La traviata
| Work data | |
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| Title: | La traviata |
Poster of the premiere |
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| Shape: | Opera in three acts |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | Giuseppe Verdi |
| Libretto : | Francesco Maria Piave |
| Literary source: | La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas d. J. |
| Premiere: | March 6, 1853 |
| Place of premiere: | Venice , Teatro La Fenice |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ½ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Paris, 1850 |
| people | |
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La traviata ( Italian for "The Lost One") is an opera by Giuseppe Verdi ( music ) and Francesco Maria Piave ( libretto ) based on the novel La dame aux camélias (1848), which the author Alexandre Dumas the Younger wrote in February 1852 when acting had brought on stage. The opera was premiered on March 6, 1853 at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice and initially failed the audience before it became one of the most successful operas in music history.
As before in Rigoletto and Il trovatore , Verdi placed a person who was ostracized and rejected by society at the center of the action. An opera about a courtesan who also dies of tuberculosis was an unheard-of innovation for the time.
action
first act
Salon in the Violettas house
Paris, mid-19th century, October: the courtesan Violetta Valéry holds a party in her salon. She is introduced to an attractive young man, Alfredo Germont, who is far more attentive and sincere than her current companion, Baron Douphol. He starts a spirited drinking song for love.
When Violetta has to rest after a coughing fit, Alfredo uses the moment at her side to declare his love for her. She discourages him because she doesn't know how to love and is unable to deal with strong feelings.
Finally she gives him a camellia as an invitation , which he is supposed to bring back to her as soon as it has faded - that is, the next day. The guests say goodbye. Alone she almost surrenders to Alfredo's idea of mutual devotion, but then tries to suppress these thoughts with a hymn of praise to enjoyment.
Second act
First picture: country house near Paris, drawing room on the ground floor
Three months later, in January, Violetta and Alfredo live in a house outside Paris. Alfredo discovers that Violetta has secretly sold her possessions to fund their new lifestyle. Ashamed, he disappears to Paris, where he tries to raise money.
During his absence, Violetta receives a visit from Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont, who is impressed by the sincerity of her devotion. Nevertheless, he demands of her to end the love affair in order to preserve the reputation of his family. Violetta, knowing that she will die of tuberculosis , accepts that this ending may be for the best.
Alfredo returns home and finds Violetta, disturbed, writing a letter. He is only reassured when she confesses her love to him (again). She leaves, a messenger comes in, reports to Alfredo that Violetta had driven away in the carriage, and hands him a letter from her. At first he thinks it's about the money. However, when he reads that she has decided to return to her old life, he is desperate.
Alfredo's father comes in and asks him to come home. He refuses. He finds an invitation to a party at Flora Bervoix, Violetta's friend. Now he knows where to find Violetta; his despair turns into anger and he rushes out.
Second picture: Gallery in the Palace of Floras
Violetta, on Baron Douphol's arm, attends the Floras Ball. Guests disguised as gypsies and bullfighters entertain the others with dancing and singing. Alfredo also shows up and begins to win at the card game. In doing so, he loudly drops remarks about Violetta, which anger the baron.
When the other guests leave the room to take refreshments, Violetta asks Alfredo to leave. Alfredo replies that he will only go if she comes with him. She refuses. When he confronts her, she cites a promise made as the motivation (she thinks of Alfredo's father). He thinks she loves Douphol.
Alfredo then calls the guests back into the ballroom. He lets himself be carried away by his jealousy and throws the money won at Violetta, as a kind of reward for her love service. Violetta sinks to the floor passed out, the guests are indignant. Alfredo's father is also appalled and strongly reproaches his soon to be repentant son. Violetta mourns that she cannot open her heart to her lover. Douphol challenges his rival to a duel.
Third act
Violetta's bedroom
February: Violetta's condition has deteriorated significantly. She is bedridden, and the doctor indicates to the servant and confidante Annina that her mistress only has hours to live. A letter from Giorgio Germont reports that the baron was wounded in a duel and is now recovering. Alfredo had to go abroad for a while.
