Hello,

I’ve decided to make this post in hopes that the occasional interested individual may stumble upon it. I recently visited Rome, and had the pleasure of going to see Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” which was performed at a Basilica very close to the Roma Termini Metro/train station. Not only this, but it’s relatively close to Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore, which as the name suggests is one of the four major basilicas in Rome that’s worth visiting on the same day.

I should preface by saying that, on balance of probability, I am no doubt an opera noob compared to you: the reader.

Comments: This is a cheap opera; the best seats in the house, if booked through the official website, are something like €55pp. These seats are within spitting distance of the performers (I didn’t test that, though). What a bargain!

The opera actually starts at 8:30pm, and as such I would recommend you get there half an hour earlier if booking the “central A” seats, as there are a good few rows of these and latecomers are typically sat at the back of this allocation. It’s worth noting that you’ll be sitting on pews (with a small cushion).

The venue is fantastic. The church interior is rather beautiful and makes for a humbling and perhaps unique spectacle. The opera is performed in the sanctuary around the altar and there is ballet which occasionally extends between the pews.

I recall two ballet scenes, one towards the start around ‘the drinking song’ and one at the start of scene two with the introduction of the matadors. It’s perhaps unconventional, but very fitting and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Perhaps I should not comment on acoustics, as of course I only sat in one place. For me, the voices occasionally sounded slightly ‘canny’, but seats closer to the performers (right up close) would almost definitely sound better.

The costumes were very good, and the scenes were well designed. The pulpits are used by the performers, which I felt was rather clever.

I should probably hold my tongue regarding the quality of the opera singers, but I personally thought they were very good.

There are no supertitles, and as such I suggest having the script with you.

I’m probably forgetting things, but to conclude, I would highly recommend this bargain opera. Definitely get the best seats in house, as the in-your-face ballet, engaging opera singers (just meters from you) and magnificent artwork in the basilica is a surreal experience.