La Traviata at

La Traviata - the touching story of the self-sacrificing courtesan of the title - has long been one of the most consistently loved of all operas across the world. Verdi's music is instantly appealing, with a wealth of famous melodies that allow operatic voices to soar and thrill.

The traditional style of Richard Eyre's production for The Royal Opera in Bob Crowley's period designs has made this particular staging acclaimed and popular every time it returns. It is an opera that sweeps everyone along from the lively opening party and the instantly recognizable and tuneful toast to indulgence, through dramatic confrontations both private and public, and to the most heart-rending of tragic endings.

This season there are fabulous casts to hear in the central roles of Violetta, her young lover Alfredo and his father Germont in a company that has the Royal Opera Chorus and dancers to bring alive the indulgent social whirl of 19th-century Paris. With Verdi's music under the batons of three expert conductors and with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, this Season's performances will again show just why this opera and this production have become such surefire successes with audiences every time.