Rome opera house to screen Verdi's La Traviata live at the Spanish Steps

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Landmark production - designed by Valentino, directed by Sofia Coppola - to be aired free of charge in Piazza di Spagna. Rome's Teatro dell'Opera will screen a live performance of Verdi's La Traviata on a giant screen in Piazza di Spagna on the evening of Tuesday 30 June in a revival of one of the most celebrated productions in the opera house's recent history. A decade after its debut, the production - conceived by the late fashion designer Valentino Garavani and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti and produced by the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma - returns to the stage. The production - directed by Sofia Coppola in her operatic debut - marks a dialogue between opera, fashion and cinema: Valentino designed the costumes for Violetta, whilst Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli - then creative directors of the Maison Valentino - created those for the character of Flora and the chorus. For one evening, the Spanish Steps will become an open-air theatre, offering citizens and visitors the chance to watch the broadcast free of charge, subject to availability of places. The orchestra of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma will be conducted by Francesco Ivan Ciampa. The role of Violetta will be sung by Ermonela Jaho, a part that has accompanied her artistic career through more than 300 performances, and to which she will bid farewell on 30 June on the stage of Teatro Costanzi. Alongside her, Dmitry Korchak sings Alfredo, and Amartuvshin Enkhbat takes the role of Giorgio Germont. The chorus is directed by Ciro Visco. The project forms part of the programme of the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti, whose mission centres on supporting and promoting the arts as instruments of cultural and social development, and is organised in collaboration with the city of Rome. Admission is free, with entry from 19.30. The performance begins at 20.00. For the occasion, Venus, the exhibition currently underway at PM23 - the exhibition and cultural space of the Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti in nearby Piazza Mignanelli 23 - will stay open until midnight. For full details see Teatro dell'Opera di Roma website. Photo Fabrizio Sansoni - Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.