When one reads the lyrics to the song "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" while following the plot line of La Traviata, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, it is hard not to think of your favorite moments spent in the company of friends at a neighborhood place like The Meanwhile.
Lead character Violetta (performed by Leah Partridge) joins with others in the drinking song singing, "With you all, I can share my happiest times. Everything in life which is not pleasure is foolish. Let's enjoy ourselves for the delight of love is fleeting and quick." When reading these subtitles, it is hard not to feel that this nearly 150-year-old opera is still relevant to our lives.
The story is classic opera: falling in love, discovering the forces that conspire against you, a bit of miscommunication, and a reuniting revelation near the end.
This classic love story stars Partridge and tenor Brian Jagde, making his Grand Rapids Opera debut, as her lover Alfredo. Grand Rapids favorite Jake Gardner, a veteran of Grand Rapids Opera, has been cast in the role of Germont and is joined by our local chorus.
This is also the last opera of the 2012-13 season and the final performance under the leadership of Michael Havlicek, who is stepping down and will be replaced by interim Executive Director Tom Wesholski.
"West Michigan deserves great art and is served on so many levels by a rich tapestry of culture," says Havlicek. "Opera Grand Rapids has an important role in our community and I’m proud to have been part of it."
Havlicek helped lead OGR, their board of directors, and volunteers through many changes, including the building of their neighborhood-based Betty Van Andel Opera Center where residents and commuters can catch a glimpse of rehearsal through the large glass that lines the Fulton Street side of this building.
Opera has always been a platform upon which to hang our hopes, fears, and dangers, as well as our love (and sometimes longing for that love). La Traviata will not disappoint, unless, of course, you're seeking a happy ending. Because with most operas, and much like life, there can be many paths to the ending, and often its curtain is a shower of tears.
G-Sync Event Alert: Right now, the Opera is running a 50 precent off special. See La Traviata half off with a new subscription to OGR's 2013-14 season, which includes A Streetcar Named Desire, The Abduction from the Seraglio, and Madama Butterfly.
All told, it comes out to four operas for under $70! See their site for details on this special offer.
Admission: Starting at $21.
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