Measuring four meters across and more than five meters high, a giant chandelier that nearly fills the stage is set to become one of the most striking features of La Traviata in Hanoi. Remarkably, the elaborate centerpiece was made entirely in Vietnam under the exacting standards and production process of its Italian designer.

Ho Guom Opera House in Hanoi announced on July 24 that it would stage the celebrated opera La Traviata, a production that promises not only a major artistic experience but also a milestone in the theater’s international cooperation and Vietnam’s growing capacity to produce complex works for world-class performances.

A landmark partnership with an Italian opera institution

Audiences in Hanoi will have the opportunity to see La Traviata, one of the masterpieces of Italian opera, on the evenings of July 30 and 31, 2026.

The performances mark the first collaboration between Ho Guom Opera House and the Giuseppe Verdi Opera House in Trieste, Italy, one of the world’s oldest opera houses.

Inaugurated in 1801, the Giuseppe Verdi Opera House has a history spanning more than 225 years and has been associated with legendary figures including Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein.

Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia to welcome the prestigious company, following its previous tours in South Korea and Macau.

According to the organizers, despite a relatively short negotiation period, the Italian side showed considerable enthusiasm for bringing the production to Vietnam, a market where classical opera remains comparatively new.

A giant stage centerpiece made in Vietnam

The 2026 production of La Traviata will closely preserve the original Italian version, which has been performed since 2024 and remains part of the Giuseppe Verdi Opera House’s regular repertoire.

To stage the production in Hanoi, nearly one metric ton of equipment, including 12 crates of performance costumes, was transported directly from Europe to Ho Guom Opera House.

Yet one of the production’s most remarkable elements did not make that journey.

Instead, it was created in Vietnam.

At four meters wide and more than five meters high, a spectacular chandelier dominates almost the entire stage and is regarded by the organizers as a record-setting piece of stage production in Vietnam.

Despite its enormous scale and technical complexity, the chandelier was fabricated locally, following the Italian designer’s stringent specifications and production procedures.

The cast features prominent European performers, accompanied by acclaimed conductor and pianist Vanessa Benelli Mosell.

While the production retains the opera’s original storyline, the organizers said its costumes and props have been given a more contemporary treatment to make the work more accessible to modern audiences.

A dedicated dance ensemble will also recreate lavish parties onstage, evoking the opulence and social world of the upper classes at the heart of the story.

Beyond the artistic demands of the production, the Vietnamese team’s technical capabilities have also impressed its international partners.

The Italian team praised Ho Guom Opera House for its professionalism, ability to respond quickly to production requirements and high level of technical competence, particularly given a stage production whose complexity was rated at nine out of 10.

The continued investment in productions of this scale represents another step forward in the opera house’s international cooperation strategy, while also reflecting growing interest among Vietnamese audiences in classical and high-art performances.

Tinh Le