The 1891 Fredonia Opera House concludes the 2011-12 season of Live at the Met high definition opera broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera with Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"We're very pleased to have presented our first full season of live opera transmissions from the Metropolitan Opera House," says Opera House Executive Director Rick Davis. "And this week's final offering, La Traviata, is one of Verdi's most popular and beautiful operas."
In this production of La Traviata, acclaimed French soprano Natalie Dessay makes her Met role debut as Violetta, the fallen woman who sacrifices her last chance for love. Matthew Polenzani co-stars as Alfredo Germont, a young man from a good family who is willing to risk everything for Violetta. Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, who disapproves of Violetta's lifestyle but is moved by her plight. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads Verdi's romantic tragedy, one of the most-loved operas of all time, in Willy Decker's highly theatrical and very contemporary production, a hit when it premiered at the Met in 2010.
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Natalie Dessay stars as Violetta and Matthew Polenzani as Alfredo Verdi’s La Traviata. The opera will be screened live in high definition at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
The broadcast runs nearly three hours, notes Davis. "There is one 30-minute intermission," he adds, "during which the Opera House will have snacks, beverages and box lunches available for purchase in the trustees room on the second floor of Village Hall. (No food or beverage is allowed inside the theatre.)"
Live at the Met opera broadcasts are made possible by Dr. James M. and Marcia Merrins, who funded the purchase of the satellite transmission and projection equipment used in the series. Additional support comes from Bob and Shirley Coon, Bob and Susan Dilks, Steve and Mary Rees and DFT Communications.
Tickets to La Traviata are $20 ($18 for Opera House and Met members, $15 for students) and are available in advance by visiting or calling the Box Office at 679-1891, Tuesday-Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. They also may be purchased anytime online at www.fredopera.org.
Chautauqua County's only performing arts center presenting its own programming year-round, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.
