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CHAN 3023(2) CHANDOS O PERA IN Sir ENGLISH LaVerdi traviata

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Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)

AKG (The Fallen Woman)

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after Alexandre Dumas’s La dame aux camélias English translation by Edmund Tracey

Violetta Valéry...... Valerie Masterson Alfredo Germont ...... John Brecknock Giorgio Germont ...... Flora Bervoix ...... mezzo-soprano Baron Douphol...... John Gibbs baritone Doctor Grenvil ...... Roderick Earle Marquis d’Obigny ...... Denis Dowling baritone Viscount Gaston de Letorières...... Geoffrey Pogson tenor Annina ...... Shelagh Squires mezzo-soprano Joseph...... Edward Byles tenor A Passer-by ...... John Kitchiner baritone

English National Orchestra and Chorus Victor Morris musical assistant Sir Charles Mackerras

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COMPACT DISC ONE 14 ‘Annina, where have you been?’ 0:45 [p. 75] 1 Prelude 4:03 [p. 68] Alfredo, Annina 15 ‘I hate myself! I’m so ashamed!’ 1:38 [p. 75] Act I [p. 54] Alfredo 2 ‘What a time to arrive at a party!’ 4:53 [p. 68] 16 ‘Alfredo?’ ‘He has just set out for Paris’ 3:46 [p. 75] Chorus, Violetta, Flora, Marquis, Gaston, Alfredo, Baron Violetta, Annina, Joseph, Germont 3 ‘Be happy, be happy and raise your glass with me’ 3:02 [p. 70] 17 ‘I have a daughter sent from Heav’n’ 1:42 [p. 77] Alfredo, Chorus, Violetta Germont, Violetta 4 ‘What’s that?’ 2:18 [p. 70] 18 ‘Do you realise I adore him’ 2:15 [p. 78] 5 ‘I saw a vision ethereal’ 3:10 [p. 72] 19 ‘A day will come when making love…’ 2:52 [p. 78] Alfredo, Violetta 20 ‘Ah! Comfort your daughter so pure and lovely’ 4:23 [p. 79] 6 ‘Ha, ha! What are you doing?’ 1:19 [p. 72] 21 ‘Then command me!’ 1:20 [p. 79] Gaston, Violetta, Alfredo 22 ‘I’ll die! But you must promise me…’ 3:43 [p. 80] 7 ‘We present ourselves before you’ 1:43 [p. 73] 23 ‘God give me strength to bear it!’ 1:46 [p. 81] Chorus Violetta, Annina 8 ‘I wonder! I wonder!’ 1:05 [p. 73] 24 ‘What’s that?’ ‘Nothing’ 2:17 [p. 81] Violetta Alfredo, Violetta 9 ‘Is he the one I dream about?’ 2:48 [p. 73] 25 ‘Ah, she is mine forever’ 2:18 [p. 82] 10 ‘It can’t be! It can’t be!’ 0:57 [p. 73] Alfredo, Joseph, A Passer-by, Germont 11 ‘Give me freedom to be happy’ 3:30 [p. 74] 26 ‘In Provence, your native land’ 4:03 [p. 83] Violetta, Alfredo Germont 27 ‘Won’t you answer your father, Alfredo?’ 0:47 [p. 83] Act II [p. 54] Germont, Alfredo Scene 1 [p. 54] 28 ‘No, no, I cannot preach at you’ 1:54 [p. 84] 12 ‘I’m never happy if she is not beside me’ 1:53 [p. 74] TT 68:15 [p. 57] Alfredo 13 ‘My life was too impetuous’ 2:02 [p. 74]

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COMPACT DISC TWO 9 Prelude 3:41 [p. 91] Scene 2 [p. 57] 1 ‘The surprise is a band of dancing gipsies’ 1:04 [p. 84] Act III Flora, Marquis, Doctor, Chorus 10 ‘Annina?’ ‘Did you call me?’ 5:04 [p. 91] 2 ‘We’re gipsy fortune tellers’ 2:51 [p. 84] Violetta, Annina, Doctor Gipsies, Flora, Marquis, Chorus 11 ‘You have kept your promise…’ 1:50 [p. 92] 3 ‘We are heroes, in Spain they adore us’ 2:40 [p. 85] Violetta Gaston, Matadors, Chorus 12 ‘Forever I must leave thee…’ 2:53 [p. 93] 13 4 ‘Alfredo! You!’ 4:08 [p. 86] ‘Hail to the carnival’s four-footed master!’ 0:51 [p. 93] Chorus, Alfredo, Flora, Violetta, Baron, Gaston, Servant Chorus of Revellers 14 5 ‘I have asked him here to meet me’ 2:29 [p. 88] ‘Dear Madam –’ 1:45 [p. 93] Violetta, Alfredo, Chorus Annina, Violetta, Alfredo 15 6 ‘All that she had she spent on me’ 1:31 [p. 90] ‘Come, bid farewell to Paris forever’ 4:12 [p. 94] Alfredo, Chorus Alfredo, Violetta 16 7 ‘Disgraceful conduct! How I despise you!’ 1:49 [p. 90] ‘Ah, no more, Alfredo, let’s go to the church now’ 1:21 [p. 95] Germont, Alfredo, Baron, Chorus 17 ‘But if my loved one cannot revive me’ 2:18 [p. 96] 18 8 ‘Alfredo, Alfredo, you hate and scorn me’ 4:10 [p. 90] ‘Ah, Violetta!’ 1:38 [p. 96] Violetta, Alfredo, Germont, Baron, Chorus Germont, Violetta, Alfredo 19 ‘Listen! I have a picture here’ 0:51 [p. 97] 20 ‘I see a pure and lovely girl’ 3:06 [p. 97] Violetta, Germont, Doctor, Annina, Alfredo TT 50:17 [p. 83]

