Franco Zeffirelli wrote, designed, and directed La Traviata, a 1983 Italian movie. It is based on Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La Traviata, which premiered in 1853 with music by Verdi and a text by Francesco Maria Piave. In addition to singing, soprano Teresa Stratas, tenor Plácido Domingo, and baritone Cornell MacNeil acted in the film.
The film had its world premiere in Italy in 1982 and was released in theatres the following year. On April 22, 1983, it was released in theatres across the United States. The soundtrack for the film earned a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording, with James Levine leading the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
Zeffirelli attempted but failed, to adapt to the cinema. Maria Callas’ performance of La Traviata was one of them. Zeffirelli wrote her a letter, but she turned it down both times. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, under the direction of James Levine, performed the opera’s score for the film.
Members of the Metropolitan sang secondary characters and extras as well. Ariel Bybee, Geraldine Decker, Charles Anthony, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Russell Christopher are among the voices of these secondary characters. In the United States, the picture earned $3,594,000.
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