[Opera at the Cinema] Royal Opera "La Traviata" Limited 1-Week Release from April 3 (Fri)! Don't Miss Ermonela Jaho Embodying Violetta with Her Soul! Verdi's Masterpiece Opera / Directed by Richard Eyre

"The Royal Ballet and Opera in Cinema" allows audiences to experience the world's highest level of performances by the Royal Ballet from the Royal Opera House in cinemas, just as if they were there in person. Selected popular works from numerous repertoires are screened, allowing audiences to enjoy innovative and dramatic productions on a large screen with powerful sound. The new season, "The Royal Ballet and Opera in Cinema 2025/26," is currently showing nationwide, featuring a total of 9 productions, each for a limited one-week run, between December 19, 2025 (Fri) and July 9, 2026 (Fri)! You can savor a luxurious and blissful time in the cinema, offering a distinct flavor from live theater viewing. **Pay attention to the overwhelming vocal and expressive power of Ermonela Jaho!** **The Royal Opera's "La Traviata," directed by Richard Eyre** **Introducing the charm of this gem of a stage with commentary by Opera Curator Mika Inouchi!** "La Traviata" is not a glamorous romance, but a work depicting the of a woman marginalized by society. Its reality and universality are the very reasons it continues to be loved across generations. Regarding this work, Ms. Inouchi points out that its essence lies in its "reflection of contemporary reality," and explains that "**this opera is a work that depicts the of a woman alienated by society in the 19th century as a contemporary story.**" Furthermore, she touches upon the fact that at the time of its premiere, the contemporary setting did not pass censorship, forcing a change in the era setting, and suggests the sharpness of its social nature, stating, "**Truth is something that pierces people's hearts like a thorn, and the psychology of not wanting to see it always exists.**" The production by Richard Eyre is one of the Royal Opera's most popular, having been performed repeatedly since its premiere in 1994. Ms. Inouchi praises it, saying, "**The sets and costumes, which are beautiful but never overly flashy, and the realistic production that is faithful to the libretto and not eccentric, accurately express the essence of this work.**" In addition, regarding this work, she states that it is "**an excellent production that makes it understandable why it has been loved for so long,**" indicating the high degree of perfection and universality of the production. The biggest highlight this time is Ermonela Jaho in the role of Violetta. Having sung this role over 300 times, she presents a pinnacle surpassing her previous performances with her mature singing voice and overwhelming expressive power. In the final act, she creates a deep emotion that involuntarily brings tears to the eyes. Ms. Inouchi passionately speaks about Jaho, saying, "**Clad in a mature, deep resonance, her technique of freely controlling everything from dramatic expressions to a sharply reduced pianissimo is simply magnificent.**" She further extols her breathtaking expressiveness, saying, "**As the opera progresses into the second half, her expressive power increases even more, and the impact of the final scene is overwhelming,**" noting that tears naturally flow no matter how many times you watch it. Furthermore, this production brings together talented performers including conductor Antonello Manacorda, Giovanni Sala, and Aleksei Isaev. Singing, acting, and music fuse at a high dimension, resulting in a performance with a degree of perfection that will go down in the history of the Royal Opera. Ms. Inouchi evaluates this performance, stating that the conductor "**realizes a driving musical creation while drawing out the maximum drama from the singers,**" emphasizing the fulfillment in both the cast and music aspects. Coupled with the high theatricality unique to the UK, this work has become a stage that will "remain in people's memories as an exceptional production." The masterpiece "La Traviata," which continues to be loved across generations. We hope you will experience this production, which vividly brings its essence to the surface, in the theater. **Click here for the full commentary on "La Traviata" by Mika Inouchi (Opera Curator)** https://tohotowa.co.jp/roh/news/2026/04/02/kaisetsu_la_traviata2025/ **** **[STORY]** Violetta, a high-class courtesan in Paris, is afflicted with a lung disease and distracts herself from it through days of luxurious pleasure. A young man, Alfredo, who truly loves her, appears, and Violetta awakens to true love. The lovers abandon their glamorous lifestyle to live happily in the suburbs of Paris. However, Alfredo's father, Germont, comes from the countryside to visit Violetta and urges her to give up this love for the sake of his son and daughter. Violetta decides to step aside and return to the baron, her former patron. Unaware of the circumstances, Alfredo insults Violetta in front of everyone. Alfredo, who injured the baron in a duel, travels abroad, and Violetta, now alone, finds her disease progressing, and the time of her death soon approaches... **"La Traviata"** Music: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave (Based on the play "La Dame aux Camélias" by Alexandre Dumas fils) Conductor: Antonello Manacorda Director: Richard Eyre Revival Director: Simon Iorio Set Designer: Bob Crowley Lighting Designer: Jean Kalman Choreographer: Jane Gibson Royal Opera Chorus (Chorus Director: William Spaulding) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Co-Concert Master by arrangement with Trittico: Vasko Vassilev) **** Violetta Valéry: Ermonela Jaho Alfredo Germont: Giovanni Sala Giorgio Germont: Aleksei Isaev Annina: Veena Akama-Makia Doctor Grenvil: Barnaby Rea Flora Bervoix: Ellen Pearson* Baron Douphol: Sam Hurd* Gastone (Viscount of Létorières): Giorgi Guliashvili* Marquis d'Obigny: Ossian Huskinson* Giuseppe: Andrew Macnair Messenger: Thomas Barnard Servant: Eugene Dillon-Hooper (*Jette Parker Artist) **Limited 1-week release from 4/3 (Fri) to 4/9 (Thu) at TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi and others** ■ Official Website: http://tohotowa.co.jp/roh/ ■ Official X: https://x.com/rbocinema ■ Distribution: Toho Towa #RBOLaTraviata "La Traviata" Trailer "The Royal Ballet and Opera in Cinema 2025/26" Season Trailer