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different, but, having found his way into them instructed Piave to convey to the Fenice the Verdi: La traviata both, Verdi was apparently able to turn from composer’s conviction that, unless different one to the other with ease. He was the most singers were engaged, the opera was sure to fail. objective of composers, which goes some way When an anonymous letter warned Verdi that, From La dame aux camélias to La traviata complete as it is’; this is generally taken to refer towards explaining why he is one of the unless the soprano and baritone at least were Verdi had been fortunate with those of his to La dame aux camélias. When Verdi greatest composers of opera. However, within replaced, the performance would be a disaster, commissioned by and first performed at suggested the Dumas play to the Fenice the context of this objectivity, he contrived to Verdi gloomily passed the letter on to Piave, the Teatro la Fenice in Venice: Ernani in 1844, authorities, they approved it, merely suggesting lay bare his own feelings. It is rare for Verdi to adding, ‘I know, I know’. Attila in 1846 and in 1851. In 1852, that he change his proposed title, ‘Amore e identify himself with any one character in his When he arrived in Venice on 21 February the thirty-nine-year-old composer was morte’ (Love and death). operas, but when he does lavish his compassion to orchestrate the opera and supervise the approached again by the management of the Verdi agreed to have the new opera ready for upon a particular character, the occasion is sure rehearsals, Verdi had good reason to fear the Fenice and asked to compose an opera for the performance at the Fenice on 6 March 1853, to be a very revealing one, as is the case with worst, for the soprano was unsatisfactory and following season. Francesco Maria Piave, who and began to compose it while he was in Rome La traviata. the tenor not in good voice. Even the baritone, had been Verdi’s collaborator on two of those in December, 1852, rehearsing Most of the music was written while Verdi Felice Varesi, who was used to working with earlier three Fenice operas, was engaged as . Only a few weeks separate the was en route to Rome, while he was in Rome Verdi and had scored a huge success as the first librettist, and the search for a suitable subject premieres of Il trovatore in Rome and producing Il trovatore, or at Sant’Agata Rigoletto, felt unhappy in so unusual an opera was begun while Verdi was still composing La traviata in Venice. After the first three immediately afterwards. The final act was with a purely domestic background, no Il trovatore (for the Teatro Apollo, Rome, highly successful performances of Il trovatore in composed at Sant’Agata in an atmosphere of intrigues, no battles, none of the trappings of where it was given its premiere in January, January, Verdi returned to his villa at pessimistic gloom highly suitable to the high romance. The first performance was given 1853). Sant’Agata, near Busseto, and completed the content of the drama, not only because both on 6 March, and in letters to various friends At the beginning of 1852, Verdi and his new opera. Piave had been busily re-writing his Verdi and Giuseppina were unwell, but also the following day Verdi reported disaster. ‘Dear mistress, Giuseppina Strepponi, were in Paris. in the light of the composer’s unkind because Verdi was convinced that the cast Emanuele’, he wrote to Emanuele Muzio, his The stage adaption of La dame aux camélias, criticism that some sections of it would send engaged by the Fenice Theatre would not be ex-pupil and amanuensis, ‘Traviata last night – which Alexandre Dumas fils had made from the audience to sleep! A large amount of the able to do justice to his opera. Piave stayed at a fiasco. Was it my fault or the singers? Time his own novel, was first produced there on music had been written while he was adding Sant’Agata so as to be on call when alterations will tell.’ 2 February, and Verdi attended a performance. the finishing touches to Il trovatore, which to his libretto were needed. ‘When it rains’ he The first-night audience had laughed at the He had probably already read the novel, for the demonstrates how completely Verdi was able to wrote to the Fenice’s Secretary, ‘I assure you it’s thought of the soprano, Fanny Salvini- previous year he had mentioned to his immerse himself in the characters and a case of looking at oneself in the mirror to see Donatelli, an extremely stout lady, dying of Trovatore librettist ‘another subject, simple and atmosphere of his subjects. The worlds of Il if one is still in human form, or whether one consumption, though she was the only singer passionate, which can be said to be almost trovatore and La traviata could hardly be more hasn’t been turned into a toad or a frog.’ Verdi whom the critics praised. Writers on Verdi 8 9 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 3:59 pm Page 10

