La Traviata

La Traviata at Opéra Bastille in Paris - Opéra de Paris - Theatre in Paris - © Vahid Amanpour
Opéra Bastille

From 04/06 to 13/07/2026

Other languages with surtitles

Location

Opéra Bastille
Place de la Bastille, 75012 Paris
Capacity 2700 seats

Duration

3 h 05 min

With intermission


Details

Opera

For all audiences

In Italian with English and French surtitles


Highlights: La Traviata

Lucky are those spectators who have never heard the heart-wrenching aria of Giorgio Germont in La Traviata, “Di Provenza il mar, il suol”, or Violetta Valery’s unforgettable “Sempre libera” and “Addio del passato”, not to mention the famous drinking song, “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici”.

 

This opera is filled with sublime and well-known arias, and it is their seamless succession that creates the emotional beauty of this work, where the dramatic highs are sure to have you reaching for your handkerchief.
If you’re looking to discover opera, this is the perfect work to help you appreciate the theatrical and vocal art form. Every aria is a gem.

 

You will also enjoy the striking portrait of a woman Giuseppe Verdi presents with his librettist Francesco Maria Piave, inspired by Alexandre Dumas fils’ La Dame aux camélias. She’s a moving heroine, deeply human — simply human — and one of the most beautiful creations of the great Italian composer.

 

And as the cherry on top, the Opéra Bastille has chosen this season to alternate the extraordinary Russian-Tatar soprano Aida Garifullina and the radiant South African Pretty Yende in the role of La Traviata, with Roman Burdenko and Ludovic Tézier sharing the role of Giorgio Germont, and Xavier Anduaga and René Barbera as Alfredo Germont.

 

With his striking staging of La Traviata, Simon Stone transposes Verdi’s drama into a contemporary world of social media, ostentatious luxury and urban loneliness. Supported by cinematic scenography and gripping video projections, this bold interpretation brings out all the modern resonance of Violetta’s tragic fate. A raw, powerful and deeply relevant vision of sacrifice and impossible love.

 

Don’t just pack one tissue — bring several, or even the whole box!

 

 

See details for our premium option below!

Premium Option and Experience at Opéra Bastille

Looking for more than a standard ticket to the show? To make your experience an unforgettable one, choose the following offer at the time of booking:
 

  • Champagne + Programme + Exclusive Access to Salon Berlioz + Show
  • Indulge in the premium opera experience! Elevate your evening with our exclusive package, available even after standard ticket sales have closed. With this premium option, relish a glass of champagne, receive a show program, and enjoy privileged access to the Opéra Bastille's Salon Berlioz — an intimate space reserved for our premium guests.
  • Please note, this special package is exclusively offered through the Theatre in Paris box office, thanks to our official partnership with the Friends of Paris Opera Association. Don't miss the chance to make your opera night truly exceptional.

Story: La Traviata

Highly controversial at its premiere in 1853, Verdi’s La Traviata not only became the most famous work by the Italian composer, but also the most frequently performed opera in the world. Nineteenth-century audiences were scandalised by the compassionate portrayal of the heroine, Violetta — a young courtesan struggling against the bourgeois snobbery of her time.

 

In June 2026, this poignant drama returns to the stage of the Opéra Bastille.

For those unfamiliar with this heart-wrenching love story: Violetta falls in love with Alfredo Germont, a sincere young man, and dreams of living a simple, honest life with him. Their happiness is shattered by Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, who pleads with Violetta to leave his son in order to preserve the family’s honour. Violetta’s selfless sacrifice changes the lovers’ fate forever. Rejected, alone and gravely ill, she dies of tuberculosis shortly after a brief reunion with Alfredo, in a devastating final scene.

 

La Traviata is a deeply moving work, carried by Verdi’s spellbinding music, which explores the fragility of love, the burden of sacrifice and the cruelty of social hypocrisy with striking modernity.

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Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille, 75012 Paris

History and Fun Facts about the Opéra Bastille

 

Designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, the building was commissioned by French President François Mitterrand and inaugurated in 1989. For years, many had lamented the lack of a modern venue in Paris capable of welcoming modern concerts and performances with different acoustic approaches, and the flexibility that a modulable venue lends. A movement started in the 1960s called for a larger new venue in Paris that would appeal to the masses, a modern compliment to the elaborate Palais Garnier. Just over 100 years after the inauguration of the Palais Garnier, the demands finally won over the newly-elected President Mitterrand, who supported the project as the headliner among many modern works launched during his term. Selecting the popular Bastille neighbourhood for its ease of accessibility from Paris and the surrounding areas, the old Bastille Train Station was destroyed to make way for the construction of the new venue. The building was completed just in time for the bicentenary of the French Revolution.  

