by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE
The Metropolitan Opera's new production - the first live opera relay from the USA. with Ileana Cotruhas as Violetta, Placido Domingo as Alfredo and Cornell MacNeil as Germont
ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS of the Metropolitan Opera House conducted by James Levine

Based on Dumas' The Lady of the Camellias, La traviata is the poignant story of a courtesan, Violetta. who falls in love during her final illness. Her lover is Alfredo, a young man of fashion; but his father, Germont, is dismayed by the liaison. As always with Verdi even this uncomplicated plot is the inspiration for a series of magnificent arias, ensembles and choruses.
Introduced by MICHAEL BERKELEY
Act 1
Violetta's Drawing Room
Set and costume design TANYA MOISEIWITSCH
Lighting GIL WECHSUR
Choreographer ZACHARY SOLOV Chorus-master davib STIVENDER Producer COLIN GRAIIANI Television director BRIAN LARGE
(Sung in Italian with English sub-titles)

For the best effect viewers with stereo Radio 3 should turn off TV sound and position their speakers on either side of the screen, but a few feet away. Stereo headphones provide a suitable alternative
(Other operas on Radio 3 this week are 'The Stone Guest' tomorrow at 1.45 pm, and Verdi's ' Macbeth live from Covent Garden, on Friday at 7.30 pm)