Florentine Opera: La Traviata

Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata centers on Violetta, a woman who lives fast, loves freely, and throws a better party than anyone in Paris. Beneath the champagne and charm, she knows her days in the spotlight will not last forever, and when she dares to trade pleasure for true love, society reminds her just how unforgiving Paris can be. It is a story of romance, sacrifice, and a happily ever after that takes a hard pass.

Composed by Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, the opera draws on Alexandre Dumas fils' La Dame aux camélias and has long been one of the most frequently performed operas. Florentine Opera brings it to Milwaukee in Italian with English supertitles, letting the drama of Violetta's world land whether or not you know the libretto by heart.