November 6 7:30PM
November 8 2:00PM

Presented in Concert at Keller Auditorium with the Portland Opera Orchestra and Chorus 

In Italian with English captions
2 hours and 25 minutes with one intermission

One of the most beloved operas ever composed, La Traviata combines sweeping emotion with some of the most recognizable music in the operatic repertoire. Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece tells the story of Violetta Valéry, a woman determined to live freely and authentically despite the rigid social expectations that surround her. When she falls deeply in love, she is forced to confront the painful realities of class, reputation, sacrifice, and the cost of pursuing happiness on her own terms. 

Adapted from Alexandre Dumas fils’ La Dame aux camélias, the opera broke new ground in its portrayal of a contemporary woman whose emotional life is treated with dignity, complexity, and compassion. Verdi’s luminous score captures both the exhilaration of love and the devastating consequences of societal judgment, moving seamlessly from moments of intimacy and joy to heartbreaking tragedy. 

More than a romantic drama, La Traviata remains a powerful reflection on personal freedom, vulnerability, and the tension between public expectation and private truth. Its enduring resonance lies in its humanity: the opera asks what it means to truly live according to one’s own values in a world eager to define worth through convention, status, and appearance. 

As Portland Opera continues to navigate our SOS fundraising campaign KEEP PORTLAND OPERATIC, we are committed to maintaining artistic excellence while simultaneously exercising fiscal responsibility. Our production of La Traviata will be performed in concert – that means that our chorus and orchestra will be seated on stage behind the principal singers, and while dynamic, this production will not have the benefit of sets or costumes.