“La traviata” – Guiseppe Verdi
Charles Chaplin (1825 – 1891)
_________
this version of “La traviata“ has no
subtitles, but it should be remembered
that only a few years ago none of them
had, not even in opera houses
I learned to love “La traviata“ on CD,
couldn’t either see the performance
then, now the internet supplies us,
gratis, with complete operas, from
very Gluck‘s to very Philip Glass‘
with the text translated throughout
a synopsis
Violetta is a courtesan, a traviata, a
fallen woman, who’s fallen all the way
to the top of Parisian society, she has
just recovered from a malaise and is
hosting a celebration, her salon
entertains many who’ve been
instrumental in securing her not
unsullied reputation, it is the world
of Marcel Proust
a new suitor arrives, Alfredo Germont,
who pledges his love undying, she is
eventually seduced, by his, no doubt,
impressive arias, croce e delizia, he
sings, she counters, agony and
ecstasy, indeed
the ups and downs of love ensue,
Germont’s father objects to the match,
claiming Alfredo’s sister’s chances
at marriage would falter should her
name, their name, be defiled, he
convinces Violetta to leave Alfredo
for the sake of his family, whereupon
everyone feels betrayed
Alfredo, Alfredo, she cries, di questo
core non puoi comprendere tutto
l’amore, Alfredo, Alfredo, you cannot
understand fully the love I have in
my heart, she moans, begrudges
but love conquers all in the end,
though not life, as it turns out, Violetta
succumbs to her malaise, which had
all along been consumption,
tuberculosis nowadays
you’ll see Spanish dancers, gypsies,
they are part of Violetta’s entertainment,
have nothing to do with the story,
otherwise the music itself tells all
the camellia, note, which you’ll see
highlighted here and there, is a
reference to Violetta’s inspiration,
the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils,
or junior, his “La Dame aux camélias“,
which the same author shortly
thereafter made into an equally
successful play, “Camille” in English,
the lady of the camellias, incidentally,
Renée Fleming has taken over the role,
from Maria Callas in the Fifties, then
from Joan Sutherland in the Eighties,
she is the traviata for this generation
she is perfect, her arpeggios will
shoot up your spine
Richard
Richibi's Weblog 