La Traviata Is Jan. 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: La Traviata is the Jan. 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as seventh in the season’s 23 radio matinees.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season revives American film and stage director Michael Mayer’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, which debuted Dec. 4, 2018: Met Opera Chorus @MetOperaChorus, via Facebook Dec. 4, 2018

Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata is the Jan. 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday broadcast, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and numbering as the seventh of 23 scheduled Saturday radio matinees during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

Nineteenth-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) set his musical score for La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) to an Italian libretto composed by Italian opera librettist Francesco Maria Piave (May 18, 1810-March 5, 1876). The libretto’s literary source was a five-act play, La Dame aux Camélias, by French dramatist and novelist Alexandre Dumas, fils (July 27, 1824-Nov. 27, 1895). Dumas adapted his play from his same-named semi-autobiographical novel, which had been first published in 1848.

Le Théâtre du Vaudeville premiered the stage adaptation on Feb. 2, 1852. La Dame aux Camélias was staged in the theatre’s second building, the Salle de la Bourse, located on rue Vivienne, on the Seine’s right bank (la Rive droite de la Seine), in the 2nd arrondissment (IIe arrondissement).

La Traviata received its Metropolitan Opera premiere Monday, Nov. 5, 1883. The 1883-1884 season offered six performances.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season features two casts over 14 performances of La Traviata. The first cast’s appearances are scheduled for January and early February. The season’s first performance opened Friday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The month’s five additional performances take place Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee broadcast, Jan. 18, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m.; and Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. Early February’s two performances are slated for Monday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

The second cast’s performances are scheduled from late February through mid-March. Late February performances are offered Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 29, at 8:30 p.m. The second cast’s first March appearance, Thursday, March 5, takes place at 7:30 p.m. EST. The month’s remaining three performances observe Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT). The last three performances are slated for Monday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m.; and closing night, Thursday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Update: The Metropolitan Opera announced via Facebook Thursday, March 12, 2020, the cancellation of the rest of the 2019-2020 season due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) entry of March 12, 2020, noted the cancellation of 58 performances. Operas affected by the cancellation were identified as La Bohème, La Cenerentola, Così Fan Tutte, Der Fliegende Holländer, Kát'a Kabanová, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Maria Stuarda, Simon Boccanegra, Tosca, La Traviata, Turandot and Werther.

Update: The opera company's coronavirus-occasioned closure affected two of the 14 performances of La Traviata scheduled for the 2019-2020 season. The last two performances (Friday, March 13; closing night, Thursday, March 19) were cancelled.

The three-act opera has an estimated run time of 3 hours 4 minutes. Act I runs for 32 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 67 minutes. An intermission of 20 minutes follows. Act III runs for 35 minutes.

Karel Mark Chichon appears as the first cast’s conductor. The British-Gibraltarian orchestra conductor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Feb. 19, 2016, in the opera company’s 857th performance of Madama Butterfly by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Aleksandra Kurzak performs the title role as the first cast’s Violetta Valéry. The Polish operatic soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 10, 2004, as Olympia in the opera company’s 233rd performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

Dmytro Popov appears as the first cast’s Alfredo Germont, Violetta’s last love. The Ukrainian tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 28, 2016, as Rodolfo in the opera company’s 1,291st performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

Quinn Kelsey appears as the first cast’s Giorgio Germont, Alfredo’s protective father. The American baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut March 29, 2008, as Schaunard in the opera company’s 1,194th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Quinn Kelsey also appears as La Bohème’s Marcello in the New Year’s Eve Gala.

Bertrand de Billy appears as the second cast’s conductor. The French conductor made his Metropolitan Opera debut March 16, 1998, in the opera company’s 294th performance of Roméo et Juliette by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Bertrand de Billy also conducts Puccini’s Tosca.

Lisette Oropesa performs the title role as the second cast’s Violetta Valéry. The Cuban-American operatic soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 28, 2006, as a Woman of Crete in the opera company’s 60th performance of Idomeneo by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Lisette Oropesa also performs in the title of Manon by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

Vittorio Grigolo appears opposite Lisette Oropesa as the second cast’s Alfredo Germont. The Italian operatic tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 16, 2010, as Rodolfo in the opera company’s 1,218th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

Luca Salsi appears as the second cast’s Giorgio Germont. The Italian baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 8, 2007, as Sharpless in the opera company’s 812th performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of La Traviata revive the 2018-2019 season’s new staging by Michael Mayer. The American film and stage director’s new production debuted Dec. 4, 2018, in the opera company’s 1,012nd performance of La Traviata.

Michael Mayer’s production team comprises Christine Jones, set designer; Susan Hilferty, costume designer; and Kevin Adams, lighting designer. Lorin Latarro choreographs the production.

