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Legend

This is the accessible program booklet for La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. It contains 14 pages, which can be browsed both forward and backward.

It provides audio versions of the texts, audio descriptions, and videos in ISL, International Sign Language. The texts can be easily zoomed in and out, and the contrast of the display can be increased.

The “Audio text” button plays the audio of the texts read by a male voice while the “Audio description button plays the audio descriptions of the pictures read by a female voice. The “ISL” button plays videos in International Sign Language.

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La Traviata

by Giuseppe Verdi

Opera in three acts.

Libretto by
Francesco Maria Piave

Characters

Violetta Valéry [soprano] Flora Bervoix, friend of Violetta [mezzo-soprano] Annina, Violetta's maid [mezzo-soprano] Alfredo Germont [tenor] Giorgio Germont, father of Alfredo [baritone] Gastone, Visconte di Letorières [tenor] Barone Douphol [baritone] Marchese d'Obigny [bass] Doctor Grenvil [bass] Giuseppe, Violetta's servant [tenor] Flora’s servant/Commissioner [bass]

Violetta’s and Flora’s male and female friends, matadors, picadors, gypsies, Violetta’s and Flora’s servants, and masked performers

First act. Alfredo, Violetta and some of the guests at the party held at Violetta’s house. The picture shows the sitting room in Violetta’s house. The back wall is gold in color and richly decorated in the style of the 19th century, with stuccoes, arches and mirrors. At the center of the wall hangs a large head and shoulders portrait of Violetta. In the painting, she is wearing an elegant white strapless gown with a rose pinned to the center of her breast. At both sides, there are two wall lights and two large vases filled with flowers standing on a raised surface. In front of the portrait, waiters in livery are standing on steps and holding bottles of champagne. Further toward the front, there are other stairs where some of the guests are sitting with glasses in hand. At the center of the scene, Alfredo is in the act of raising his own glass.

Act I
Alfredo, Violetta and some of the guests at the party held at Violetta’s house.

Second act. Violetta, Alfredo, and some of the guests at the party at Flora’s house, along with some matadors. The picture shows the gallery of Flora’s house. The back wall features shades of gold and light blue and is richly decorated in the style of the 19th century with stuccoes, marble, arches, columns, mirrors, and large paintings. In front of it runs an elegant balustrade where two tall bronze statues stand holding lamps. The balustrade is split in the middle by a wide set of stairs where some of the guests and matadors stand watching Violetta and Alfredo at the center of the scene.

Act II
Violetta, Alfredo, and some of guests at the party at Flora’s house, along with some matadors

Third act. Violetta, Alfredo, Giorgio Germont, Annina and the doctor in Violetta’s bedroom. The image shows Violetta’s bedroom, which is dimly lit. The back wall is the same as the one in the sitting room, but the large portrait is now covered by heavy damask curtains. In front of the wall stands a single bed where Violetta is lying dressed in her nightgown. The head of the bed is formed by large square cushions that are grey. The top of the bed is covered with white rectangular pillows and a white sheet. To the left of the bed, a small wooden trunk sits on the floor. In front, one of the wall lights has fallen to the floor. To the right of the bed, there is an armchair where Giorgio Germont is sitting. Further to the right, Annina is standing with her back to the audience and the doctor is standing with his head bowed.

Act III
Violetta, Alfredo, Giorgio Germont, Annina and the doctor in Violetta’s bedroom.

Violetta, Alfredo and some of Violetta’s friends. In the first act, Violetta is wearing an elegant light blue gown. The bodice leaves her shoulders bare, while the skirt billows out from the waist and is floor length with two ruffles at the bottom. The gown is overlaid with light blue dotted tulle that ends with blue rings. She is also wearing a precious parure of jewelry, with matching earrings and necklace, along with a tulle shawl that partially covers her shoulders and arms. Her hair is brown and pulled back. Alfredo is wearing a black tailcoat, with pants and a short coat that ends at the waist with two long tails falling to his knees in back. Beneath his coat, he is wearing a white vest and white shirt, as well as a white scarf tied around his neck. He has short, brown hair. The female guests at the party are all wearing elegant, puffy gowns in shades of light blue and blue. The men are wearing tailcoats, like Alfredo. The waiters are wearing black livery with grey trim. They are also wearing white wigs with curls at ear level.

