Today’s program documents the only time Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti performed La traviata together at the Met. It is Pavarotti’s third complete performance with the company (he cancelled midway through his second, a La bohème in 1968), the first of the three times he sang Alfredo there, and the first time he sang with Sutherland in the house.
Giuseppe Verdi: La traviata
Metropolitan Opera
Richard Bonynge, conductor
22 October 1970
In-house recording
Violetta – Joan Sutherland
Alfredo – Luciano Pavarotti
Germont – Sherrill Milnes
Flora – Frederica von Stade
Gastone – Leo Goeke
Baron Douphol – Raymond Gibbs
Marquis D’Obigny – Gene Boucher
Dr. Grenvil – Louis Sgarro
Annina – Loretta Di Franco
Giuseppe – Lou Marcella
Gardener – John Trehy
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
