‘La Traviata’ for festival

Three internationally acclaimed opera singers will perform in La Traviata as part of next year’s Festival Opera.

La Traviata, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, is a love story shrouded in sacrifice and misunderstanding.

Verdi’s heroine will be brought to life by the Polish soprano Anna Patalong, who will play the lead role of Violetta. Pavarotti-trained New Zealand tenor Shaun Dixon will play Alfredo, Violetta’s love interest, and Australian baritone Peter Coleman- Wright will play Germont, Alfredo’s father.

Festival Opera creative director Anna Pierard said they strived to raise the bar with each performance and were “thrilled to have such a stellar cast and artistic team for La Traviata”.

Now in its sixth showcase, the festival was founded by Pierard and Sarah Warmsley to bring world-class performances to the region and cultivate local singing talent by partnering with the Prima Volta Charitable Trust.

La Traviata will provide an opportunity for Project Prima Volta students to work alongside award-winning opera performers as they take on chorus roles.

“It is such a unique opportunity for these young performers to gain advice and guidance from our starring performers. For many in PPV, this production is the exciting finish line of the Project Prima Volta programme, before they head off to university,” Pierard said.

New Zealand soprano Milla Dickens will play Flora, Violetta’s confidante.

Scotsman John Leo Wilkie is stage director.

Festival Opera’s La Traviata is part of the Tremains Art Deco Festival in February 2019, with performances at the Napier Municipal Theatre.