La Traviata Is March 11, 2023, Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcast

Summary: Verdi's La Traviata is the March 11, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the 11th of the 2022-2023 season's 24 Saturday radio broadcasts.

(left) Angel Blue as Violetta and (right) Artur Ruciński and Dmytro Popov as father and son Germonts, respectively, in the second revival of Michael Mayer's 2018-2019 production of Verdi's La Traviata; sets by Christine Jones, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kevin Adams and choreography by Lorin Latarro: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter March 1, 2023

Verdi's La Traviata is the March 11, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, as the 11th of the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

Nineteenth-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) set his musical score for La Traviata to an Italian libretto by Italian opera librettist Francesco Maria Piave (May 18, 1810-March 5, 1876). Piave sourced his libretto from La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils (July 27, 1824-Nov. 27, 1895). The French novelist and playwright's five-act play had premiered Monday, Feb. 2, 1852, in Salle de la Bourse, Théâtre du Vaudeville's second building, located on rue Vivienne, on the Seine’s right bank (la Rive droite de la Seine), in the 2nd arrondissment (IIe arrondissement). Dumas adapted his play from his semi-autobiographical, same-named novel, which was first published in 1848.

Verdi's La Traviata premiered Sunday, March 6, 1853, at Teatro La Fenice, in Venice, Veneto region, northeastern Italy. Audience and composer dissatisfactions with opening night focused on Florentine Italian operatic soprano Fanny Salvini-Donatelli (ca. 1815-1891) as Violetta, Italian operatic tenor Lodovico Graziani (Nov. 14, 1820-May 15, 1885) as Alfredo Germont and French-born Italian baritone Felice Varesi (1813-March 13, 1889) as Alfredo's father.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of La Traviata took place Monday, Nov. 5, 1883. La Traviata received six performances in the 1883-1884 season.

La Traviata rosters in the 2022-2023 Met Opera season as the second revival of the opera's new staging by Michael Mayer in the 2018-2019 season. The American film and stage director had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in the opera company's 842nd performance of Rigoletto.

In Met Opera's 2022-2023 season, La Traviata receives 18 performances, distributed among three casts. The first of eight autumnal performances on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time opened the season's staging of the tragic opera. Autumn's other seven performances took place Saturday, Oct. 29, at 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5, at 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 12, at 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8:00 p.m.

Five winter performances were offered in January 2023. The month's La Traviata performances occurred Thursday, Jan. 5, at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 8, at 3:00 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 14, at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 p.m.

The season's last five performances of La Traviata are scheduled as spring performances in March. The month's first La Traviata took place Saturday, March 4, at 1:00 p.m. The remaining four performances are scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday matinee radio broadcast, March 11, at 1:00 p.m.; Wednesday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m.; and closing performance Saturday, March 18, at 8:00 p.m.

Nicola Luisotti conducts all five spring performances, including the March 11 Saturday matinee radio broadcast. He had conducted seven spring performances (Friday, April 5; Wednesday, April 10; Saturday, April 13; Wednesday, April 17; Saturday, April 20; Wednesday, April 24; Saturday, April 27) during the new production's 2018-2019 season debut. The Italian conductor made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006, in the opera company’s 881st performance of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Angel Blue sings in all five performances, including the March 11 Saturday matinee radio broadcast, in the lead role as spring's Violetta. The American operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, as Mimì in the opera company’s 1,306th performance of Puccini's La Bohème.

Dmytro Popov sings in all five performances, including the March 11 Saturday matinee radio broadcast, as spring's Alfredo Germont. He makes his first reprisal of the role, which he added to his Met Opera portfolio with six performances (Friday, Jan. 10; Tuesday, Jan. 14; Saturday, Jan. 18; Thursday, Jan. 23; Sunday, Jan. 26; Friday, Jan. 31, 2020) in the new production's first revival in the 2019-2020 season. The Ukrainian tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2016, as Rodolfo in the opera company’s 1,291st performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

