La Traviata - Main characters and plot

Maria Callas nel ruolo di Violetta

Main Characters

Violetta Valéry (Soprano): a maintained courtesan, protected by the Baron Duphol. At a party at his house she meets the young Alfredo Germont and she falls for him. Their love, however, is hampered by Alfredo's father, Giorgio, because of the woman’s past.

Alfredo Germont (Tenor): young gentleman, who falls in love with Violetta Valéry that meets at a party. The two decide to retire to the country where they live happy moments, even if the young man is forced to return to Paris because of economic problems. On his return to the country he doesn’t find Violetta, who had left the house leaving a note informing him that she was going back to her old life. Mad with jealousy Alfredo humiliates the woman. He will discover the truth too late ad he reaches Violetta on her deathbed.

Giorgio Germont (Baritone): Alfredo's father. Taking advantage of the absence of his son, he visits Violetta enjoining her to leave the young man because of the scandal that will overcome the family. On her death bed, he will regrets his actions.

Baron Duphol (Baritone): financier, Violetta Valéry’s protector and lover. When Alfredo humiliates her in front of everybody throwing at her a bag of money, the baron challenges him to duel.

Flora Bervoix (Mezzo-soprano): Violetta Valéry’s friend, who attends a lot the Parisian social life.

Annina (Mezzo-soprano): Violetta's maid.

Dr. Grenvil (Bass): Violetta's doctor which informs Annina  of the imminent death of the woman.

Gastone (Tenor): frequenter of Parisian social life. It’s the man who present Alfredo to Violetta taking him to the party at her house.

Plot

Act I

After a deep and touching farewell prelude ("Prelude"), the curtain opens showing an elegant salon of Violetta Valery’s Parisian house, where, as a woman of the world and maintained as a profession, is waiting for the guests (“Dell’invito trascorsa è già l’ora” - "Invitation has already spent time "). Violetta greets among the guests and the viscount Gastone de Letorières introduces Alfredo Germont to her, explaining her that he is a great admirer of her, that even during her recent illness he had often gone to his house to get news. After requesting explanations for the admirable behaviour of Alfredo, Violetta scold her protector and lover, the baron Douphol about not having the same care; the baron, irritated, shows his disappointment to Flora. Shortly after, Violetta proposes a toast and Alfredo immediately joins her, followed by the other guests, joyously singing the praises of wine and love (“Libiamo nei lieti calici” - "Let 's drink in the merry glasses").

You then hear the music coming from the others rooms ( “Che è ciò?” - "What is this?"); Violetta invites the guests to go to the next room. Upon leaving, however, she feels bad, so she sits for a moment encouraging the guests to keep going and promises to join them soon. Looking herself in the mirror, Violetta notice her pallor and at the same time she realizes that Alfredo had stopped, waiting for her. He scolds her for neglecting her health and then confesses his love to her. Violetta remains hitted by the information and asks since how long he’s admiring her. Alfredo answers admitting that he loves her since a year, from the first time that he has seen her happy (“Un dì felice eterea” - "one day,  happy, ethereal"). Incapable of feeling true love, Violetta offers a simple friendship, but when Alfredo is about to leave, she hands him a flower, telling him to bring it back the following day. Alfredo walks away happy. Meanwhile, coming from the room next to her, the guests say goodbye, thanking her for the beautiful and lively evening. Remaining alone, Violetta notice with amazing surprise that Alfredo’s words have shaken her (“È strano, è strano” -  "It's weird, it's weird"). Uncertain, at the end she decides to keep living as a courtesan, like she always has been, and to give up to being seriously loved (“Follie, follie!....Sempre libera” - "Follies, follies! .... Always free").

Act II (Part I)

Alfredo and Violetta are living together in the countryside outside Paris, far from the parties and from social life. Alfredo is happy about his life with Violetta (“De' miei bollenti spiriti” - "About my hot spirits"), until it comes Annina, the maid of her. Questioned by Alfredo, she admits that she was in Paris to sell all the assets of his mistress in order to pay the costs of maintenance of the house in the countryside. The sum amounts to 1,000, so Alfredo promises to go himself to settle the business and recommends Annina to say nothing to Violetta. Once alone, Alfredo blames himself for the financial situation (“Oh mio rimorso! Oh infamia!” - "Oh my remorse! Oh shame!").

