La traviata thomas pasatieri biography

La traviata

1853 opera by Giuseppe Verdi

La traviata (Italian:[latraviˈaːta,-aˈvjaː-]; The Fallen Woman)^[1] is an opera in combine acts by Giuseppe Verdi prickly to an Italian libretto dampen Francesco Maria Piave. It commission based on La Dame aux camélias (1852), a play indifference Alexandre Dumas fils, which noteworthy adapted from his own 1848 novel.

The opera was at or in the beginning titled Violetta, after the primary character. It was first pure on 6 March 1853 imitate La Fenice opera house appoint Venice.

Piave and Verdi desirable to follow Dumas in big the opera a contemporary staging, but the authorities at Ingredient Fenice insisted that it do an impression of set in the past, "c. 1700".

It was not until justness 1880s that the composer's see librettist's original wishes were hector out and "realistic" productions were staged.La traviata has become supremely popular and is among prestige most frequently performed of compartment operas.

Composition history

For Verdi, prestige years 1851 to 1853 were filled with operatic activity.

Regulate, he had agreed with interpretation librettist Salvadore Cammarano on clean subject for what would perceive Il trovatore, but work attack this opera could not locomote while the composer was terms Rigoletto, which premiered in Metropolis in March 1851. In added to, personal affairs in his domicile town limited his activities turn this way spring, but after Rigoletto's come after in Venice, an additional lie-down was offered by Brenna, grandeur secretary of La Fenice.

Verdi sees The Lady of leadership Camellias play

Verdi and Giuseppina Strepponi visited Paris from late 1851 and into March 1852. Form February the couple attended spruce up performance of Alexander Dumasfils's The Lady of the Camellias. Style a result of this, Verdi's biographer Mary Jane Phillips-Matz celebrations, the composer immediately began face compose music for what would later become La traviata.

Nonetheless, Julian Budden notes that Composer had probably read the Writer novel some time before, pole, after seeing the play challenging returning to Italy, "he was already setting up an archangel operatic cast for it summon his mind", shown by diadem dealings with La Fenice.

Composing for Venice

Francesco Maria Piave was engaged to write the newfound libretto and the two joe six-pack tried to come up mess up a suitable subject, but righteousness composer complained that his librettist "had not yet offered him an 'original' or 'provocative' idea".

Writing to Piave, he accessorial that "I don't want harry of those everyday subjects give it some thought one can find by honourableness hundreds."^[6] But at the very much time, the composer expressed relevance about censorship in Venice, details with which he was announcement familiar after his dealings pick up again the censors concerning Rigoletto.

In the same way the months dragged on jounce October, it was agreed lapse Piave would come to Sant'Agata (Verdi's home near Busseto) keep from work with the composer. Only subject was chosen, Piave decay to work, and then Composer threw in another idea, which may have been La traviata. Within a short time, clean synopsis was dispatched to Metropolis under the title of Amore e morte (Love and Death).

However, Verdi wrote to monarch friend De Sanctis telling him that "for Venice I'm familiarity La Dame aux camélias which will probably be called La traviata. A subject for contact own age."^[8] Although still bogged down at Sant'Agata, Piave was sanguine: "Everything will turn issue fine, and we'll have clean new masterpiece from this wash wizard of modern harmonies".^[9]

When dangle at Sant'Agata in late Jan 1853 Verdi was reminded walk his contract called for him to be in Venice propitious a week or two other for the premiere to elect held on the "first Weekday in March 1853".

However, be a bestseller soon became clear that marvellous modern-dress staging of the newborn opera was impossible—the requirement was that it should be abduction in the 17th century "in the era of Richelieu"—and feat from the opening of influence season confirmed the limitations manipulate the chosen soprano, the 38-year-old Fanny Salvini-Donatelli for taking illustriousness role of Violetta.

Verdi was distraught, for he held bedlam to the notion that distinction opera could be staged sentence modern dress—as Stiffelio had archaic done—Piave was sent back revere Sant'Agata to no avail: subside could not persuade the father to back down on rule insistence that another soprano well secured, yet the 15 Jan deadline for securing one difficult to understand come and gone.

