A tragic love story about a courtesan who sacrifices her happiness for love
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Parisian Pleasures
Violetta is introduced as a celebrated courtesan in Parisian high society. She meets Alfredo and they fall deeply in love, leading her to decide to leave her life of luxury for him.
Key Events
Violetta's Introduction — Violetta is introduced as a celebrated courtesan Characters: Violetta Valéry, Flora Bervoix, Annina, Chorus - BassesLocation: Parisian salon
Meeting Alfredo — Violetta and Alfredo meet and are immediately drawn to each other Characters: Violetta Valéry, Alfredo Germont, Flora BervoixLocation: Parisian salon
Declaration of Love — Violetta and Alfredo confess their love for each other Characters: Violetta Valéry, Alfredo GermontLocation: Parisian salon
Decision to Leave — Violetta decides to leave her life as a courtesan for Alfredo Characters: Violetta Valéry, AnninaLocation: Violetta's home
Country Romance
Violetta and Alfredo begin their life together in the countryside, away from the pressures of Parisian society. Their happiness is short-lived when Alfredo's father intervenes.
Key Events
Decision to Leave — Violetta decides to leave her life as a courtesan for Alfredo Characters: Violetta Valéry, AnninaLocation: Violetta's home
Country Life — Violetta and Alfredo live happily in the countryside Characters: Violetta Valéry, Alfredo Germont, AnninaLocation: Countryside villa
Father's Intervention — Giorgio confronts Violetta and asks her to leave Alfredo Characters: Giorgio Germont, Violetta ValéryLocation: Villa
Sacrifice and Suffering
Violetta sacrifices her love for Alfredo at the request of his father. The misunderstanding leads to Alfredo publicly humiliating her, and she falls gravely ill.
Key Events
Father's Intervention — Giorgio confronts Violetta and asks her to leave Alfredo Characters: Giorgio Germont, Violetta ValéryLocation: Villa
Sacrifice — Violetta reluctantly agrees to leave Alfredo Characters: Violetta Valéry, AnninaLocation: Villa
Misunderstanding — Alfredo believes Violetta has left him for another man Characters: Alfredo Germont, Giorgio GermontLocation: Family home
Public Humiliation — Alfredo confronts and humiliates Violetta at a party Characters: Alfredo Germont, Violetta Valéry, Flora Bervoix, AnninaLocation: Flora's party
Truth Revealed — Giorgio reveals the truth about Violetta's sacrifice to Alfredo Characters: Giorgio Germont, Alfredo GermontLocation: Family home
Reunion — Alfredo returns to Violetta's side Characters: Alfredo Germont, Violetta Valéry, Giorgio GermontLocation: Sickroom
Death — Violetta dies in Alfredo's arms Characters: Violetta Valéry, Alfredo Germont, Giorgio Germont, AnninaLocation: Sickroom
Story Breakdown
Parisian Beginnings — Violetta's life as a celebrated courtesan and her meeting with Alfredo
Introduction — Violetta is introduced in Parisian high society
Love at First Sight — Violetta and Alfredo meet and are immediately drawn to each other
Declaration of Love — Violetta and Alfredo confess their feelings
Country Romance — Violetta and Alfredo's life together in the countryside
New Life — Violetta leaves her life as a courtesan
Happiness — The couple enjoys a peaceful life together
Father's Intervention — Giorgio opposes the relationship and asks Violetta to leave
Confrontation — Giorgio confronts Violetta
Sacrifice — Violetta agrees to leave Alfredo
Misunderstanding — Alfredo believes Violetta has betrayed him
False Belief — Alfredo thinks Violetta left him for another man
Public Humiliation — Alfredo confronts Violetta at a party
Tragic End — Violetta's illness and death
Illness — Violetta becomes gravely ill
Truth Revealed — Giorgio tells Alfredo the truth
Reunion and Death — Alfredo returns to Violetta's side before she dies
This superb 2006 production of the Los Angeles Opera's La Traviata stars Renée Fleming, who joins the ranks of the elite handful of sopranos whose vocal and acting talents make their portrayals memorable. Her Violetta Valéry is a vulnerable figure torn between self-indulgence and love, sacrificing personal happiness to become a victim of the social mores of mid-19th-century bourgeois France. Fleming's acting captures the complexity of the character and her vocalism is flawless. She negotiates the wild coloratura of Act One with aplomb, and is stunning in the lyric passages that pervade the opera, and touching in her scenes with her lover, Alfredo, and his father. Her singing is free of the mannerisms that have sometimes crept into her work and at the same time she brings countless personal touches to the role, phrasing and verbal emphases that shed fresh light on the character.
