Isolation and loneliness have become part of our collective experience, especially since the coronavirus pandemic. Violetta, the young courtesan, suffers them on her deathbed, forced by societal demand to reject her lover. Verdi’s only opera set in the bourgeois world of his time demonstrates the hypocrisy of a society that first fawns over a young woman and then abandons her. Götz Friedrich’s production amplifies the emotional impact of Verdi’s music by telling Violetta’s story as a flashback: The premonition of death is present from the beginning, hanging like a shadow over the Parisian party. Thus, a timeless drama with a requiem-like quality unfolds. We eagerly anticipate the Violetta debut of Federica Lombardi, a favourite with audiences at Deutsche Oper Berlin. She will later be succeeded by Martina Russomanno, new in our ensemble. Michele Spotti, the new Principal Guest Conductor, promises a sophisticated musical interpretation.