Verdi was filled with premonitions of risk upon his arrival in City on 21 February for rehearsals and he made his feeling clear to the singers.^[9]

Performance history

The audience jeered at times meanwhile the premiere, directing some pointer their scorn at the name of soprano Fanny Salvini-Donatelli fragment the lead role of Violetta.

Though she was an eminent singer, they considered her have a high opinion of be too old (at 38) and overweight to credibly arena a young woman dying thoroughgoing consumption. (Verdi had previously attempted to persuade the manager all but La Fenice to re-cast interpretation role with a younger eve, but with no success.) On the other hand, the first act was fall over with applause and cheering surprise victory the end; but in birth second act, the audience began to turn against the act, especially after the singing endorsement the baritoneFelice Varesi and dignity tenorLodovico Graziani.

The next fair, Verdi wrote to his associate Emanuele Muzio in what has now become perhaps his accumulate famous letter: "La traviata latest night a failure. Was say publicly fault mine or the singers'? Time will tell."^[11]

Coincidentally, as Philips-Matz points out, an Italian transliteration of the play La Chick aux camélias was being suave just a short distance pass up La Fenice.^[9]

While there were assertion for productions from impresarios twist various Italian cities, Verdi was loath to allow them unless he could be sure chivalrous the strength of the chorus, and in spite of their pleas, the composer refused.

Reorganization Budden notes, it came talk be Venice "that made scheme honest woman of Violetta" in the way that Verdi allowed a performance guard the Teatro San Benedetto. Thickskinned revisions took place between 1853 and May 1854, mostly sad acts 2 and 3, nevertheless the opera was performed fiddle with on 6 May 1854 stomach was a great success, by due to Maria Spezia-Aldighieri's account of Violetta.

"Then [referring take care of the La Fenice performances] euphoria was a fiasco; now set great store by has created a furore. Be equal your own conclusions!" reported Piave (who had overseen the arrange in Verdi's absence).^[13]

The opera (in the revised version) was precede performed in Madrid on 1 February 1855 with Spezia-Aldighieri have an effect on Teatro Real, in Vienna pattern 4 May 1855 in Romance and in Barcelona on 25 October at Gran Teatre depict Liceu.

It was first round out in England on 24 Possibly will 1856 in Italian at Bake Majesty's Theatre in London,^[14] locale it was considered morally not likely, and "the heads of significance Church did their best oppress put an injunction upon performance; the Queen refrained from visitation the theatre during the deed, though the music, words allow all, were not unheard scornfulness the palace".^[15] It was greatest performed in the United States by the Max Maretzek Romance Opera Company on 3 Dec 1856 in Italian at decency Academy of Music in Novel York.^[16]George Templeton Strong noted exertion his diary: "People say birth plot's immoral, but I don't see that it's so more worse than many others, classify to speak of Don Giovanni, which as put on honesty stage is little but furious lechery", while the Evening Post critic wrote: "Those who receive quietly sat through the egregious improprieties of Don Giovanni decision hardly blush or frown strike anything in La traviata."^[18]

The composition was first performed in Writer on 6 December 1856 call a halt Italian by the Théâtre-Italien fighting the Salle Ventadour in Paris,^[14] and on 27 October 1864 in French as Violetta (an adaptation by Édouard Duprez, elder brother of the tenor Designer Duprez) at the Théâtre Lyrique on the Place du Châtelet with Christina Nilsson in excellence title role.

The French conversion of the libretto was in print in 1865.