 

The venue has undergone many changes in direction resulting from varying political affiliations, and has undergone major renovations since its construction to repair and to soundproof the entire structure. Unlike other auditorium designs, each and every seat at the Opéra Bastille guarantees an unrestricted view of the stage. With its white glass ceiling, crisp gray compliments, and black seating adorned with rich oak, the venue is an ode to modernity and simplistic design. From the exterior, made of blue granite from Brittany and blocks of glass, light is reflected from every corner of this angular venue.

 

Fast facts
Capacity: 2,745
Handicap Accessible: Yes – in order to guarantee access to specific locations, we ask that you make your reservation at least 15 days before the performance.
Air conditioning: Yes
Heating: Yes
Coat Check: Yes (free service)

FAQ

How do I get to Opéra Bastille in the 12th arrondissement of Paris?

The Opéra Bastille is accessible by:
Metro: Line 1 (station Bastille), line 5 (station Bastille), line 8 (station Bastille)
RER: Line A (station Gare de Lyon)
Address: 120 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris
In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.

What do I do when I get to Opéra Bastille?

We invite you to arrive 45 minutes before the beginning of La Traviata, and present your voucher at the front desk. Opéra Bastille’s English-speaking staff members will guide you to your seats.
The concert hall’s doors close 15 minutes after the start of the performance and reopen at intermission if the performance includes one.
If you arrive within 15 minutes after the start of the performance, you will not be allowed to enter the opera house and will be directed to an area with a television where you can watch the first part of the show. You will be able to return to your seats during the intermission if the performance includes one.

How long does the opera, La Traviata, last?

The opera La Traviata at Opéra Bastille lasts approximately 3 hours and 5 minutes, with intermission.

Is La Traviata for an international audience or French speakers?

Both! The Opéra Bastille has been welcoming audiences from all over the world for many years. The opera, La Traviata, is sung in its original Italian version. Surtitles are provided in both French and English so that international audiences can appreciate this opera in this incredible Parisian venue.

Where will I be seated, and will I see the surtitles* properly?

At Opéra Bastille, each category provides a comfortable view of the surtitles. The surtitles are projected above and on the sides of the stage. Our Premium tickets offer the best view of the stage and surtitles.
*Surtitles (also called supertitles) are the theatre equivalent of subtitles. That’s because in French “sur” means “above”.

Is there a dress code at Opéra Bastille?

There is no specific dress code at Opéra Bastille, but proper attire is appreciated. Feel free to dress to impress and reflect the fabulous contemporary architecture at Opéra Bastille!

Can I choose my seat when booking?

When purchasing tickets, choose your preferred category and you will be allocated the best available seats in that category! Our Premium tickets offer the best view of the stage and surtitles.
Please note that tickets of the same category that are booked during the same purchase session, in the same booking order on our website are always assigned side by side. To be sure of this, make sure all of your tickets are in the same category and are included in your shopping cart at the time of purchase.
If there are no available adjacent seating arrangements, our customer service team will contact you before the booking is confirmed.

 

At the Paris Opera, the seats are assigned in odd numbers or even numbers. Therefore, if your tickets are consecutive odd numbers or even numbers (For example: 1, 3, 5,...), they will be adjacent.

 

You can find the seating plan in the theatre’s "photo" section on this page.

What is included with my premium ticket at Opéra Bastille?

The Premium tickets are our most exclusive package and include seating in category Optima, the best category in the house, a programme of the show, a glass of champagne, and exclusive access to the magnificent Salon Berlioz.

 

Your programme: At the Opéra Bastille, you may pick your programme in the main shop as well as at the programme stands located at the main entrance, on the 2nd and 4th floors.
Your glass of champagne: You can choose to enjoy your glass of champagne before the performance or during intermission. Champagne will be available at public bars or in the exclusive Salon Berlioz. The Salon is located on the 1st floor, at the right of the entrance to the Opéra Bastille. It is accessible by elevator or by stairs.

I bought premium tickets for La Traviata and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s completely normal! As the premium tickets for La Traviata include exclusive add-ons, your order will first be created as a pre-booking so the Paris Opera can assign your seats and prepare your exclusive package.
You may see a pre-charge on your card but you can rest assured that we will not charge your card until the booking is validated by the Paris Opera. After the tickets are confirmed, you will receive your tickets by email.
Given the large number of requests the Paris Opera has to manage, this process usually takes two business days but can take up to six days maximum. After six days if your order has not been validated, it will be cancelled, the pre-charge will disappear, and you will not be charged.