Alexandra Keegan.

Pacific Lyric Association is a Southern California opera company that presents fully-staged operas with orchestra, accessibly priced to the general public. The signature format of the opera productions include a spoken narrative in English before each large scene performed by a professional actor.

Pacific Lyric Association also has educational programs such as Opera Education, Opera Internship Program and Youth Symphony to provide extra support and professional training to upcoming young artists and opera industry professionals.

La Traviata will only have three performances.

Authors

• Francesco Maria Piave
• Giuseppe Verdi