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[title]Never been to the opera before, and feeling intrigued but also a bit overwhelmed and intimidated? You’re not alone, so we talked to Australian soprano singer Stacey Alleaume — who has been with Opera Australia for more than a decade — to get her top tips for first-time opera-goers. With her advice, you’ll be ready in no time for a night at the opera to see La Traviata, where Alleaume will be reprising the lead role of Violetta.
“I think people are often afraid of doing something for the first time, but I think opera can be for everybody – you just need to choose the right one for you,” says Alleaume. “I think La Traviata ticks all the boxes, with beautiful music, a great story and an eyecatching set.”
The plot can basically be boiled down to this: a beautiful but terminally ill courtesan named Violetta falls in love with a dashing young man named Alfredo, but his family does not approve and tragedy ensues. Sound familiar? That might be because La Traviata inspired the likes of Moulin Rouge! and Pretty Woman — and in the latter, the main characters even go to see that exact opera. “It’s a really familiar storyline that people should recognise,” says Alleaume.
On top of familiarity, Alleaume also believes that La Traviata is perfect for first-timers because of the stage design and costumery — everything is incredibly opulent, beautiful and thus immersive, making it easy for first-timers to feel like they’re truly part of the production. “It’s a really opulent set that takes you to Paris and to the salons,” says Alleaume. “You feel like you’re in the scene, even when you’re watching it from the audience — it’s so intimate.”
If you’re sold so far but still feel stressed that you would struggle to understand what was going on because the whole production will be sung in Italian, rest assured that there will be surtitles. “A lot of people forget or just don’t realise that the surtitles are up there,” says Alleaume with a laugh. “People often tell me that halfway through, they realised the translations were above.”
But even aside from the translations, Alleaume reckons that if all the actors are doing their jobs correctly, you should just be able to watch and understand. “There are all these melodic lines that embody the emotions of each character,” says Alleaume. “You’ll hear crying and defiance and love, all of these emotions intertwined with the musical lines of the orchestration.”
On whether or not a first-timer would have a better time going in blind or listening to some of the music beforehand, Alleaume says you really can’t go wrong either way. “You could go in and just watch it and then go, ‘Aw that was really pretty!’” says Alleaume, “Or, you could look up the top few songs from La Traviata and then when you watch the production, familiarity might make things more exciting.”
Alleaume’s final piece of advice is to make a big night out of it: get glam, book in for a delicious dinner and pre-drinks then head on over to see the show. If you’re feeling more confident after hearing these tips, you can catch La Traviata at the Arts Centre from May 4 to 28, and tickets are available through the website.
Wondering what other theatre and musical events are taking place in Melbourne? Check out our round-up of the best shows happening in our city this month.