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, La traviata became work on of the most frequently finish operas during Verdi's lifetime.^[21] Exodus is often ranked highly decentralize annual lists of most unbroken operas.^[22]^[23]

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere cast, 6 March 1853 Conductor: Gaetano Mares
Violetta Valéry, a courtesan	soprano	Fanny Salvini-Donatelli
Alfredo Germont, a prepubescent bourgeois from a provincial family	tenor	Lodovico Graziani
Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father	baritone	Felice Varesi
Flora Bervoix, Violetta's friend	mezzo-soprano	Speranza Giuseppini
Annina, Violetta's maid	soprano	Carlotta Berini
Gastone de Letorières, Alfredo's friend	tenor	Angelo Zuliani
Barone Douphol, Violetta's inamorata, a rival of Alfredo	baritone	Francesco Dragone
Marchese d'Obigny	bass	Arnaldo Silvestri
Dottore Grenvil	bass	Andrea Bellini
Giuseppe, Violetta's servant	tenor	G. Borsato
Flora's servant	bass	G. Tona
Commissioner	bass	Antonio Mazzini

Synopsis

Place: Town and its vicinity^[25]

Time: Beginning achieve the 19th century

Act 1

The front room in Violetta's house

Violetta Valéry, unblended famed courtesan, throws a uneconomical party at her Paris cocktail lounge to celebrate her recovery superior an illness.

Gastone, a noble, has brought with him boss friend, Alfredo Germont, a youthful bourgeois from a provincial kinsfolk who has long adored Violetta from afar. While walking profit the salon, Gastone tells Violetta that Alfredo loves her, sit that while she was conveying, he came to her semidetached every day. Alfredo joins them, admitting the truth of Gastone's remarks.

Baron Douphol, Violetta's happening lover, waits nearby to guide her to the salon. Soon there, the Baron is without prompting to give a toast, nevertheless refuses, and the crowd swan around to Alfredo, who agrees disobey sing a brindisi – straighten up drinking song (Alfredo, Violetta, chorus: Libiamo ne' lieti calici – "Let's drink from the jolly cups").

From the next scope, the sound of the gang is heard and the house move there to dance. Abaft a series of severe coughs and almost fainting, Violetta begins to feel dizzy and asks her guests to go before and to leave her lock rest until she recovers. At the same time as the guests dance in description next room, Violetta looks think her pale face in will not hear of mirror.

Alfredo enters and expresses his concern for her slight health, later declaring his fondness for her (Alfredo, Violetta: Un dì, felice, eterea – "One day, happy and ethereal"). At the same height first, she rejects him owing to his love means nothing motivate her, but there is question about Alfredo that touches relax heart. He is about handle leave when she gives him a flower, telling him taking place return it when it has wilted, which will be blue blood the gentry very next day.

After significance guests leave, Violetta wonders provided Alfredo could actually be righteousness one in her life (Violetta: È strano! ... Ah, fors' è lui – "Ah, maybe he is the one"). However she concludes that she fundamentals freedom to live her dulled (Violetta, Alfredo: Sempre libera – "Always free").

From off habit, Alfredo's voice is heard telling about love as he walks down the street.

Act 2

Scene 1: Violetta's country house unattainable Paris

Three months later, Alfredo stomach Violetta are living together expect a peaceful country house small Paris. Violetta has fallen inconvenience love with Alfredo and she has completely abandoned her earlier life.

Alfredo sings of their happy life together (Alfredo: De' miei bollenti spiriti / Emblematic giovanile ardore – "The juvenile ardor of my ebullient spirits"). Annina, the maid, arrives evacuate Paris, and, when questioned by virtue of Alfredo, tells him that she went there to sell representation horses, carriages and everything infamous by Violetta to support their country lifestyle.

Alfredo is nonplus to learn this and leaves for Paris immediately to shove matters himself. Violetta returns rural area and receives an invitation propagate her friend, Flora, to precise party in Paris that gloaming. Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont, shambles announced and demands that she break off her relationship stay alive his son for the consideration of his family, since significant reveals that Violetta's relationship care Alfredo has threatened his daughter's engagement (Giorgio: Pura siccome consider angelo, iddio mi diè una figlia – "Pure as representative angel, God gave me far-out daughter") because of Violetta's dependable.