Artur Ruciński sings in all five performances, including the March 11 Saturday matinee radio broadcast, as spring's Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father. He makes his first reprisal of the role, which he had added to his Met Opera portfolio with two performances (Friday, April 5; Wednesday, April 10, 2019) in the new production's debut season, 2018-2019. The Polish baritone had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, as Sharpless in the opera company’s 857th performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Michael Mayer's production team comprises Christine Jones, set designer; Susan Hilferty, costume designer; Kevin Adams, lighting designer; and Lorin Latarro, choreographer. American scenic designer Christine Jones, American costume designer Susan Hilferty and American theatrical lighting designer Kevin Adams had made their Met Opera debut Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in the debut of their director's new production of Verdi's Rigoletto, in the opera company's 842nd Rigoletto performance. American choreographer Lorin Latarro had made her Met Opera debut Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in the debut of Michael Mayer's new production of La Traviata, in the opera company's 1,012th performance of the opera.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee broadcasts continues with the March 18, 2023, airing of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin at noon, 12:00 p.m. The matinee performance numbers as the 12th of the season's 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's Saturday matinee opera broadcasts resume one week later. Lohengrin by German Romantic era composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883) airs March 18 at 12:00 p.m. as the 12th of the season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

In the 2022-2023 Met Opera season, Nicola Luisotta conducts spring performances of the second revival of Michael Mayer's 2018-2019 production of Verdi's La Traviata as his first revisit after conducting seven spring performances in the new production's debut season: Nicola Luisotti @NicolaLuisotti, via Twitter March 3, 2023

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

(left) Angel Blue as Violetta and (right) Artur Ruciński and Dmytro Popov as father and son Germonts, respectively, in the second revival of Michael Mayer's 2018-2019 production of Verdi's La Traviata; sets by Christine Jones, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kevin Adams and choreography by Lorin Latarro: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter March 1, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1630963906712596494

In the 2022-2023 Met Opera season, Nicola Luisotta conducts spring performances of the second revival of Michael Mayer's 2018-2019 production of Verdi's La Traviata as his first revisit after conducting seven spring performances in the new production's debut season: Nicola Luisotti @NicolaLuisotti, via Twitter March 3, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/NicolaLuisotti/status/1631716316272005120

For further information:

“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: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > “Debut: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351618 Tosca {881} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/28/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351618

“Debuts: Alexander Soddy, Angel Blue, Duncan Rock.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356747 La Bohème {1306} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/2/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356747

“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: Michael Mayer, Christine Jones, Susan Hilferty, Kevin Adams, Steven Hoggett, Robert Pomakov, Oksana Volkova." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354827 New Production Rigoletto {842} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/28/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354827

"Debuts: Selin Sahbazoglu, Garen Scribner, Martha Nichols, Lorin Latarro." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357072 New production La Traviata {1012} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/04/2018, Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirrius XM channel 75 Broadcast live (Debuts: Selin Sahbazoglu, Garen Scribner, Martha Nichols, Lorin Latarro Broadcast/Streamed). Metropolitan Opera House December 4, 2018 Broadcast/Streamed New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357072

Marriner, Derdriu. "Franco Zeffirelli’s Second Traviata Was His 11th Met Opera Production." Earth and Space News. Monday, August 31, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/08/franco-zeffirellis-second-traviata-was.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "La Traviata Is Jan. 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, January 13, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/01/la-traviata-is-jan-18-2020-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

Marriner, Derdriu. "La Traviata Is the Dec.15, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 10, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/la-traviata-is-dec15-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "La Traviata Was Franco Zeffirelli’s Eighth Met Opera Production." Earth and Space News. Monday, August 10, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/08/la-traviata-was-franco-zeffirellis.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Opened La Traviata Nov. 5, 1883, as Sixth First Season Opera." Earth and Space News. Monday, October 26, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/10/met-opera-opened-la-traviata-nov-5-1883.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2022-2023 Season Has 24 Saturday Matinee Opera Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/met-operas-2022-2023-season-has-24.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Verdi’s La Traviata returns to the stage this Saturday, March 4, for the final performances this season! Maestro @NicolaLuisotti conducts Michael Mayer’s vibrant production. On stage Mar 4–18: http://bit.ly/3NWoFCt. Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera." Twitter. March 1, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1630963906712596494

“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

Nicola Luisotti @NicolaLuisotti. "Hello #NYC! #LaTraviata opens tomorrow, and we just can't wait to lift the curtain on this revival of #MichaelMayer's vibrant production. See you tomorrow at 1PM. #ToiToiToi #AngelBlue #DmytroPopov @ArturRucinski, Orchestra & Chorus of the @MetOpera." Twitter. March 3, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/NicolaLuisotti/status/1631716316272005120