The father, ashamed of his earlier principles and the grief he has caused others, reveals to Alfredo the sacrifice Violetta made at his urging. He now wants to quickly return to his beloved. Violetta knows that she has no future and says goodbye to her past. Happy noise and singing come through the window - Parisians are celebrating Carnival .
Alfredo appears suddenly and only announced shortly beforehand. He sinks into Violetta's arms begging for forgiveness. For a short time she forgets about her illness and joins his plans for a happy future. She wants to get up, but collapses in a coughing fit and realizes that she no longer has the strength to do so.
Father Germont comes and blesses their love. Violetta gives Alfredo a medallion with her picture to remind him of her. He should seek new happiness, and his bride should then wear it and she would pray for both of them in heaven. Alfredo desperately asks her to stay. Indeed, Violetta feels her old powers come back; she rises - and falls down dead.
music
Orchestral line-up
- Woodwinds : two flutes (2nd also piccolo ), two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets , three trombones , cimbasso
- Timpani , percussion : cymbals , bass drum , triangle
- Strings
- Stage music : 2 piccolo flutes, A flat clarinet, E flat clarinet , two B flat clarinets, two horns, flugelhorn , three trumpets, two trombones, tambourine , bass drum, castanets ( banda ), harp , two double basses
Numbers
first act
- No. 1. Preludio
- No. 2. Introduction
- Introduction : Dell'invito trascorsa è già l'ora ... (Violetta, Alfredo, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, choir)
- Brindisi : Libiamo ne 'lieti calici (Alfredo, Violetta, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, choir)
- Waltz : Che è ciò? - Non gradireste ora le danze? (Violetta, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, Alfredo, choir)
- Duet : Un dì, felice, eterea (Alfredo, Violetta)
- Stretta : Si ridesta in ciel l'aurora (choir)
- No. 3. Violetta's aria
Second act
- No. 4. Scene and Alfredo's aria
- Scene: Lunge da lei per me non v'ha diletto! (Alfredo) (Allegro vivo in La Minore)
- Aria: De 'miei bollenti spiriti (Alfredo)
- Tempo di mezzo: Annina, donde vieni? (Alfredo, Annina)
- Cabaletta: Oh mio rimorso!… Oh infamia… (Alfredo)
- No. 5. Scene and duet Violetta and Germont
- Scene: Alfredo? - Per Parigi or or partiva (Violetta, Annina, Giuseppe)
- Scene: Madamigella Valery? (Violetta, Germont)
- Duet: Pura siccome un angelo (Germont, Violetta)
- Transition: Non wallpaper quale affetto (Violetta, Germont)
- Cantabile : Un dì, quando le veneri (Germont, Violetta)
- Transition: Così alla misera (Violetta, Germont)
- Cantabile: Dite alla giovine sì bella e pura (Violetta, Germont)
- Tempo di mezzo: Or imponete - Non amarlo ditegli (Violetta, Germont)
- Cabaletta: Morrò! ... la mia memoria (Violetta, Germont)
- No. 6th scene, duetino and aria Germont
- Scene: Dammi tu forza, o cielo! (Violetta, Alfredo, Annina)
- Duettino : Ch'ei qui non mi sorprenda ... (Violetta, Alfredo)
- Scene: Ah, vive sol quel core all'amor mio! ... (Alfredo, Giuseppe, Commissario)
- Aria: Di Provenza il mare, il suol (Germont)
- Tempo di mezzo: Né rispondi d'un padre all'affetto? (Germont, Alfredo)
- Cabaletta: No, non udrai rimproveri (Germont, Alfredo)
- No. 7. Finale II
- Scene: Avrem lieta di maschere la notte (Flora, Marchese, Dottore)
- Choir: Noi siamo zingarelle (Chor di Zingare, Flora, Marchese)
- Choir: Di Madride noi siam mattadori (Chor di Mattadori, Gastone)
- Finale II: Alfredo!… Voi!… - Qui desiata giungi… (Violetta, Alfredo, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, choir)
- Scene and duet: Invitato a qui seguirmi (Violetta, Alfredo)
- Transition: Ne appellaste?… Che volete? (Violetta, Alfredo, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, choir)