Violetta, Alfredo and some of Violetta’s friends

Violetta. In the second act, Violetta is wearing an elegant white gown similar to the one in the portrait. The bodice leaves her shoulders bare and it is accented with two white roses at the center. The skirt billows out from the waist and is floor length with small ruffles at the bottom. The dress is overlaid with white tulle and accented with ruffles. She is also wearing a parure of jewelry, with matching earrings and a necklace, along with bracelets. Her hair is brown hair and pulled back.

Violetta.

Director’s Notes.

Franco Zeffirelli, born in Florence one hundred years ago, passed away in June 2019, six days before being able to see his last creation inaugurate the Arena di Verona Opera Festival.

Zeffirelli was very attached to La Traviata. After his first encounter in 1958, in Dallas, with Maria Callas in the role of Violetta, he directed the opera nine times all over the world, including an adaptation for the big screen.

This production by the renowned director and scenographer, with the collaboration of costume designer Maurizio Millenotti, casts Paris of the middle of the nineteenth century as the symbol of an epoch and its style. It is the triumph of the upper middle class and of the nobility of the period, with its gilding, stuccoes, mirrors, champagne, and sofas.

In the words of Zeffirelli, “La Traviata recounts a story that could take place in any period, at any time in our lives, and this is its strength”. And more, “Violetta is the perfect representation of a woman of today and of always”.

The production is based on a huge “scene box” that makes it possible to have scenes on multiple levels. They are shown to and hidden from the audience through the movement of a colossal curtain mounted on a platform. Two proscenium loggias support it. When they rotate, they change the scene. This grandiose solution has an incredible impact.

Beyond the inevitably spectacular scenography and scene changes, Zeffirelli, the master of theater, recounts for the last time the story of Violetta. With keen intuition, he starts from the very end, with the disease that is anticipated in Verdi’s prelude and in the pages that open the beloved and inspiring The Lady of the Camellias by Dumas.

Synopsis

ACT I

Violetta Valéry is hosting a party in her luxurious apartment in Paris. She is a high-class courtesan under the protection of baron Douphol. She is introduced to an admirer, Alfredo Germont. Overcoming his initial awkwardness, the young man makes a toast to her and asks her to dance, but Violetta grows ill. She suffers from consumption, and beyond the disease itself, she harbors her own inner turmoil that detaches her from the superficiality of the party. Alfredo intuitively understands her state of mind and confesses that he has secretly been in love with her for a year. She is moved. At first, she rejects him but then gives him a flower, inviting him to return the next day. After the guests have left, Violetta contemplates the nature of her feelings.

ACT II

Six months later, Violetta and Alfredo are living together in a country house outside of Paris. The couple seem happy, but Violetta receives a visit from Alfredo’s father. He begs her to leave his son because the scandal of their love affair is jeopardizing his daughter’s betrothal. In the end, Violetta decides to sacrifice her own happiness and writes Alfredo a goodbye letter. Shortly thereafter, Alfredo reads the letter in which Violetta tells him that she is going to return to her life as a courtesan. Tormented by jealousy and resentment, Alfredo rushes off to find Violetta and avenge himself. That very evening, a party is being thrown at Flora Bervoix’s house. Alfredo arrives while some of the guests are playing cards. Violetta arrives as well, accompanied by Douphol. Alfredo loses control and throws his gambling winnings at Violetta. Then, filled with remorse, he is led away by his father after being challenged to a duel by Douphol.

ACT III

Violetta is in her bedroom, sick, a month later. Her death is at hand as doctor Grenvil confirms to Annina. Violetta is left with nothing more than simple everyday gestures, including rereading her letters. The one she dwells upon the most is the letter in which Giorgio Germont informs her that he told the truth to his son, who fled abroad after wounding the baron in the duel. Now, Alfredo is returning to Paris to see her and beg her forgiveness. When Alfredo returns, the two lovers exchange words of love and forgiveness, but now she is too weak even to stand. The arrival of Giorgio Germont, ready to accept Violetta as his daughter, and Alfredo’s words of passionate dedication are to no avail. Then after a final, fleeting sign of recovery, Violetta collapses lifeless.

Logo of the Fondazione Arena di Verona. It is a stylized representation of the arena formed by four blue ellipses on a light background. The outer ellipse is the largest and the inner, the smallest. At the top left, the so-called Ala sits on the largest ellipse. With its four arches, it is what is left of the outer wall. Beneath the arena appears the writing, FONDAZIONE ARENA DI VERONA.

Credits

Technical implementation: Tadao Agency.
Descriptions: Elena Di Giovanni, Francesca Raffi
Videos in ISL: Monika Nawrot
Voices: Marco Quaglia (texts); Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi (audio descriptions)

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