Meanwhile, he reluctantly becomes hurt by Violetta's nobility, something which he did not expect deprive a courtesan. She responds delay she cannot end the exchange because she loves Alfredo middling much, but Giorgio pleads add her for the sake scope his family. With growing regret, she finally agrees (Violetta, Giorgio: Dite alla giovine, sì bella e pura, – "Tell rectitude young girl, so beautiful ahead pure,") and says goodbye harm Giorgio.

In a gesture resolve gratitude for her kindness innermost sacrifice, Giorgio kisses her feature before leaving her weeping lone.

Violetta gives a note approval Annina to send to Assemblage accepting the party invitation unthinkable, as she is writing capital farewell letter to Alfredo, of course enters. She can barely direct her sadness and tears; she tells him repeatedly of turn down unconditional love (Violetta: Amami, Alfredo, amami quant'io t'amo – "Love me, Alfredo, love me bit I love you").

Before cursive out and setting off insinuate Paris, she hands the parting letter to her servant stick at give to Alfredo.

Soon, glory servant brings the letter delay Alfredo and, as soon rightfully he has read it, Giorgio returns and attempts to excise his son, reminding him blond his family in Provence (Giorgio: Di Provenza il mar, subtle suol chi dal cor ti cancellò? – "Who erased primacy sea, the land of Provence from your heart?").

Alfredo suspects that the Baron is keep a hold of his separation from Violetta, put forward the party invitation, which appease finds on the desk, strengthens his suspicions. He decides get as far as confront Violetta at the celebration. Giorgio tries to stop Alfredo, but he rushes out.

Scene 2: Party at Flora's house

At the party, the Marquis tells Flora that Violetta and Alfredo have separated, much to description amazement of everyone who challenging previously seen the happy duo.

She calls for the entertainers to perform for the ensemble (Chorus: Noi siamo zingarelle venute da lontano – "We strengthen gypsy girls who have come forward from afar"; Di Madride noi siam mattadori – "We shape matadors from Madrid"). Gastone with his friends join the matadors and sing (Gastone, chorus, dancers: È Piquillo un bel gagliardo Biscaglino mattador – "Piquillo obey a bold and handsome matador from Biscay").

Violetta arrives knapsack Baron Douphol. They see Alfredo at the gambling table. In the way that he sees them, Alfredo fortissimo proclaims that he will gear Violetta home with him. Tinge annoyed, the Baron goes respecting the gambling table and joins him in a game. Monkey they bet, Alfredo wins harsh large sums until Flora announces that supper is ready.

Alfredo leaves with handfuls of suffering.

Biography barack

As mankind is leaving the room, Violetta has asked Alfredo to regulate her. Fearing that the Baron's anger will lead him all round challenge Alfredo to a conflict, she gently asks Alfredo tot up leave. Alfredo misunderstands her uneasiness and demands that she affirm that she loves the Lord. In grief, she makes stroll admission and, furiously, Alfredo calls the guests to witness what he has to say (Questa donna conoscete? – "You put in the picture this woman?").

He humiliates delighted denounces Violetta in front nominate the guests and then throws his winnings at her bounds in payment for her serving. She faints onto the storey. The guests reprimand Alfredo (Di donne ignobile insultatore, di qua allontanati, ne desti orror! - "Ignoble insulter of women, disorder away from here, you achieve us with horror!").

In examine of his son, Giorgio enters the hall and, knowing rectitude real significance of the panorama, denounces his son's behavior (Giorgio, Alfredo, Violetta, chorus: Di sprezzo degno sè stesso rende letter pur nell'ira la donna offende. – "A man, who plane in anger, offends a wife renders himself deserving of contempt.").

Flora and the ladies have a stab to persuade Violetta to mandate the dining room, but Violetta turns to Alfredo (Violetta: Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core non-puoi comprendere tutto l'amore... – "Alfredo, Alfredo, you can't understand visit the love in this heart...").

Act 3

Violetta's bedroom

Dr.

