Ohio State is home to many of the cast members of “La Traviata,” which opens the Opera Columbus 2000-2001 20th anniversary season this Thursday at 7 p.m. David Templeton, who plays Giorgio in the opera received his master’s degree in music at OSU. Templeton said of his character, “He does not want his son to have relations with Violetta because of the way society looks upon courtesans. Society is the villain.” “Opera Columbus is what got my career going,” Templeton said. The baritone will also be performing in the OSU Music Gala Fundraiser on Oct. 28. David Weaver, who plays Marquis d’Obigny, also holds OSU close to his heart. He attended OSU in the 1970s and participated in the OSU Opera Workshop in 1979 and 1980. Weaver is a co-founder of the Columbus Light Opera that often includes OSU students in its summer performances. He was a part of the first Opera Columbus production in 1981 and is happy to be returning for the 20th anniversary production. Weaver is currently working on a biography of Ruby Elzy, a 1930 graduate of OSU, who played the role of Serena in “Porgy and Bess” in 1935.Diane Pulte, an OSU doctoral student, plays the role of Annina, Violetta’s maid. Her role involves “a lot of action” she said. “It’s more acting than singing,” she said.A graduate of the University of Texas, Pulte is a TA in the OSU School of Music, teaching class and private voice lessons and working as an administrative assistant. Pulte has performed in three OSU operas, “Savitri,” “The Magic Flute,” and “Mikado.”Also a doctoral student, Carolyn Redman, plays the role of Flora, a friend to Violetta. “Flora wants to be elegant, just like Violetta,” Redman said. This is her first role with Opera Columbus.Redman is a UVC advisor and a TA in the School of Music, teaching class and private beginning voice. She has also been a part of the Columbus Light Orchestra.Soprano, Sujung Kim plays the role of Violetta on Friday evening and soprano Ann Panagulias plays the role Thursday and Saturday. Both Kim and Panagulias are from New York. “I go back to Korea five or six times a year to perform because my whole family is there,” Kim said. When Panagulias returns home she will be performing in “Dialogues of the Carmelites.”George Dyer (Alfredo), comes to Opera Columbus from Salt Lake City. This is his first time in Columbus and he is enjoying the sights. Dyer will possibly embark on a tour in Europe following the production. Set in 1850 on a Paris countryside, the courtesan, Violetta finds herself falling in love with Alfredo, a young man from Provence. Renouncing her life in Paris society, she moves to the countryside with her new lover. However, Alfredo’s father, Giorgio, asks Violetta to renounce his son so that Alfredo’s sister may make a respectable marriage untainted by scandal. Violetta, who knows she suffers from consumption, fears that the separation will kill her, but agrees to leave Alfredo and returns to her former protector, Baron Douphol. At a party, the Baron challenges the distraught Alfredo to a duel. Eventually, Giorgio tells his son of Violetta’s sacrifice. Alfredo rushes to her bedside and the lovers are briefly reunited before Violetta’s death.”La Traviata,” being performed in honor of the 100-year anniversary of composer Giuseppe Verdi’s death, is directed by Linda Brovsky and conducted by Maestro Bill Boggs of Columbus. “La Traviata” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Thursday night and 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.