- Arietta : Ogni suo aver tal femmina (Alfredo)
- Choir: Oh, infamia orribile (Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, Chor)
- Largo des Finale II: Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende (Germont, Violetta, Alfredo, Flora, Gastone, Barone, Marchese, Dottore, Chor)
Third act
- No. 8. Preludio
- No. 9. Violetta's scene and romance
- No. 10. Baccanals
- Choir: Largo al quadrupede (Chor di Maschere)
- No. 11. Duet di Violetta and Alfredo
- Scene: Signora ... - Che t'accadde? (Annina, Violetta)
- Tempo di attacco : Alfredo! - Colpevol sono ... so tutto, o cara ... (Violetta, Alfredo)
- Duet: Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo (Alfredo, Violetta)
- Tempo di mezzo: Ah, non più… a un tempio… (Violetta, Alfredo)
- Cabaletta: Gran Dio! ... morir sì giovine - Oh mio sospiro e palpito (Violetta, Alfredo)
- No. 12. Last final
- Scene: Ah, Violetta! - Voi, signor! ... (Germont, Violetta, Alfredo)
- Concertato: Prendi: quest'è l'immagine - No, non morrai, non dirmelo (Violetta, Alfredo, Germont, Annina, Dottore)
- Final scene: È strano!… - Che! - Cessarono gli spasmi del dolore (Alfredo, Violetta, Germont, Annina, Dottore)
History of origin
The libretto by Francesco Maria Piave is based on the novel La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas the Younger . Dumas' novel contains autobiographical elements and is based on an affair between the poet and the milliner and courtesan Marie Duplessis , whose admirers included numerous nobles. Their brief relationship took place in the years 1844 to 1845. Already during this time Marie's illness made itself felt, to which she succumbed on February 3, 1847. In 1852 a theatrical version of the novel was performed, which made a great impression on the audience and is considered to be one of the high points of French theater of the time.
Giuseppe Verdi knew both the novel and the drama, the premiere of which he saw during a stay in Paris. As early as the spring of 1852 he designed the scenic framework for his opera together with Piave. Initially, the title Amore e Morte was “love and death”. Verdi completed the music in just 45 days. At the time of the premiere on March 6, 1853, the person described had died only six years ago.
Verdi's interest in this subject is also related to his own biography. Since 1847 he lived with the singer Giuseppina Strepponi , who already had several illegitimate children and was therefore considered to be "fallen" herself. Verdi's work is not a moral sermon, but transfigured the suffering of the woman concerned. Verdi and Strepponi did not get married until 1859.
The premiere at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice turned out to be a fiasco, although Verdi had staged it himself and, as a precaution, brought the plot forward to the time of Louis XIV . Verdi was well aware that it was a risk to make a courtesan the title character of an opera and thus accuse Italian society of its own immorality. But the singers - especially the tenor Lodovico Graziani as Alfredo and the baritone Felice Varesi as Giorgo Germont - were responsible for the failure. Only Fanny Salvini-Donatelli was vocally up to her role as Violetta, but was ridiculed for her figure as "as round as a sausage". The other actors were Speranza Giuseppini as Flora, Angelo Zuliani as Gastone, Carlotta Berini as Annina and Andrea Bellini as Dottore Grenvil.
For the performance the following year on May 6, 1854 at the Teatro San Benedetto , also in Venice, Verdi revised the score slightly. The changes affected, among other things, the duet Violetta / Germont in the second act and the Cabaletta Germonts and the duet Violetta / Alfredo in the third act. This performance was a great success, although the choice of libretto continued to be criticized. For reasons of censorship, the opera was also performed in Italy under the title Violetta .