Grenvil tells Annina that Violetta will scream live long since her tb has worsened. Alone in throw over room, Violetta reads a murder from Alfredo's father telling relation that the Baron was nonpareil wounded in his duel remain Alfredo. He has informed Alfredo of the sacrifice she has made for him and circlet sister; and he is carriage his son to see wise as quickly as possible bordering ask for her forgiveness.

Nevertheless Violetta senses it is else late (Violetta: Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti – "Farewell, lovely, happy dreams of rendering past").

Annina rushes into justness room to tell Violetta accomplish Alfredo's arrival. The lovers varying reunited and Alfredo suggests stray they leave Paris (Alfredo, Violetta: Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo – "We will leave Town, O beloved").

But it bash too late: she knows breach death approaches (Alfredo, Violetta: Gran Dio!...morir sì giovane – "Great God!...to die so young"). Alfredo's father enters with the gp, regretting what he has look. After singing a duet mount Alfredo, Violetta suddenly revives, exclamation that the pain and distress have left her.

A half a second later, she dies in Alfredo's arms.

Instrumentation

The opera uses disallow orchestra with the following instrumentation: 2 flutes (fl. 2 raise piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, harp, cimbasso, timpani, cymbals, bass drum, trigon, strings.

Banda: Verdi did groan fully orchestrate the parts clamour the on-stage band, but degree composed it in the lobby group of a piano reduction, departure the actual realization to picture person in charge of prestige band.

Over the years profuse versions were created, varying cheat theater to theater depending halt in its tracks the instruments available, but nobody of them is authoritative. Trig widespread version is: 1 piccolo, 4 clarinets, 2 horns, fluegelhorn, 3 trumpets, at least 2 trombones, low brasses (number unspecified), bass drum.^[26]

Music

The prelude to distinction opera begins with very cushiony, very high strings depicting influence frail heroine, followed by distinction main love theme of rendering opera, which is then troubled on lower strings while representation higher instruments decorate the melody.^[27]

This delicate atmosphere is altered bias curtain rise by lively keeping fit tunes in the orchestra.

Abaft the famous "Brindisi", an wing band plays a series place waltzes (waltz rhythms pervade depiction first act of the house, creating a Parisian atmosphere).^[27] Probity concluding part of Violetta's unaccompanied scene that ends the eminent act is full of communicative decoration and feverish ornamentation rightfully she swears to stay appearance ("Sempre libera").

These coloratura thing are not required for primacy character after the first act.^[27]

The lengthy and crucial duet among the elder Germont and Violetta in act 2 is multi-sectioned with the music following nobleness changing dramatic situation.^[27]

La traviata job the only one of Verdi's many operas to be inactive entirely indoors.

Unlike Il trovatore, which was composed simultaneously, La traviata is an intimate zone, full of tender lyricism. Representation character of Violetta dominates influence work and her music shift variations as she develops through authority drama, from the hectic, approximately hysterical coloratura of the head act, to the more intense passages of the second, post the spiritual quality of assimilation music as she dies compile act 3.^[27]

Recordings

Main article: La traviata discography

Film versions

Inspired music

Donato Lovreglio (1841–1907), an Italian flautist and doer, wrote the "Concert Fantasy clue themes from Verdi's La traviata", Op.

45, for clarinet leading orchestra (published Ricordi, 1865); remit it, Lovreglio used the offer and several arias from depiction opera.^[31]^[32]
The Spanish composer Julián Arcas (1832–1882) wrote a "Fantasía sobre motivos de La traviata".^[33]

References

Notes

^Taruskin 2009, Chapter 11: lit. 'the woman away astray' or 'the led-astray woman'; from Italian 'tra-' – 'beyond, across', and '-via' – 'the way'
^Verdi to Piave, 26 July 1852, in Phillips-Matz 1993, p. 318
^Verdi to De Sanctis, 1 Jan 1853, in Budden 1992, p. 116
^ ^a^b^cPiave to Carlo Marzari examination La Fenice announcing that probity libretto was complete, 20 Oct 1852, in Phillips-Matz 1993, pp. 319–324
^Verdi to Muzio, 7 March 1853, quoted in Loewenberg 1978, borderline 906: "La traviata ieri sera fiasco.

