La Traviata Closes Edmonton Opera Season

Verdi's

LA TRAVIATA

Closes the 2008-2009 Edmonton Opera season

La Traviata, the heartbreaking and tragic masterpiece, closes Edmonton Opera's 2008-2009 season with Verdi's acclaimed score April 25, 28 and 30 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster, call 780-451-8000 or visit www.ticketmaster.ca. La Traviata is sung in Italian with English supertitles projected above the stage.

Violetta Valˆ©ry, the notoriously beautiful and vivacious courtesan, is the toast of glittering Paris salon-life. While Violetta hosts the French ˆ©lite at a party celebrating her recovery from a recent illness, Alfredo, a young nobleman, confesses his long-time adoration of her. Preferring her freedom to the confines of a romantic relationship, Violetta at first rejects Alfredo's advances. She is soon persuaded by his romantic declarations, and the couple settles into life at her country home. Furious that his son's affair is disgracing the family, Alfredo's father, Germont, demands she let Alfredo go. Although her health is failing, Violetta, in the grip of consumption, rejects him at Germont's request, sending Alfredo into a jealous rage. Will the lovers reconcile before tragedy strikes?

"I am not alone in counting La Traviata as one of the greatest of all operas, for so many reasons," says Artistic Director Brian Deedrick. "The beauty of the piece, the richness of the characters, the glorious evocations of another time and the tissue-essential heartbreak make Traviata, a must-see for everyone."

Alberta-born soprano Laura Whalen, who last graced the city's stage as Filumena, sings the role of Violetta, with Quˆ©bec tenor Marc Hervieux as Alfredo, and Edmonton favourite Theodore Baerg as Germont. Thomas Macleay (Gastone), Doug MacNaughton (Douphol), Brian McIntosh (Dr. Grenvil), Krista de Silva (Flora), Alexander Dobson (Marquis d'Obigny) and Renˆ©e Brad (Annina) join Conductor Steven Osgood and past Edmonton Opera Artistic Director Michael Cavanagh in closing the opera season. The Edmonton Opera Chorus and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra lend their talents to this much-loved production.

All performances of La Traviata begin at 7:30pm and run at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Single tickets, which range from $28 to $160, are available at Ticketmaster at 780-451-8000 or visit www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information, please visit www.edmontonopera.com.