La Traviata is one of the most beloved theatrical works of all time, combining an exquisitely romantic story with gloriously memorable music that unfurls one heart stopping beautiful melody after another. A treat for all audiences, La Traviata appeals to everyone from opera newcomers to the most enthusiastic aficionados.
Verdi’s vibrant masterpiece contrasts spectacular party scenes with tender, intimate moments. La Traviata tells the story of the tragic love between the courtesan Violetta and the romantic Alfredo Germont. Played out against the hypocrisy of upper-class fashionable society, Alfredo and Violetta’s love threatens to shame his family. When his father directly appeals to Violetta to relinquish her one chance of happiness, Violetta submits in an act of heart wrenching self-sacrifice, making her one of opera’s most glorious heroines, a woman of boundless humanity and emotional depth.
UNL Opera’s touring production of La Traviata features an evocative projection design created by the University’s Emerging Media Arts Faculty. Staged by UNL Professor Suna Gunther, the opera will be presented with sumptuous costumes and beautiful singing by UNL Opera voice students, accompanied by a chamber ensemble enhancing the intimacy of the story. The opera will be sung in its original Italian, with English supertitles. The audience will understand every word and feel all the emotional heart tugging from this most iconic and romantic operas ever composed.
In May of 2016, William Shomos, director of UNL Opera, began to realize one of his dreams: to tour opera through rural Nebraska. Generously supported by the James C. and Rhonda Seacrest Tour Nebraska Opera Fund, and empowered by a wonderful cast and crew, UNL Opera toured a production of The Marriage of Figaro throughout the state. The successful tour became the first of a multi-year project to bring live opera to rural communities. Along with Figaro, UNL Opera has toured productions of The Ballad of Baby Doe, The Tender Land, and Amahl and the Night Visitors across Nebraska, including performances in Friend, Ord, Wayne, Norfolk, Central City, Red Cloud, and North Platte. In October of 2019, UNL Opera presented the world premiere of Tyler White’s The Gambler’s Son to a full house in Cozad, Nebraska–the locale of that opera’s setting. After a brief delay due to the constraints of the Covid pandemic, UNL Opera’s touring program resumed in December 2021 in a collaboration with the Ord community to produce Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Golden Husk Theatre. This season’s production of La Traviata returns UNL Opera to Ord’s Golden Husk as well as a first-time engagement with Scottsbluff’s Midwest Theatre.
The James C. and Rhonda Seacrest Tour Nebraska Opera Fund is dedicated to supporting the production, promotion, travel and other expenses incurred for outreach opera events, both artistic and educational, across Nebraska, especially in rural venues. UNL Opera extends its heartfelt gratitude to Rhonda Seacrest for her astounding generosity, support, encouragement, and the amazing gift she has given to UNL Opera and to the State of Nebraska.
Sunday, March 5 at 3:00 p.m. The Golden Husk Theatre, Ord, Nebraska
Wednesday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. North Star High School Auditorium, Lincoln, Nebraska (no charge)
Saturday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. The Midwest Theater, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
For more information, visit:
https://events.unl.edu/music/2023/03/ (Glenn Korff School of Music)
https://music.unl.edu/voice/mtopera/opstudies (UNL Opera)
https://friendsofopera.org/ (UNL Friends of Opera)