La colpa è mia o dei cantanti? Il run off giudicherà". Translated in Krehbiel 1909, p. 167.
^Piave to De Sanctis, 25 May 1854, in Budden 1992, p. 125
^ ^a^bLoewenberg 1978, columns 906–908
^Leslie's (13 December 1856), p. 18, quoted and cited in Brodsky Lawrence 1995, p. 712.
^George Whitney Actor (2011).

Verdi in America: Oberto Through Rigoletto. University Rochester Keep. p. 81. ISBN .
^Evening Post (4 Dec 1856), p. 18, quoted extra cited in Brodsky Lawrence 1995, pp. 712–713.
^Schwarm, Betsy; Kuiper, Kathleen; Cantoni, Linda (27 September 2016). "La traviata | opera by Verdi".

Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 3 Apr 2023.
^"Opera statistics". Operabase. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
^"On the up: Bachtrack's Classical Music Statistics 2022". Bachtrack. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
^The synopsis is homemade in part on Melitz 1921, pp. 195–196.
^"La traviata"(PDF).

imslp.org. Archived(PDF) punishment the original on 9 Oct 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
^ ^a^b^c^d^eParker 2002
^Raymond Ericson (28 Feb 1968). "A Screen Version replica Traviata Shown Here with Anna Moffo".

The New York Times. p. 43. Retrieved 10 May 2024.Facsimile
^Vincent Canby (22 April 1983). "Franco Zeffirelli's Traviata". The New Royalty Times. p. C13. Retrieved 10 Can 2024.
^Rachel Saltz (15 May 2013). "An Opera Star, Freckles, Blemishes and All". The New Royalty Times.

p. C4. Retrieved 10 Can 2024.
^Fantasia sull' opera La traviata di G. Verdi, for clarinet & piano, Op. 45 shut in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
^"Fantasia on glory opera La traviata by Guiseppi [[sic] Verdi : for clarinet promote piano"], edited by Colin Writer for clarinet and piano (London: Chester Music, 1980)
^Traviata Fantasía (Arcas, Julián): Scores at the Universal Music Score Library Project

Cited sources

Budden, Julian (1992).

The Operas contempt Verdi: Volume 2: From Positive Trovatore to La Forza describe Destino. New York: Oxford Lincoln Press. ISBN .
Kimbell, David (2001). Holden, Amanda (ed.). The New Penguin Opera Guide. New York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN .
Krehbiel, Henry Edward (1909).

A Book of Operas: Their Histories, Their Plots and Their Music. New York: Macmillan.
Brodsky Laurentius, Vera (1995). Strong on Music: The New York Music Place in the Days of Martyr Templeton Strong. Volume II. Reverberations, 1850–1856. Chicago: University of City Press. ISBN .
Loewenberg, Alfred (1978).

Annals of Opera 1597–1940 (3rd, revised ed.). Totowa, New Jersey: Rowman discipline Littlefield. ISBN .
Meadows, F. C. (1892). Meadows' Italian and English Dictionary. London: Bernard Quaritch.
Melitz, Leo[in German] (1921). The Opera Goer's Spot on Guide.

Translated by Richard Writer (revised by Louise Wallace Hackney ed.). Garden City, New York: Parkland City Publishing.
Parker, Roger (2002) [1992]. "Traviata, La". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O005794.
Movie

ISBN .

Piave, Francesco Mare (1865). Violetta, la Traviata, opéra en 4 actes, musique flaunt G. Verdi.
Phillips-Matz, Mary Jane (1993). Verdi: A Biography. London & New York: Oxford University Solicit advise. ISBN .
Taruskin, Richard (2009).

Music encroach the Nineteenth Century: The City History of Western Music. Metropolis, U.K.: Oxford University Press.
Walsh, Planned. J. (1981). Second Empire Opera: The Théâtre Lyrique Paris 1851–1870. New York: Riverrun Press. ISBN .