With discounted tickets available through CUArts and an entire city at our disposal, we really should get out into the city more. In this series, "Nights at the Opera," our opera critic saves you the time of planning an outing by designing a night at the opera (and in the city) for those who want to try something new.
Getting tired of the same old weekend routine? Are you and your friends looking to try something new? If so, why not organize an exciting group outing to the opera? With Verdi’s tragic masterpiece “La Traviata” still onstage at the Met for a few more performances, experience an opera-themed night and get off campus farther than your favorite local hangout.
“La Traviata” centers on the Parisian courtesan Violetta Valery as she chooses between a life of luxury and a life of true love. It is an opera that can be appreciated by both newcomers and opera experts, and the avant-garde staging by director Willy Decker should really pique your interest. With a couple of extra touches throughout the night, you can rest assured, this will be an evening that your entire friend group will enjoy.
A clip from a previous staging of "La Traviata."
Before making the journey down to Lincoln Center, treat yourselves to a nice opera-themed dinner. In this regard, you have a few choices. The opera is set in Paris, so a nice French bistro would fit perfectly into this atmosphere. But “La Traviata” is a classic Italian masterpiece, so if you're leaning more towards Italian food, you can’t go wrong with that either.
