La traviata - English National Opera

English National Opera's production of Verdi's La traviata, staged at the London Coliseum. It is an opera in which a Parisian courtesan's romance with Alfredo is tested by his family's disapproval.

Verdi's opera follows Violetta, a celebrated figure in Parisian society who gives up her glamorous life after falling in love with Alfredo. Their relationship soon meets resistance, as Alfredo's family fears the scandal it could bring, and his father, Germont, presses Violetta to end the romance. Her decision to leave Alfredo, and the reasons she keeps hidden from him, drive the drama toward its conclusion.

The show is a staged opera, performed by English National Opera at the London Coliseum, a theatre in London that hosts concerts and shows. The material presents the story as a tragedy centred on love, judgement and illness, with Violetta's declining health shaping the final part of the evening. Opera is sung throughout, so the story is carried by the voices and the orchestra rather than spoken dialogue.

The production suits those who know the work or want to see a classic romantic tragedy performed in a large London house. It is also suitable for audiences new to opera who are interested in a story of love set against social pressure.