Coppola, who won the gold statuette for the screenplay of the
2003 film "Lost in Translation", was invited to direct the
production by its patron, fashion designer Valentino Garavani,
the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma said in a statement.
Garavani asked the American film director and producer to swap
screen for stage after watching her 2006 historical drama "Marie
Antoinette", in which the theater said she balanced "the classic
and the modern".
Rome's opera house has long played second fiddle to its northern
cousin, La Scala in Milan, and was plagued for years by
financial losses, infighting and labor problems.
It finally returned to break even last year after cutting costs,
accepting state funds and making peace with unions.
La Traviata will be supported by Garavani's foundation, making
it the latest in a string of artistic initiatives to receive
private funding after public money for the arts dwindled during
Italy's three-year-long slump that ended in 2015.
Costumes will be designed by Garavani and the two designers who
took over from him at the fashion house that still bears his
first name. There will be 15 shows from May 24 to June 30.
(Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
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