have been known to suggest that another notes that ‘the Signor Maestro Verdi desires, opera was an overwhelming success. Soon, it was described by Dumas as ‘tall, very thin, reason for the initial failure of La traviata was demands and begs that the costumes for his was being produced elsewhere throughout Italy dark-haired and with a pink and white that Venetian audiences were not used to opera La traviata should remain those of the and abroad, though always in the 1700 complexion… she was like a Saxe figurine’. seeing contemporary dress on the operatic present day’. A little later, however, Piave wrote costumes, and before long it had become the Born in the country, the daughter of a stage. But at those first performances at the from Sant’Agata to confirm that ‘Verdi agrees most discussed opera of its day. Verdi was merchant, she made her way to Paris at the age Fenice, they did not see modern dress. It is very much against his will that the period delighted, though he could not refrain from of fifteen where she soon became what the true that, in choosing the Dumas play for his should be put back in time’. remarking to a friend that, with the exception Parisians used to call a grisette, a girl who was opera, Verdi had hoped to grapple with a Verdi’s gloomy letters about the ‘fiasco’ were of minor alterations made to adjust the score to be found in the cafes of the artists’ and contemporary subject. No one had ever written before he had seen the newspaper to the capabilities of the new singers, it was the students’ quarters by night: a Parisian attempted to do this in a serious opera, though reviews of the first performance, which, same opera which had been heard at the equivalent of the Viennese süsse Mädel. It is he himself had come close to it in Stiffelio though mixed, were by no means entirely Fenice: ‘Then it was a fiasco; now it has doubtful if Marie Duplessis was ever a which is set at the beginning of the nineteenth unfavourable. Ten performances were given created a furore. Draw your own conclusions!’ common prostitute. Within a year she had century. While he was composing La traviata, during the season, after which Verdi instructed Alexandre Dumas’s novel La dame aux become part of the Parisian demi-monde of the Verdi had written to a friend: ‘For Venice I’m his publisher not to allow any further camélias had been published in Paris in 1848, kept woman, a social step or two above the writing La dame aux camélias which will productions, unless he, Verdi, could be in only a few months after the death of prostitute, though beyond the pale of probably be called La traviata. It’s a charge of them. He toyed with the idea of Alphonsine Plessis (or Marie Duplessis, as she respectable society. The kept woman, or contemporary subject. Another composer producing the opera in Rome, but was was generally called), on whom the author had courtesan, usually indulged in successive rather would perhaps not have done it because of the forestalled by a request for it from Venice, not based his lady of the camellias. Marie Duplessis than simultaneous liaisons, and Marie costumes, the period, or a thousand other from the Fenice but from a smaller theatre, the was a famous Parisian courtesan of great beauty Duplessis was kept successively by the Duc de foolish scruples, but I am delighted with the Teatro San Benedetto. The impresario offered and wit, who at various times had liaisons with Guise and by Count Stackelberg. It was when idea. Everyone complained when I proposed to engage a first-rate cast, with Piave to direct such eminent men as Alfred de Musset, Liszt she was nineteen, and the mistress of the putting a hunchback on the stage. Well, I rehearsals, and to allow unlimited rehearsal and Dumas himself. She was only twenty-three Count, that Dumas met her, in circumstances enjoyed composing Rigoletto.’ However, time. The Louis XIV period was to be adhered when she died of consumption. There are very similar to those portrayed in Act I of both play someone at the Teatro la Fenice had got cold to, however, for apparently it would have been strong autobiographic elements in both the and opera. feet and, when La traviata reached the stage in tempting providence to show the audience novel and the play which Dumas fashioned In transforming her into his Marguerite Venice, the period and costumes were those of people exactly like themselves on stage. from it the following year, and it is quite Gautier, Dumas romanticised Marie, for she Louis XIV, early eighteenth century. Verdi had After an initial hesitation, Verdi agreed to reasonable to assume that the character of had not left him in order to protect his family’s fought hard for the right to retain in his opera the proposal from the Teatro San Benedetto, Armand Duval, who shares his author’s initials, name: he had left her, because she was the contemporary setting of the play. A and the Venetians heard La traviata again on was intended as a self-portrait. (In the opera he unwilling to renounce the luxury with which memorandum in the archives of the Fenice 6 May, 1854, with a new cast. This time, the is called Alfredo Germont.) Marie Duplessis he was unable to provide her, and he was 10 11 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 3:59 pm Page 12

