La Traviata
Opera Brava's production of Verdi's
La Traviata
SYNOPSIS
La Traviata recounts the tragic love story of the courtesan Violetta and the quixotic Alfredo Germont. Set amidst the decadence and duplicity of the Parisian aristocratic class, Alfredo and Violetta’s love affair threatens to bring shame to his family. Alfredo’s father covertly appeals to Violetta to abandon her life with Alfredo, the only real happiness she has known, in order to save the Germont family honour. Violetta reluctantly agrees and triggers her demise as the price for her sacrifice.
act i
VIOLETTA’S HOME IN PARIS.
In her Parisian salon, the courtesan Violetta has recently returned to health and she has decided to throw a party in celebration. Her friend Gastone introduces her to Alfredo Germont, who admits that he has admired Violetta for quite some time, even visiting her bedside while she was sick. As the party starts, Baron Douphol, Violetta’s current lover, is invited to give a speech. When he refuses, the crowd turns to Alfredo to take up the mantel. After his rousing speech, Violetta begins to feel unwell and tells her friends to move to the adjacent room to dance. Alfredo stays behind and in a moment of honesty confesses his love for her. She rebuffs him but, despite this rejection, Alfredo holds fast to his declarations of love. Slowly Violetta begins to realise the charm and beauty of the young man in front of her. With this change of heart she tells him that they shall meet the next day. The party ends and as the guests depart, Violetta contemplates her encounter with Alfredo and tries to imagine a future with him. She ultimately decides that she loves freedom more than love.
act ii
PART 1 VIOLETTA’S COUNTRY HOUSE.
Three months have passed and we find Alfredo and Violetta in love and living at her country house outside of Paris. Violetta has given up the ‘crowded desert’ called Paris, revelling in a life of tranquillity and calm. As the act opens, Annina returns to the house and Alfredo confronts her as to her whereabouts. Annina tells him that Violetta requested her help in selling all of Violetta’s belongings in order to afford the life that Violetta and Alfredo had created together. Driven by love and anger, Alfredo sets off for Paris to settle matters on his own. Violetta enters and comes across a party invitation from her friend, Flora. She decides that she will not attend the party as she is finally content and happy where she is. However, Alfredo’s father, Giorgio, has other plans. Covertly he comes to the house early, unbeknownst to Alfredo, to convince Violetta to abandon her life with his son. This, she is told, is the only way to restore his family honour; his daughter is about to be married, but Violetta’s reputation threatens the engagement. Violetta steadfastly refuses his request. Giorgio realises Violetta is more ladylike than he believed. Nevertheless he pleads with her to make the sacrifice for his family’s wellbeing. She finally capitulates and writes to Flora to say that she will be in attendance at her Paris soirée. Violetta then pens her farewell letter to Alfredo. As she writes, Alfredo arrives home. Through her tears, she reminds Alfredo of her undying love for him before rushing off to Paris. Within minutes, Alfredo’s father arrives to console him. As father and son converse a servant enters delivering Violetta’s letter to Alfredo. He reads it, notices Flora’s party invitation and wrongfully deduces that Violetta has abandoned him for her former lover, Baron Douphol. Ignoring his father’s attempts to stop him, Alfredo departs for Paris to confront Violetta at Flora’s party.
PART 2 FLORA’S HOME IN PARIS.
In Paris, Flora learns of Alfredo and Violetta’s separation from the Marchese D’Obigny. As the party begins, Alfredo arrives and is dismissive of Violetta when asked about her. He proceeds to the card table where gambling ensues. When Violetta arrives with Baron Duophol, Alfredo notices them, taunting the Baron who angrily challenges Alfredo to a game of cards. Supper is announced and the party guests move to the dining room. Violetta, longing to see Alfredo, asks him to stay behind. Fearing that the Baron will become angry and challenge Alfredo to a duel, she asks him to leave the party. Alfredo misinterprets her request and demands her admission of love for Baron Duophol. Desperate to avoid a duel she lies and says that she loves Duophol. Alfredo, enraged, calls the other guests to join him so they can witness him humiliate Violetta for such a betrayal. As he completes his derisive rant he hurls his winnings at her. Violetta, overwhelmed, faints and crumples to the floor. As the guests extricate him from the party Alfredo’s father arrives. Giorgio denounces his son’s behaviour and before there can be any reconciliation, the Baron challenges Alfredo to a duel. ACT 3 Violetta’s Bedroom Six months have passed. The doctor, having finished his examination, tells Annina that Violetta’s tuberculosis has progressed significantly and that she has only a few days left to live. In her bed, Violetta reads a letter sent by Giorgio Germont. She learns from his letter that he has confessed to Alfredo that he was to blame for driving the two of them apart. In an attempt to right this wrong he tells Violetta that Alfredo is on his way to her to ask for her forgiveness. However, Violetta knows it is too late - she has no life left to give him. Annina announces that Alfredo has arrived and he enters, embracing Violetta as a long lost love. As they rekindle their romance he asks her to join him in Paris. The doctor and Giorgio Germont arrive with Giorgio full of remorse and regret. Without warning, Violetta is overcome by a surge of energy. She proclaims she no longer feels pain and flings herself out of bed to go to Paris with Alfredo. However fate intervenes and she reaches Alfredo only to collapse, dying at his feet.