La Traviata

Text by Francesco Maria Piave

The third masterpiece in Verdi’s popular trio of operas, La traviata is considered one of his greatest works. The opera is based on the controversial work of Alexandre Dumas fils, the “Dame aux camélias”, that the composer courageously decided to put in a contemporary setting. The opera was first performed at the Fenice Theatre in Venice in 1853, and went down extremely badly with the audience, not only because of the poor singers, but above all because of the plot and modern outlook of the score. In this opera, Verdi did away with the usual overture and composed two preludes for orchestra (in the first and third act), that precisely and subtly evoke the emotional atmosphere that unfolds during the entire performance.

The opera tells of the love life of Violetta, a modern, worldly-wise women, and Alfredo, her impartial admirer. Only with Alfredo does Violetta fall in love for the first time, opposed however by Alfredo’s father, Germont, and then Violetta’s illness leads to her inevitable death.

TCBO production with Teatro Regio di Parma

CONDUCTOR

DIRECTOR, STAGE DESIGN AND LIGHTING DESIGN

CAST

COMPOSER

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) is the opera composer who most brings to mind the Italian identity, as during his lengthy career he embodied the values and most intimate sentiments of a fragmented country which learnt to speak Italian through his music and songs. One of Verdi’s favourite themes was the contradictions in the relationship between parent and child, interpreted in masterpieces such as Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La traviata, Simon Boccanegra and Luisa Miller.

In cooperation with “Scuola di Teatro di Bologna Alessandra Galante Garrone”