unwilling to share her with other lovers. Their Dumas reacted violently against the demi- caters for all her needs. Neither I nor she is affections and that, in style, it is a much more affair had lasted less than a year. The following monde in which he was brought up. Though obliged to account to anyone for our actions. intimate and personal work than anything else year, Marie Duplessis travelled to London with his treatment of the courtesan, a social outcast, But who knows what our relations are? What he had written up to that time. the Vicomte de Pérrigaux, whom she married is highly sympathetic in La dame aux camélias affairs? What ties? What rights I have over her Piave’s libretto for the opera follows the at the Kensington Registry Office. After a few and firmly within the romantic literary or she over me? Who knows whether she is my Dumas play fairly closely. The play is in five months, the marriage failed, and Marie tradition of rebellion against conventional wife or not? And if she is, who knows what the acts, reduced in the opera to four scenes, for returned to the continent, visiting various spas morality, in later life Dumas was to attack the reasons may be for not announcing the fact? Piave omits the second act in which in an attempt to regain her health. She died in courtesan as the curse of society. Who knows whether that is a bad thing, who Marguerite decides to live with Armand in the her apartment in Paris in February, 1847, and Parisian society, at least the liberal artistic has the right to ostracise us? I will say this, country and dismisses her current lover, Count is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery. society which Verdi frequented on his many however: in my house she is entitled to as de Giray. Piave thus improved the form of the Dumas was in his early twenties when he sojourns in Paris, would not have regarded the much respect as myself, more even. And no drama at the expense of its content for, at the wrote his novel which, though widely admired composer’s mistress, Giuseppina Strepponi, as one is allowed to forget that for any reason. end of Act I, Marguerite, or Violetta as she at the time, has today fallen into obscurity. His a courtesan. But provincial Italian society was And finally she has every right, both because of becomes in the opera, has apparently play, however, written the year after the novel not Paris. Verdi’s first wife and their two her conduct and her character, to that determined to continue her life as a courtesan, and only two years after the death of Marie children had been dead for more than ten consideration she habitually shows to others’. yet she is next seen at the beginning of the Duplessis, but kept from performance for three years, and he and Giuseppina Strepponi had It is hardly surprising, at a time when Verdi’s opera’s Act II (the play’s Act III) living in years because of censorship difficulties, remains been lovers for five years. It was only three relationship with Giuseppina (whom he was domestic bliss in the country with obstinately alive, not only because of its years since he had brought Giuseppina to live not to marry until seven years later) was Armand/Alfredo. However, the four scenes of suitability as a vehicle for great romantic with him in his home town of Busseto, an act scandalising the citizens of Busseto, that the the opera add up to a satisfying musical and actresses such as Sarah Bernhardt, Greta Garbo which outraged local society and estranged him composer should respond with such sympathy dramatic shape, and Dumas’s Act II is not and Edwige Feuillère, but also because of its from many of his old friends. At that time to Dumas’s play. It is probable that Verdi saw in really necessary either to the plot or to the formal simplicity and emotional honesty, Verdi had bought the Villa Sant’Agata, two or the play something of the emotional truth of boldly sketched characterisation. The libretto qualities which triumph over the fact that it has three miles outside Busseto, which was to be his own situation, and that, at least in a corner is, in fact, one of Piave’s most successful, and in long ago lost its power to épater les bourgeois. his and Giuseppina’s home for the rest of their of his mind, he identified Giuseppina with some respects it even improves upon the play The bourgeois of the days of Dumas fils and lives. When Antonio Barezzi, his ex-father-in- Marie Duplessis/Marguerite Gautier/Violetta from which it is taken. Verdi were, however, very easily shocked. law and old benefactor, took him to task for Valéry, with himself as Alexandre Dumas/ La traviata is not only one of Verdi’s best- Society then, as now, was based to a large not legalising his union with Giuseppina, Verdi Armand Duval/Alfredo Germont, and Antonio loved operas: it is also one of the world’s great extent on organised hypocrisy, but the rules replied: ‘There lives in my house a lady, free Barezzi as Dumas père(?)/Georges Duval/ music-dramas. That it was not immediately were stricter and more harshly enforced. As the and independent, who, like myself, prefers a Giorgio Germont. Certainly it is true that La recognised as such can only have been because illegitimate son of a famous father, the young solitary life, and in possession of a fortune that traviata occupied a special place in Verdi’s of its melodic wealth, for it seems hardly fair 12 13 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 3:59 pm Page 14