The success has continued after this second performance to this day. According to the statistics, La traviata is Verdi's most popular opera. In some countries it is the most frequently performed opera. Operadis recorded a total of 253 recordings by 2009 - the first from 1912 in French under the direction of Emile Archainbaud with Jane Morlet as Violetta. This is only surpassed by Aida , for whom Operadis has 261 recordings.
Productions and adaptations
The main character Violetta, who is almost continuously on stage, is a challenging role for a dramatic coloratura soprano because of the variety of expression and the large vocal range . Many singers such as Maria Callas , Renata Tebaldi , Renata Scotto , Teresa Stratas , more recently Diana Damrau , Anna Netrebko , Anja Harteros or Olga Peretyatko u. a., embodied the role.
- The first performance in German-speaking countries took place on May 4, 1855 in the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna, at that time still in Italian, the first German-speaking one in Hamburg on November 10, 1857. Natalie Eschborn sang Violetta . It was also she who translated the libretto into German.
- Maria Callas' dramatic interpretation of the title role in productions from the 1950s is considered masterful .
- The staging by Luchino Visconti at La Scala in Milan in 1955, which set the standard both scenically and musically (conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini ; with Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano as Alfredo, Ettore Bastianini as Giorgio Germont) , assumed a special rank, ascertained by contemporary and later observers ). The impression of this later legendary performance was so emphatic that in 1964 a new production of Scala by Franco Zeffirelli with the conductor Herbert von Karajan failed spectacularly. Visconti later created two more Traviata productions, which were completely different from each other and from the Milanese performance: 1963 at the Teatro Nuovo for the Spoleto Festival (with Franca Fabbri as Violetta and Franco Bonisolli as Alfredo), in 1965 at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (with Teresa Stratas as Violetta and Fritz Wunderlich as Alfredo) and finally in 1967 for the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London (with Mirella Freni as Violetta and Renato Cioni as Alfredo).
- A critically acclaimed performance was given in the 1990s at the Royal Opera House under the direction of Sir Georg Solti . According to observers, it was not only the equipment that was convincing, but also Angela Gheorghiu as Violetta.
- In 2005 there was a highly acclaimed new production at the Salzburg Festival with Anna Netrebko , Rolando Villazón and Thomas Hampson , which was broadcast live by ORF and later released on DVD . Netrebko and Villazón as well as the direction of Willy Decker were particularly convincing by the critics and the public , whereas the performance of the conductor Carlo Rizzi , who replaced the late Marcello Viotti in charge of the Vienna Philharmonic , met with little enthusiasm.
- An unusual performance was staged and broadcast live on September 30, 2008 in Zurich's main train station by Swiss television in collaboration with Zurich Opera House , Arte and SBB . The performance with Eva Mei , Vittorio Grigolo and Angelo Veccia took place in the middle of the commuter streams of the largest train station in Switzerland. The production came from Adrian Marthaler , the musical direction was Paolo Carignani .
- The American playwright Terrence McNally deals with Maria Callas and the Traviata reception in his plays Meisterklasse ( Master Class ) and The Lisbon Traviata ( The Lisbon Traviata ).
- Since 2014, the opera has been performed annually as part of the NDR Klassik Open Air festival behind the New Town Hall in Hanover on a floating stage in the Maschpark . In 2016, around 15,000 guests were present at the open air event during the public rehearsal , and 22,000 at the performance.
Film adaptations
- La traviata (1948), directed by Carmine Gallone
- La traviata (1967), directed by Mario Lanfranchi
- La Traviata (1982), directed by Franco Zeffirelli , with Teresa Stratas and Plácido Domingo
- The Lady of the Camellias was filmed in 1911 with Sarah Bernhardt ; In 1936 again with Greta Garbo and in 1980 with Isabelle Huppert in the leading role.
- Traviata - Vous méritez un avenir meilleur (Traviata - You deserve a better future) (2018), Corentin Leconte - Director of the musical theater film directed by Benjamin Lazar at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord with Judith Chemla
literature
- Giuseppe Verdi: La traviata. Score. G. Ricordi & CSpA, Milan.
