At the moment, there are several outstanding Violettas in the world: Anna Netrebko, Angela Gheorghiu, Renée Fleming. These are sopranos who can fill the title role of Verdi’s opera “La Traviata.” (That word, “traviata,” describes a woman who has gone astray, as Violetta has.) None of the aforementioned stars sang the part when “Traviata” returned to the Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday night, in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1998 production.

Our Violetta was Hei-Kyung Hong, the veteran Korean-born soprano. She had sung the role at the Met before, but she is best known as a Mozartean, singing such roles as the Countess in “The Marriage of Figaro.” She is an excellent Violetta, however, as she proved this week. She brings much experience of the operatic stage, an artistic maturity. And she brings great femininity, a quality important for Violetta to have. Hers is a smart, smart portrayal.

Throughout the evening, she was in vocal control, and dramatic control. She did little forcing, of any kind. Instead, she conducted herself with poise, clarity, and, as I have said, intelligence. The big moment in Act I is when all the Parisian partiers have gone, and the soprano faces the audience by herself. Beverly Sills has described this as one of the loneliest and most exhilarating moments in all of opera.

And Ms. Hong lived up to it. Her every note and syllable counted, and her every inflection was right (or at least justifiable). She handled Verdi’s coloratura with ease, and her high notes were good, sometimes lovely — particularly those D flats. For those keeping score at home, Ms. Hong did not sing the high E flat at the end of “Sempre libera,” an exciting option.

Violetta endures much in the course of two and a half hours, and Ms. Hong did her justice, at every turn. The dignity with which she told off an initially insulting Germont was fantastic. And none of the arias disappointed. I would single out “Dite alla giovine,” which was executed with great evenness and poignancy. This aria ought to be devastating, and it was.

Ms. Hong is not a powerhouse of a Violetta, but she has plenty of power, much of it quiet. And sopranos of many types can sing Violetta: heavier and lighter; more lyric and more dramatic. Specialization can go too far in opera, and I say, Fach, schmach. With a few exceptions, good sopranos should sing Violetta, and Ms. Hong is one.

In the role of Alfredo, Violetta’s lover, was a tenor making his Met debut: Wookyung Kim. It was interesting to see two Korean natives in the principal roles. Mr. Kim showed us a really beautiful instrument, creamy, elegant — also a little baritonal, it seemed to me. Not often do you hear singing as smooth as Mr. Kim’s was on this occasion.

But there were problems, especially the tenor’s flatness in Act I. He started “Un dì felice” flat, and stayed flat. Indeed, his confusion of pitch threatened to bring Ms. Hong down — she was singing with him. But, in Act II, Mr. Kim was back on track, and he did well in Alfredo’s difficult aria: “De’ miei bollenti spiriti.” That aria could have used more joy, however. And, although Mr. Kim’s diction was adequate, I will pick a nit: It was repeatedly hard to understand him on the word “quasi,” as in “Io vivo quasi in ciel.”

He gave us one high C, which was not the prettiest thing you ever heard — but it was there.

The American baritone Charles Taylor was scheduled to sing Germont, but he was indisposed, replaced by another American baritone, Dwayne Croft. Mr. Croft is an old reliable, and reliable he was on Wednesday night. He brought his rich voice, solid technique, and musical common sense. I have said it many times about Mr. Croft: He is so reliable, in his multiplicity of roles, you are apt to underrate him, even overlook him. Which is not right.

Conducting this “Traviata” was Carlo Rizzi, the Italian maestro who presides over the Welsh National Opera. (We understand that Mr. Rizzi actually speaks Welsh, which is remarkable for an Italian. And for a Welshman.) It was Mr. Rizzi who conducted that smash “Traviata” at the Salzburg Festival, with Anna Netrebko, two summers ago. And he obviously has great affection for Verdi’s score, as he demonstrated at the Met.

The first section of the Act I Prelude was beautiful: sensitive, beautifully paced, beautifully shaped — exquisite. And Mr. Rizzi took care to give the rest of the score its essential character. But some sloppiness was evident, as at the beginning of Act I (post-Prelude). Also, there are many pizzicatos in “Traviata,” which orchestras often botch — this one did, too. And I insist that the ending of the opera should be savage, reflecting the injustice of the events. In Mr. Rizzi’s hands, it was too polite.

But he acquitted himself honorably, as did the orchestra. The clarinetist deserves a special bow.

In recent months, there have been intimations that grand opera is out of favor at the Met. That would be like baseball’s being out of favor at Yankee Stadium. The Zeffirelli “Traviata” is, undoubtedly, grand opera — and it is exactly what a “Traviata” should be. If the Met abandons standards such as these, the whole operatic world will lose a lot.