that a superb music-dramatist should also be he has never met her. Violetta asks Alfredo to The gentleman who then arrives is not her puzzled, imagines she has gone to settle the able to invent such a prodigality of tunes. propose a toast, and he drinks to her eyes. The lawyer, but Alfredo’s father. He accuses her of financial problems which he has in fact just Unfair but, in the case of Verdi, indisputable. band strikes up. Violetta, who has tuberculosis ruining his son. She tells him in confidence resolved himself. A passer-by brings a letter to In La traviata, more completely than in such (in those days an incurable disease), feels faint that it is his son who is ruining her and that, the house. ‘Here’s a note from a lady for earlier works as Luisa Miller or Stiffelio, whose and asks her guests to dance without her. far from being a kept woman, she is keeping you…’. Alfredo opens it. plots still retain elements of romantic Alfredo stays behind to make sure she is all Alfredo. Undeterred, Mr Germont goes on to ‘By the time you have read this letter I will melodrama, Verdi brought a new domestic right and confesses his love for her. Violetta say that the scandal of their affair is threatening have left to rejoin the Baron. Our weeks milieu into opera and, despite the Louis XIV lightly discourages him, but she offers him a his daughter’s intended marriage. Violetta must together have been very pleasant, but it would costumes of those early performances, wrote flower and says he may bring it back to her give Alfredo up. She is young and will find not have lasted…’. Mr Germont, who has been about the bourgeois world of his own day. La when it fades. The guests leave. another lover. Violetta answers that she could watching from the garden, comes in to console traviata is an opera in which all of Verdi’s finest The idea of true love given and returned never love anyone else. But when Mr Germont him and takes the opportunity of telling him qualities are to be perceived: his technical attracts but frightens her. It is more than a persists, saying that heaven will never bless the how much his sister misses him. Will he not mastery, his clarity, his humanity, his psycho- woman like her can hope for, and she cannot affair, and that it is God’s will that she should come home to Provence? Alfredo can only logical penetration, his unerring taste, and his accept it or trust it. She must be free to enjoy sacrifice herself, she gives in. She will leave think of revenge. Then Flora’s invitation genius for creating warm, singable melody. herself. Alfredo, provided that one day Mr Germont catches his eye, and he realizes where he will will tell him the truth. find Violetta. © Charles Osborne Act II Mr Germont leaves, and Violetta writes a (This article incorporates material from Scene 1 note to the Baron Douphol asking him if he Scene 2 Charles Osborne’s The Complete Operas of Verdi.) Violetta has given up her life with the Baron will be free that evening to escort her to Flora’s Alfredo arrives alone at Flora’s house, where she and she and Alfredo have been lovers for three party. She sends the maid to deliver it, and sits has enlivened the party with gambling and a Synopsis months. They have set up house together in a down to write a farewell note to Alfredo. He band of gipsies who tell fortunes and sing of Act I village outside the city. Alfredo is mortified to returns just as she is finishing it, but she bull fights. He sits down to gamble. When Violetta Valéry is giving a party at her house in discover from the maid that Violetta is selling manages to hide it from him. He tells her that Violetta arrives, she is with the Baron Paris, where she is kept in luxury by her all her possessions to pay the bills and is he is expecting his father who has left him an Douphol, who forbids her to speak to Alfredo. current lover, the Baron Douphol. Among her keeping them both. He leaves to raise money angry letter. As Violetta leaves the room she He challenges the young man to a game of guests are Flora Bervoix with her lover the in Paris. Violetta is surprised to hear that he says simply that she will wait for him outside, cards. Alfredo wins, doubles and wins until it is Marquis d’Obigny, Dr Grenvil and the has gone out and tells the servants that she is and then with sudden passion begs him to love time for everyone to go in to supper. Violetta Viscount Gaston de Letorières. Gaston expecting a visit from her attorney. She is her always. slips back to speak to Alfredo privately. She introduces his friend Alfredo Germont who, he momentarily distracted by a letter from Flora The manservant reports a few minutes later begs him to leave the house as she does not says, is an ardent admirer of hers, even though inviting her to a party in Paris that evening. that she has left for Paris. Alfredo, although want him killed in a duel with the Baron. 14 15 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 3:59 pm Page 16