- Georg Mondwurf: Giuseppe Verdi and the Aesthetics of Liberation. Lang, Frankfurt / Main 2002, ISBN 3-631-38400-9 .
- Attila Csampai , Dietmar Holland: Giuseppe Verdi, La Traviata: texts, materials, comments. Rowohlt, Reinbek 1983, ISBN 3-499-17690-4 .
- Florian Csizmadia: Verdi on the way to musical drama - Stylistic and analytical investigations on Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and La Traviata. University of Music Dresden, 2001, ISBN 3-638-30035-8 (diploma thesis in the musicology department).
- Tino Drenger: Love and Death in Verdi's Musical Drama. Semiotic studies on selected operas. 1996, ISBN 3-88979-070-4 .
- Henning Mehnert (Ed.): Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata. Italian German. Libretto. Reclam, Ditzingen 1995, ISBN 3-15-009424-0 .
- Silke Leopold : Verdi - La Traviata. ( Compact opera guide .) Henschel, Leipzig 2013, ISBN 978-3-89487-905-1 .
Web links
- La traviata : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Orchestra score at dlib.indiana.edu
- Piano reduction from 1899 at dlib.indiana.edu
- Work information and libretto (Italian) as full text on librettidopera.it
- La traviata (Giuseppe Verdi) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- Plot and libretto by La Traviata in German translation and the Italian original by Opera-Guide
- Brief overview on klassika.info
- Visualized plot in How To Opera
- La Traviata im Hauptbahnhof - online video of the live performance from the main train station on October 2, 2008, Swiss television (with making-of, video, German libretto)
- Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano in a complete historical sound recording of the opera (Mexico 1952)
- Recording of Arturo Toscanini's 1946 recording (MP3) on classicistranieri.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ traviare in the PONS dictionary Italian – German .
- ↑ a b c d e f La Traviata. In: Reclam's Opernlexikon. Digital library volume 52. Philipp Reclam jun., 2001, p. 2521.
- ↑ a b c Harenberg opera guide. 4th edition. Meyers Lexikonverlag, 2003, ISBN 3-411-76107-5 , p. 967 ff.
- ^ A b Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Baldassarre, Matthias von Orelli: Giuseppe Verdi: lettere 1843–1900. Peter Lang, 2009, p. 294 ( limited preview on Google Books ).
- ↑ La Traviata at the Aalto Music Theater. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ Discography on La traviata at Operadis, accessed on August 14, 2015.
- ↑ Aida discography at Operadis, accessed on August 14, 2015.
- ^ Giuseppe Verdi, Wilhelm Zentner (ed.): La Traviata. Philipp Reclam jun., Stuttgart, ISBN 978-3-15-004357-8 , p. 6
- ^ Arte ( Memento of September 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Nils Oehlschläger: Open air with opera flair in the Maschpark / 15,000 music lovers celebrate the public rehearsal for “La Traviata” on the floating stage at the town hall - whether on the picnic blanket or in the seating area. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung of July 22, 2016, p. 14
- ^ Nils Oehlschläger: That is how good the open-air opera is. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung of July 21, 2016.
- ↑ Stefan Arndt: This kiss of the whole world for Hanover. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung of July 24, 2016
Oberto (1839) | Un giorno di regno (1840) | Nabucco (1842) | I Lombardi (1843) | Ernani (1844) | I due Foscari (1844) | Giovanna d'Arco (1845) | Alzira (1845) | Attila (1846) | Macbeth (1847) | I masnadieri (1847) | Jerusalem (1847) | Il corsaro (1848) | La battaglia di Legnano (1849) | Luisa Miller (1849) | Stiffelio (1850) | Rigoletto (1851) | Il trovatore (1853) | La traviata (1853) | Les vêpres siciliennes (1855) | Simon Boccanegra (1857) | Aroldo (1857) | Un ballo in maschera (1859) | La forza del destino (1862) | Don Carlos (1867) | Aida (1871) | Otello (1887) | Falstaff (1893)