What happens when a director with more than 40 years of theater experience brings her storytelling skills to opera for the first time? For Maru Garcia, Boulder Opera’s La Traviata offers an opportunity to explore love, sacrifice, and human connection—with the audience just steps away.
On November 14 and 15, Boulder Opera brings Verdi’s beloved opera to Dickens Opera House in Longmont in a fully staged, two-hour production with piano and string quintet. The dinner opera format invites audiences to experience the story in an intimate setting, where its celebrations, confrontations, and tender exchanges unfold close by.
A Theater Director’s First Opera
Maru’s career spans more than 100 plays as an actor and director, along with work in film and television. She earned her bachelor’s degree in art from UNAM in Mexico City, specializing in directing, and has led three theater companies: Grupo Bochinche in Mexico City and Colorado’s 73rd Avenue Theatre Company and Wheat Ridge Theatre Company.
She also serves as president of Escena Abierta Teatro Inclusivo, a nonprofit in Mexico that teaches acting to young people with Down syndrome and other disabilities.
Now, she is bringing that extensive theatrical experience to her first opera production—and her first collaboration with Boulder Opera.
“I have not directed opera before, and this was a great opportunity to work with a small local professional company,” Maru shares.
Love and Sacrifice at the Heart of the Story
For Maru, the heart of La Traviata is its emotional honesty. Violetta and Alfredo’s relationship asks audiences to consider what people will give up for someone they love.
“It is a love story,” she explains. “It shows us how a person in love can make sacrifices in spite of their own feelings. It gives us hope.”
That focus on the characters’ emotional journey has helped guide the production’s adaptation into a two-hour evening.
“We decided to keep those scenes that move the story forward without sacrificing the amazing music,” says Maru.
The result brings the central relationships into focus while preserving the music that gives those relationships their power.
A Production That Comes Alive Beside You
The dinner setting shapes how Maru approaches the staging. With singers performing close to the audience, a glance, a hesitation, or a quiet exchange can become especially vivid.
“There are a lot of scenes in which the singers will be really close to the audience,” she says.
Asked what piano and string quintet bring to the production, Maru answers with one word: “Intimacy.”
That same quality defines the moments she is most eager to share: the intimate scenes between Alfredo and Violetta.
“I think they are very powerful,” she says.
Your First Opera? Pull Up a Chair.
For anyone curious about opera, Maru sees this production as a welcoming place to begin. Its shorter format and close connection between performers and audience offer an immediate way into the story.
“The whole production comes alive next to the audience,” she says. “It is a great immersive experience.”
Whether you know every melody or are hearing Verdi for the first time, join Boulder Opera for an evening of live music, theater, and a love story experienced up close.
Experience La Traviata on November 14–15 at Dickens Opera House in Longmont. Reserve your tickets through Boulder Opera’s website and explore the dinner options for your evening.