Alfredo replies that he will only leave if she exertion of dressing brings on a paroxysm of regularly on radio and television and her Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal comes with him; but she tells him that she has coughing and the doctor is called. Mr recordings include Rossini’s Elisabetta, Regina Opera in Johannesburg as Yamadori (Madama sworn to give him up, and allows him to Germont also arrives. She is glad to have her d’Inghilterra, Das Rheingold, Götterdämmerung, Butterfly). He joined , believe that she has made this promise to the friends with her as she is dying. She gives several , and where his roles included Rodrigo, Germont, Baron. Alfredo a picture of herself to give to the girl Julius Caesar (for Chandos/Peter Moores Cecil, Valentin, Marcello and Posa. His other Alfredo calls the company together and he will one day marry, and dies in his arms. Foundation). appearances include Enrico and Marcello in informs them that as he has been kept by her, Hong Kong, Zurga in Fort Worth and he will now clear his honour and pay her off – © Peter Moores John Brecknock comes from Nottinghamshire. Orlando, Valentin in Barcelona and concert with his winnings. Mr Germont, who has He joined Sadler’s Wells (later English performances with Dame of arrived in time to hear this, turns on his son Valerie Masterson was born in and National) Opera. Major roles included Don Rodelinda. Christian du Plessis is especially for behaving so dishonourably to a woman. He studied in London and . She sang at Ottavio, Belmonte, Ferrando, Count Ory, known for his performances of lesser-known disowns him – but without revealing the part Salzburg for a season and then joined the Almaviva (The Barber of Seville), Alfredo, des operas by Bellini and Donizetti for the London that he himself has played in events. The Baron D’Oyly Carte Opera Company as principal Grieux (), Tamino, the Duke (A Night Opera Society and . His recordings challenges Alfredo to a duel. soprano. She has sung with all the major opera in Venice) and Werther. His roles for The Royal include Donizetti’s , and Maria companies in the UK as well as extensively Opera have included Fenton ( ) and Padilla, L’assedio di Calais, Act III abroad including appearances at Aix-en- Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), and he also has and Ugo, conte di Parigi, Meyerbeer’s Dinorah It is Carnival season, the following year. Provence, Nancy, Montpelier, the Paris Opéra, sung Gennaro () with Dame and Offenbach’s Christopher Columbus for Violetta is at the end of her finances and Toulouse, Bordeaux, , Rouen, Prague, Joan Sutherland. John Brecknock has Opera Rara. mortally ill. The doctor tries to comfort her, Dublin, Munich, Marseilles, the Piccola Scala performed frequently throughout Europe, but tells the maid she will be dead within a few Milan, Barcelona, Chicago, Philadelphia, including at the Vienna Staatsoper, and in the Della Jones was born in Neath and studied at hours. When Violetta is alone she reads for the Santiago, San Francisco, New York and Americas. His roles abroad include Don the where she won hundredth time the letter she has had from Mr Houston. Her wide-ranging repertoire includes Ottavio at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, many prizes, including the Germont. Alfredo was forced to go abroad, the title roles in La traviata, Manon, , Ernesto () and Fenton in Miami, Memorial Scholarship. She has appeared with after wounding the Baron in a duel, but his , Die lustige Witwe and , Madame the Duke (Rigoletto) in Houston, Count Ory all the major British opera companies, and father has written to him revealing the true Lidoine (Dialogues des carmélites), Micaëla, in Ottawa, Werther in Rouen and San Diego, abroad throughout Europe, in the United facts. He is returning, and should soon be Susanna and Countess Almaviva, Sophie and Ramiro in Buenos Aires, and and States, Canada, Russia and Japan. She has sung there with her to ask her forgiveness. She the Marschallin, Mimì, Marguerite (), Ramiro in Paris. title roles in Ariodante, La Cenerentola and knows it is too late. Alfredo does return, to Antonia (Les contes d’Hoffmann) and she also , and other roles include Rosina, take her away from Paris forever – with him sang in The King Goes Forth to France with The Christian du Plessis studied in his native Herodias, Baba the Turk, Marcellina and the beside her she will grow well. But even . Valerie Masterson appears South Africa and made his debut with the Hostess (Boris Godunov). Della Jones 16 17 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 3:59 pm Page 18

broadcasts regularly on radio and television Royal Opera, Opera North and Welsh Geoffrey Pogson was a Cambridge choral (Faust), the Witch (Rusalka), Princess Maria and her many recordings include , National Opera. He has also appeared at the scholar and graduate and made his debut at the (War and Peace), Grandmother Buryja (Jenu˚fa), L’incoronazione di Poppea, , Edinburgh, Israel and Athens festivals and the Edinburgh Festival as Remendado (Carmen). Annina (), Filippyevna and Korngold’s Die Kathrin; Gabriella di Vergy, BBC Proms. Roderick Earle’s roles include He has since appeared with major British opera (Eugene Onegin), the Dryad (Ariadne auf Naxos) , Il crociato in Egitto, Riccardo e Schaunard, Orestes, Harasta (The Cunning companies including English National Opera, and the Governess (The Queen of Spades). Zoraïde and Dinorah for Opera Rara, and The Little Vixen), King Fisher (The Midsummer where he created the role of Vronsky (Iain Barber of Seville and Julius Caesar (for Marriage) and Alberich (Siegfried and Hamilton’s Anna Karenina), Opera North and Sir Charles Mackerras was born in 1925 of Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). Götterdämmerung) for The Royal Opera, Scottish Opera. His other roles have included Australian parents in the United States and Figaro for Scottish Opera, Mephistopheles (La Don José, Cavaradossi, des Grieux (Manon), studied in Sydney and Prague. He made his John Gibbs studied at the Royal Academy of damnation de Faust) in Israel, and Kothner and Quint (Turn of the Screw), Paris (La belle debut as an opera conductor at Sadler’s Wells, Music and in Paris and Rome. He has Rangoni in Turin. Recordings include Hélène), Nero (L’incoronazione di Poppea), where he was instrumental in producing the appeared with major British companies Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, Donizetti’s Maria Padilla Danilo (), Eisenstein (Die sensational first British performance of including The Royal Opera, English National and Il trovatore. Fledermaus), Pinkerton (), Janácˇek’s Kát’a Kabanová, which led to Janácˇek Opera and Welsh National Opera and Frank Crawley (Rebecca) and the Duke becoming standard repertory in the UK. He Glyndebourne Festival Opera in Le nozze di Denis Dowling was born in New Zealand, (Rigoletto). Geoffrey Pogson has made a was First Conductor of the Hamburg Opera Figaro (Figaro), (Sacristan), Billy Budd, won the Melbourne Sun Aria Prize and then number of recordings, and has appeared (1966–9) and Musical Director of both (Alberich), Les contes came to study in England. He made his debut regularly on Radio 3. Sadler’s Wells (later English National) Opera d’Hoffmann, Der Rosenkavalier (Faninal) and with Sadler’s Wells Opera as Faninal (Der (1970–7), and of Welsh National Opera King Priam (Patroclus). John Gibbs has also Rosenkavalier) and has since appeared at Shelagh Squires studied at the Guildhall. She (1987–92), where his notable Janácˇek appeared in The Rise and Fall of the City of English National Opera, at Glyndebourne has appeared with the English National Opera productions, amongst many others, won great Mahagonny at the Wexford Festival, L’esule di ( and ) and as principal mezzo-soprano, Glyndebourne acclaim. The production and recording of Roma on the South Bank, and major BBC with numerous European companies. Denis Festival and Touring Operas, the Metropolitan Osud were sponsored by the Peter Moores Radio 3 broadcasts including Der Zwingburg Dowling has performed all of Mozart’s Opera, New York and Phoenix Opera amongst Foundation, who also sponsored the recording and Faust. His recordings include Les huguenots baritone roles and is highly regarded for his others, at the Bergen International Music of The Cunning Little Vixen. He is Conductor and Tosca. interpretation of Rossini and Puccini. Figaro, Festival, and in Vienna and Japan. Her wide Laureate of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Papageno, Bartolo, Gianni Schicchi and repertoire includes Herodias (Salome), Margret Conductor Emeritus of Welsh National Opera, Roderick Earle studied at St John’s College, Malatesta are among his favourite roles. Other (Wozzeck), Magdalena (Der Meistersinger), Principal Guest Conductor of the San Cambridge and the Royal College of Music. roles include Commandant (From the House of Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Adelaide Francisco Opera, and from the 1998/99 season He was a member of English National Opera the Dead), Prince Bolkonsky (War and Peace) (Arabella), Ulrica (), he is Music Director of the Orchestra of St from 1978–81 and has appeared with The and d’Armagnac (The Devils of Loudon). Ottavia (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Marthe Luke’s New York. 18 19 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 20

