La Traviata

La traviata, an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, takes as its basis the novel La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils, published in 1848. First performance: Teatro la Fenice, Venice, March 6, 1853. The title means literally The Woman who Strayed, or perhaps more poetically The Lost One.

Structure

ACT I

Violetta's home. Ensemble of the guests.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Drinking song -- Brindisi, Alfredo and Violetta: Libiamo ne' lieti calici -- "Let's drink from the happy goblets"
• Alfredo's profession of love: Di quell'amor ch'é palpito -- "In that throbbing love"
• Chorus: Si ridesta in ciel l'aurora -- "The dawn reawakens in the sky"
• Scene and aria of Violetta: É strano -- "It is strange"
• Ah, forse lui -- "Perhaps he is the one" and Sempre libera -- "Always free"

ACT II

At a country house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Alfredo's scene: Lunge da lei per me non v'ha diletto -- "Far from her there's no joy"
• Aria: De miei bollenti spiriti -- "Of my ardent spirit"
• Scene and duet, Violetta, Germont's father: Mademoiselle Valery?
• Pure siccome un angelo, Iddio mi dié una figlia -- "Pure as an angel, God gave me a daughter"
• Scene, Violetta, Alfredo: Che fai? -- "What are you doing?"
• Scene of Alfredo and aria of Germont: Di Provenza il mar, il suol -- "Of Provence the sea, the land"

ACT III

(Sometimes played as the second scene of Act II.) At Flora's house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Scene and masked gipsy chorus: Noi siamo zingarelle -- "We are gipsy girls"
• Chorus of bull-fighters: Di Madride noi siam mattadori -- "From Madrid we are matadors"
• Scene between Violetta, Germont and Alfredo. Violetta: Questa donna conoscete? -- "Do you know this woman?"

ACT IV

Bedchamber of Violetta.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Scene between Violetta, Annina and physician. Violetta reads the letter of Germont. Addio del passato -- "Farewell! past days of joy"
• Scene and duet, Violetta, Alfredo: Oh mia Violetta, oh joy -- "Oh, my Violetta, oh joy" and Parigi, o cara, noi lascieremo -- "Paris, oh dear one, we will leave"
• Aria, Violetta: Gran Dio! non posso -- "Great God, I cannot"
• Finale, Germont, Violetta, Alfredo, with Violetta's death.