A performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Brian Schembri in Hong Kong, has received raving reviews in international media.

Based on the novel The Lady of the Camelias by Alexandre Dumas, La Traviata is the story of beautiful Parisian courtesan Violetta, who gives up a life of luxury when she falls in love with the ardent young Alfredo.

The director and his designer William Orlandi transposed the work from Paris in the 1850s to 100 years later. The intelligent production featured plenty of originality – act one took place on the red carpet at the Oscars, and in act two, Violetta and Alfredo passed the time in their rural idyll playing golf.

Time Out Hong Kong wrote: “The impact of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, led by Brian Schembri, was immediate. The playing from the outset was superb and balanced, with Schembri able to keep the orchestra tight despite the tendency of a few singers to drag.”