Sir Charles Mackerras has undertaken and with English National Opera Handel’s much research into performance practice Julius Caesar and Donizetti’s Mary Stuart (for of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). which has profoundly affected today’s Sir Charles Mackerras received a CBE in March Andrew interpretations. His vast discography includes 1974 and was knighted for his services to an award-winning cycle of Janácˇek operas with music in 1979. He has also received The Medal the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Britten’s of Merit from the Czech Republic and has Gloriana (which won a Gramophone Award), been made a Companion of the Order of Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler Symphonies, Australia.

20 21 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 22

to various young artists, several of whom – such as Geraint Evans, Joan Sutherland and Colin PETER MOORES, CBE, DL Davis – have since become world-famous. Moores has always been astute in his recognition Peter Moores was born in Lancashire in 1932, son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant of potential quality. In 1964 he set aside a large slice of his inheritance to found the Peter Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those causes dear to his heart: to make Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Modern Languages. He was already fluent in music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give encouragement to the young; to German and Italian. It was opera which was his great love, however. He had worked at fight discrimination and to improve race relations. 99% of the Foundation’s money has come Glyndebourne before going up to university, and at the end of his second year he left from Peter Moores’s own pocket – so far about £33 million in today’s money. Oxford to become a production student at the Vienna State Opera. He was required to attend morning rehearsals and evening performances, but the afternoons were free, so he enrolled as well for a four-year course at the Viennese Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. PETER MOORES FOUNDATION By the end of his third year Moores had produced the Viennese premiere of Britten’s In the field of music, the Peter Moores Foundation awards scholarships to promising young The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer at the opera singers through the Royal Northern College of Music. Financial help may be given also San Carlo Opera House, , the Geneva Festival and the to enable a singer to study abroad, or to work on a new role with an acknowledged expert in Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career. the repertoire. At this point he received a letter from his father asking him In the last twenty years the Foundation has supported the recording of forty operas. Many to come home as he was needed in the firm. Family loyalty are sung in English, in translation, because Moores believes that in the popular repertoire, ‘what people want is to be able to follow the plot of an opera and understand what is going

was paramount and he returned to immediately. Christina Burton/PMF By 1977 he was Chairman of Littlewoods. Three years on’. Others are of interesting but unperformed Italian operas from the early nineteenth later he stepped down from the post, although still century (the age of ), which are otherwise only accessible to scholars. Accessibility is remaining on the Board, and was director of a merchant the key word. bank. From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, The same criterion holds where live opera is concerned. So the Foundation may sponsor and a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985. In Welsh National Opera, performing for a week at the Liverpool Empire and charging only May 1992 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire. £2.50 per ticket – the provision being that each ticket holder must be a first-time opera And in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991 he was made a visitor – or it may fund the production at Glyndebourne of Ermione, a bel canto opera never CBE for his charitable services to the Arts. before performed in England. He had started his early twenties giving financial support Peter Moores, CBE, DL The aim is always the same: availability. ‘Share and enjoy’ is his philosophy.

