Opera Columbus Will Present LA TRAVIATA at the Ohio Theatre in April

Opera Columbus will present LA TRAVIATA at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. and April 26 at 2:00 p.m. The production is a collaboration with the Columbus Symphony and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA).

Set in a reimagined New Orleans during Mardi Gras, the production relocates Giuseppe Verdi’s opera to a Jazz Age-inspired environment. The work follows Violetta Valéry, a courtesan who pursues a relationship with Alfredo Germont, only to face social pressures that ultimately lead to tragedy.

“La traviata is as urgent and emotionally resonant today as it was when Verdi first composed it in 1853,” said General Director and CEO Julia Noulin-Mérat. “This production honors that timeless core while placing the story in the vibrant world of New Orleans: where celebration, excess, and heartbreak unfold side by side.”

The cast will feature Aubry Ballarò as Violetta Valéry, John Bellemer as Alfredo Germont, Robert Kerr as Giorgio Germont, and Hilary Ginther as Flora Bervoix. Additional cast members include Benjamin Bunsold, Brandon Whitish, Artega Wright, and Hannah Bullock.

The production will be conducted by Rossen Milanov, Music Director of the Columbus Symphony, and directed by Eve Summer. The creative team includes Costume Designer Austin Blake Conlee, lighting designer Marcella Barbeau, wigs, hair, and makeup designer Candace Leyland, and props designer Lonelle Yoder.

Audiences are invited to arrive early for pre-show activities including live jazz, lobby performances, and themed experiences inspired by Mardi Gras. Performances will be sung in Italian with English captions, with accessibility services available at the Sunday matinee.

Ticketing Information