The takeaway for La Traviata as the Jan. 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that 2019-2010 season’s revival of Michael Mayer’s new staging airs at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and numbers as the seventh of 23 Saturday matinees broadcast weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, American baritone Quinn Kelsey reprises the role of Giorgio Germont from Michael Mayer’s new staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata in the 2018-2019 season; Quinn Kelsey previously had made his role debut as the overly protective father at Metropolitan Opera during the 2014-2015 season: Happy ² ‏@happysquaredOW, via Twitter Dec. 4, 2018

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season revives American film and stage director Michael Mayer’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, which debuted Dec. 4, 2018: Met Opera Chorus @MetOperaChorus, via Facebook Dec. 4, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOperaChorus/photos/a.579001435509083/1890038484405365/

In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, American baritone Quinn Kelsey reprises the role of Giorgio Germont from Michael Mayer’s new staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata in the 2018-2019 season; Quinn Kelsey previously had made his role debut as the overly protective father at Metropolitan Opera during the 2014-2015 season: Happy ² ‏@happysquaredOW, via Twitter Dec. 4, 2018, @ https://twitter.com/happysquaredOW/status/1070182095937593344

For further information:

“Debut: Aleksandra Kurzak.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351104 Les Contes d'Hoffmann {233} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/10/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351104

“Debut: Dmytro Popov.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356480 La Bohème {1291} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/2016.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356480

“Debut: Quinn Kelsey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352451 La Bohème {1194} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/29/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352451

“Debuts: Alfred Walker, Bertrand de Billy.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330528 Roméo et Juliette {294} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/16/1998.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330528

“Debuts: Karel Mark Chichon, Artur Rucinski.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356328 Madama Butterfly {857} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/19/2016.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356328

“Debuts: Lisette Oropesa, Jeffrey Francis, Simon O’Neill.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:351557 Idomeneo {60} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351557

“Debuts: Luca Salsi, Kevin Augustine, Tom Lee.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352090 Madama Butterfly {812} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352090

“Debuts: Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, Vittorio Grigolo . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353598 La Bohème {1218} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/16/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353598

Happy ² @happysquaredOW. “Gala night of La Traviata. Amazing performance! Beautiful stage. So much gorgeous eye candy. Quinn Kelsey was incredible. I went in eager to hear Juan Diego Flórez and wasn’t expecting how bowled over I would be by Kelsey. Audience went wild.” Twitter. Dec. 4, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/happysquaredOW/status/1070182095937593344

Marriner, Derdriu. “2018-2019 Metropolitan Opera Season Presents Four New Productions.” Earth and Space News. Monday, June 25, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-2019-metropolitan-opera-season_25.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “La Traviata Is the Dec. 15, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/la-traviata-is-dec-15-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “La Traviata Is March 11, 2017, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, March 6, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/03/la-traviata-is-march-11-2017.html

Met Opera Chorus @MetOperaChorus. “Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera.” Facebook. Dec. 4, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOperaChorus/photos/a.579001435509083/1890038484405365/

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Aleksandra Kurzak and Lisette Oropesa, two of today’s leading sopranos, bring their celebrated interpretations of Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata to the Met next season. Single tickets on sale now: http://bit.ly/2RtLAJ2 Photo by Marty Sohl / Met Opera.” Twitter. June 27, 2019.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1144304872248029184

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "In light of the circumstances involving the coronavirus and in consultation with the Office of the Mayor of New York City, we regret to inform our audience that all Met performances have been canceled through March 31, including tonight’s planned performance of La Cenerentola. This Saturday’s Live in HD cinema presentation of Der Fliegende Holländer has also been canceled. Thank you for your understanding. Learn More: www.metopera.org/updates." Facebook. March 12, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/10163327604920533

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "The Met's dazzling new production of Verdi's tragic love story returns Friday, April 5, after a nearly sold-out run this winter. La Traviata is on stage through April 27: bit.ly/2YuczXO Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera." Facebook. April 2, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10161765582410533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “She has a surge of life in her, right before she dies, and I thought: What if we could capture the swirl of this opera in that moment?”—Michael Mayer, Director The new production of La Traviata premieres Tuesday, December 4 starring Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez. Maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducts. bit.ly/2Q7TExm Photos by Marty Sohl / Met Opera." Facebook. Nov. 30, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10161311294035533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: La Traviata.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1080 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Traviata {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/5/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1080

“New Production: La Traviata.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357072 New Production La Traviata {1012} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/04/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357072

"Season Cancellation." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357448 Season Cancellation March 12-May 9, 2020. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/12/2020.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357448