Review: La Traviata at The Regent

Review by Greg Gorton

My introduction to opera was via Opera Australia’s 2022 production of La Traviata, and it blew me away. Many, many operas later, I find myself lucky enough to see the company (and more importantly, Stacey Alleaume) revisiting Verdi’s masterpiece. This contemporary vision is far more risk-taking in direction and design, and this will hit each audience member differently. The core, confident, abilities of the performers and musicians ensures that, whatever other opinions may exist, the night is one to enjoy.

La Traviata is actually the perfect introduction to opera, even if I wasn’t aware of it at the time. A number of the pieces are recognisable to those who are not generally fans of the medium. The story has been poorly reinterpretated many times, most notably in the jukebox musical film, Moulin Rouge!. Most importantly, the themes, characters, and complications are suitably universal that we can empathise with them all immediately.

This 2026 production of the opera opens on a very modernistic stage - three rooms lit in varying colors, populated by an ongoing party. While two of these rooms are comfortably used to introduce us to the private and public versions of our heroine Violetta, the third appears to be no more than a useful little transitional space for other roles. A quite aesthetically pleasing space, with the contrasting colour schemes, simple prop usage, and well-choreographed movements throughout, it’s easy to be drawn into the show in this introductory scene. I’ve often thought it fortunate that the opera’s most famous piece (“Libiamo ne' lieti calici”) appears so early in Verdi’s work, as it is nice for anyone to have a firm grasp of the world they are being invited into. This production's rendition succeeds due to the incredible work of Filipe Manu, who sells the awkward poet Alfredo Germont with ease.

While far from having an educated ear, I found the vocal performances at The Regent to be quite impressive. While it took incredibly strong voices from Alleume and Andrii Kymach as the elder Germont to properly fill such a large space, both as individuals and as a chorus, there was nothing to fault. Likewise, the incredible Orchestra Victoria provided the full range of emotion-tearing music for the night. This is an opera filled with comedy, romance, tension, and tragedy, with Verdi capturing them all through simple genius. I can’t begin to imagine the feat it must be for any instrumentalist to run through this gamut over two hours, but on the whole they were amazing.

It is, however, in the discussion of performance and stagecraft that I am most well-versed, and so I return.

The chemistry between Manu and Alleaume is strong from start to finish in this show, a feat I fear most performers of the opera are unable to accomplish. Likewise I find myself wishing to praise the performance of Andrii Kymach as Alfredo’s father, and Jennifer Black as the servile Annina. This might arguably be the greatest opera I have seen when it comes to the acting by the performers, especially impressive when it must be reconciled with the practical necessities of voice. The final scene is particularly harrowing thanks to these abilities, and will be one I most fondly remember of the night.

While each of the performers, from these stars to the chorus, was amazing, it must be said that not one other could really compare to Stacey Alleaume. Few people have the presence required to completely fill a stage as large as the one at the Regent but, silent and lying on a chaise, she was still a compelling figure. Her movements conveyed every hesitation, every fear, and every joy of Violetta, leaving us with heartbreak as our only option to end the night.

I personally was never sold by some of the more courageous choices of direction and stagecraft. While the opening scenery was beautiful, its transition to “other locations” felt like the creation of sets made from recycled material, not quite suitable for the needs no matter how hard they tried to be. Often these issues were smartly obscured by some cunning lighting design by Paul Jackson, but sometimes even that was not enough. Supplementary action added to the beginning of Act 2 was little but distracting, while the interpretation of “the entertainers” had the appearance of a cheap placeholder. This is no negative comment on the two incredible dancers, Mia Sfara and Max Walburn - only that their compelling choreography would have been moreso if not placed between us and the hammiest “audience” I’ve seen in some time.

Opera Australia likes to return to comfortable places at least once each season, but there is never a fear that they will do it the same as last time. This latest version of La Traviata is filled with beautiful music, phenomenal performances, and some unique perspectives that remind us there is still new to be found in Verdi’s work over a hundred and fifty years ago.

Image Credit: Jeff Busby