Launching the new season at Florida Grand Opera, La traviata is a story of human emotions — love, envy, jealousy, loyalty and passion. Parisian party girl and renowned courtesan Violetta Valery harbors a terrible secret — she is dying of tuberculosis. Nevertheless, she’s determined to continue her extravagant lifestyle of parties and revelry. Only the ardent Alfredo sees through her mask of gaiety to the real woman and her well-disguised suffering. But the love that could save her life is threatened by the demands of Alfredo’s furious father, Germont, who insists on a devastating sacrifice to save his own family from disgrace and ruin. Even a heart of gold can shatter under such a strain. The opera is stuffed with Verdi’s trademark memorable melodies, from Violetta’s sparkling Sempre libera to Germont’s pleading Di Provenza, to the gentle and heartbreaking love duet Parigi o cara. Mexican-American soprano Cecilia Violetta López returns in her “career-defining” and “compelling” signature role, Violetta Valery. Award-winning Belarusian tenor Pavel Petrov makes his FGO and American debut as Violetta’s lover, Alfredo. Former FGO studio artist and internationally renowned baritone Troy Cook returns as Germont; Nov. 11-Dec. 2; FGO.org.