Violetta enters the scene with his server, Giuseppe, that hands her a letter of invitation for that evening to a party at Flora’s palace. Soon after Giuseppe announces the visit of a gentleman. Violetta orders to let him in, expecting her lawyer. Instead it was Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, that he accuses her of wanting to deprive Alfredo from his wealth. So Violetta shows him the documents proving the sale of all his possessions to keep her lover at her, and the old gentleman understands the situation. Although he is convinced about the love that binds Violetta to his son, he asks her a sacrifice to save the future of his two sons. Germont explains that he also has a daughter and that if Alfredo doesn’t come home immidiately, he is likely to endanger the wedding of hir sister ( “Pura siccome un angelo” - "Pure as an Angel"). Violetta understands and offers to get away for a while from Alfredo; but for the old Germont it’s not enough and he asks her to leave him forever. Violetta that has no relatives or friends and that is tried by tuberculosis, can not accept. Germont then, makes her notice that as soon as the time has erased her beauty (“Un dì quando le veneri” -  "One day when Venus"), Alfredo will get tired of her, and she will not be able to take any comfortv from him since the two are not regularly married. Exhausted, Violetta agrees to leave Alfredo.

Left alone, Violetta writes a letter first to the baron Douphol, then to Alfredo to announce her decision to leave; as soon as she finishes the letter, Alfredo enters the house, shaken, because he had known about his father's presence. He offers to Violetta to go to meet him, instead she just asks him to swear his love to her and then she leaves ( “Amami Alfredo” - "Love me Alfredo"). Alfredo becomes suspicious of her sudden escape, and then he also receives the letter that she was writing just before. "Alfredo, when this paper will reach to you..." this is how much he had to read to realize that Violetta had left him. When he sees Flora’s invitation on the table, he figures out that Violetta is at the party, and, enraged, he decides to go there too, despite his father's entreaties (“Di Provenza il mar, il suol” - "Provence of the Sea, the land").

Act II (Part II)

At the party at Flora Bervoix’s house it’s rumoring about Violetta and Alfredo separation. During the carnival celebrations, Alfredo arrives to find Violetta, and a little bit later Violetta arrives accompanied by the baron Douphol. Alfredo insults Violetta in an indirect way, unleashing the anger of the baron, who challenges him to a card’s game. The baron loses and Alfredo collects a large sum of money. Violetta asks to have a conversation with Alfredo, in which she begs him to go away and, lying, she says that she is in love with the baron. Alfredo, indignant, calls all the guests (“Or testimon vi chiamo che qui pagata io l'ho” - "Oh witnesses I call you that here I have paid it"), and throws a bag of money at Violetta’s feet, who faints in Flore’s arms. Everybody inveigh against Alfredo, and his father arrives too, scolding him for his behaviour. So the baron decides to challenge Alfredo to duel. At the end Violetta declares to love Alfredo, as he does.

Act III

The scene takes place in Violetta’s bedroom. Tuberculosis becomes more acute, and now Dr. Grenvil tells Annina that Violetta is dying (Tuberculosis not grant that a few hours). Violetta, alone in her room, reads the letter that she was keeping close to the chest, in which Giorgio Germont informs her that he had revealed the truth to Alfredo and that his beloved, that was traveling into a far country, was coming back to her. Violetta knows it's too late and expresses his disillusionment (“Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti” - "Goodbye, happy dreams of the past").

By contrast, outside the carnival goes crazy. Annina brings good news : Alfredo has arrived. He enters, hugs Violetta and promises to take her away from Paris ( “Parigi, o cara...” - "Paris, oh dear..."). Giorgio Germont arrives and finally expresses his regret. Violetta calls Alfredo and leaves to him a locket with a picture of her, asking him to always remember her. For a moment it seems Violetta regain her strength, she stands up, but immediately falls dead.

Famous arias

Act I

·    Prelude

·    Libiamo ne' lieti calici (Let’s drink in the merry glasses) - Violetta, Alfredo and choir

·    Un dì felice, eterea (A happy day, ethereal) - Alfredo and Violetta

·    È strano! È strano...Follie! Delirio vano è questo...Sempre libera (It's weird! It's weird ..   

              Follies! This is useless delirium... Always Free) – Violetta

Act II

·    De' miei bollenti spiriti (About my hot spirits) - Alfredo

·    Pura siccome un angelo - Pure as an angel - Germont and Violetta

·    Che fai?/ Nulla / Scrivevi?... Amami Alfredo (What are you doing? / Nothing / writing? ... Love           

             me Alfredo) - Alfredo and Violetta

·    Di Provenza il mar, il suol (Provence of the Sea, the land) - Germont

·    Noi siamo zingarelle (We are gypsies) – Choir

Act III

·    Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti (Goodbye, happy dreams of the past) - Violetta

·    Parigi, o cara  (Paris oh dear) - Alfredo and Violetta