Melodrama in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, libretto by Francesco Maria Piave from the novel La Dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas son
Produced by Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova
Characters and interpreters:
Violetta Valery
Olga Peretyatko
Elena Schirru (14,16,18)
Flora Bervoix
Carlotta Vichi
Annina
Chiara Polese
Alfredo Germont
Francesco Meli
Klodjan Kaçani (14,16,18)
Giorgio Germont
Roberto Frontali
Leon Kim (14,16,18),
Gastone
Roberto Covatta
Barone Douphol
Claudio Ottino
Marquis d’Obigny
Andrea Porta
Dr. Grenvil
Francesco Milanese
Flora’s domestic
Loris Purpura
Giuseppe
Giuliano Petouchoff
Commissioners
Filippo Balestra
Concertmaster and conductor
Renato Palumbo
Director
Giorgio Gallione
Scenes and costumes
Guido Fiorato
Lighting
Luciano Novelli
Orchestra, chorus and technicians of the Opera Carlo Felice Genoa
Choirmaster Claudio Marino Moretti
La traviata is part, together with Rigoletto and Il Trovatore, of Giuseppe Verdi’s so-called ‘popular trilogy’. The three works date from the early 1850s and represent a turning point in the composer’s artistic career. It was at the beginning of 1853, Verdi began composing for the Teatro La Fenice, with the collaboration of librettist Francesco Maria Piave for the reduction of the best-seller La Dame aux camélias, published by Alexandre Dumas’ son the previous year. The subject matter appealed to the composer, who was nevertheless aware of the possible controversies: the plot was set in the contemporary world, and themes were dealt with that would easily clash with certain forms of moralism. The main narrative stratagem in this respect was the shift of the action to the 18th century. Despite an unsuccessful first performance (on 6 March 1853), La traviata soon began to circulate throughout Italy, albeit with important changes (at the Regio di Parma it was even performed under the title Violetta) and remains one of the most performed opera titles in the world to this day. The revolutionary scope of the opera is found both in its themes – the protagonist, Violetta, encapsulates the deepest meanings of the main themes: love and death – and in the compositional techniques through which Verdi articulates the tale. The central element is the inner dialogue of the characters, expressed in the deepest nuances by the orchestra. Even when the sentiment is not made explicit, the orchestral writing anticipates and suggests to the audience what the characters are afraid to reveal even to themselves. This form of cohesion between stage action and musical action anticipates some of the most significant developments in late 19th century opera.