22 23 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 24 Andrew March Andrew March Andrew

Valerie Masterson John Brecknock as as Violetta Valéry Alfredo Germont 24 25 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 26

in die Charaktere und Atmosphäre seiner Sujets erforderlich würden. “Wenn es regnet”, schrieb Verdi: La traviata zu vertiefen. Die Welten von Il trovatore und er dem Sekretär von La Fenice, “möchte man in La traviata könnten verschiedener kaum sein – den Spiegel schauen, um zu sehen, ob man noch nachdem er sich eingearbeitet hatte, war Verdi menschliche Züge trägt, oder ob man sich Von La dame aux camélias zu La traviata gegenüber erwähnt: “Ein weiteres Sujet, einfach jedoch anscheinend in der Lage, beliebig von bereits in eine Kröte oder einen Frosch Verdi hatte besondere Erfolge mit den Opern und leidenschaftlich, das, so wie es jetzt existiert, der einen in die andere zu wechseln. Als verwandelt hat.” Piave wurde von Verdi gefeiert, die das venezianische Teatro La Fenice bereits nahezu perfekt ist”; diese Bemerkung Komponist war er überaus objektiv, woraus sich angewiesen, der Theaterleitung dessen bei ihm in Auftrag gegeben hatte und die auch wird allgemein mit La dame aux camélias in in gewissem Maße erklärt, warum er einer der Überzeugung mitzuteilen, daß die Oper mit dort uraufgeführt wurden – Ernani (1844), Verbindung gebracht. Verdi schlug Dumas’ größten Opernkomponisten war. Im Rahmen Sicherheit durchfallen würde, wenn man nicht Attila (1846) und Rigoletto (1851). 1852 wandte Stück der Leitung von La Fenice vor, und es dieser Objektivität versuchte er jedoch, seine andere Sänger engagierte. Als Verdi in einem sich die Leitung von La Fenice erneut an den wurde angenommen; man bat ihn nur, den von eigenen Gefühle bloßzulegen. Selten anonymen Brief gewarnt wurde, die Aufführung damals 39jährigen Komponisten und bat um ihm vorgeschlagenen Titel “Amore e morte” identifizierte Verdi sich in seinen Opern mit würde ein Fiasko, falls man nicht wenigstens eine Oper für die kommende Spielzeit. (Liebe und Tod) zu ändern. einer bestimmten Rolle; kam es jedoch vor, daß Sopran und Bariton ersetzte, gab er den Brief an Francesco Maria Piave, der mit Verdi bei zwei Verdi versprach, die neue Oper für eine er sein Mitgefühl auf eine bestimmte Figur Piave weiter mit den Worten, “Ich weiß, ich dieser drei früheren Fenice-Opern Uraufführung am 6. März 1853 fertig zu haben übertrug, so sagt das meist sehr viel über ihn weiß”. zusammengearbeitet hatte, wurde auch jetzt und begann mit der Komposition, noch selbst aus; dies ist auch in La traviata der Fall. Als er am 21. Februar in Venedig eintraf, um wieder als Librettist verpflichtet, und während während er im Dezember 1852 in Rom Der größte Teil der Musik wurde die Oper zu orchestrieren und den Proben Verdi noch an Il trovatore schrieb (für das Il trovatore probte. Zwischen den Premieren von komponiert, während Verdi sich auf dem Weg beizuwohnen, hatte Verdi allen Grund, das römische Teatro Apollo, wo die Oper im Januar Il trovatore in Rom und La traviata in Venedig nach Rom befand, während er dort Il trovatore Schlimmste zu befürchten, da die Sopranistin 1853 uraufgeführt wurde), begann man bereits, vergingen nur wenige Wochen. Nach den ersten produzierte und unmittelbar anschließend nicht akzeptabel und der Tenor schlecht bei nach einem passenden Sujet zu suchen. drei überaus erfolgreichen Aufführungen von in Sant’Agata. Der letzte Akt entstand in Stimme war. Selbst der Bariton, Felice Varesi, Anfang des Jahres 1852 befanden sich Verdi Il trovatore im Januar kehrte Verdi in seine Villa Sant’Agata in einer dem Drama nicht der bereits in der Vergangenheit mit Verdi und seine Geliebte Giuseppina Strepponi in in Sant’Agata bei Busseto zurück und vollendete unangemessenen Atmosphäre voll düsterem zusammengearbeitet hatte und als der erste Paris. Verdi wohnte hier einer Aufführung der die neue Oper. Piave hatte eiligst sein Libretto Pessimismus – zum einen, weil Verdi und Rigoletto überaus erfolgreich gewesen war, war am 2. Februar uraufgeführten Bühnenfassung überarbeitet, nachdem der Komponist die Giuseppina nicht wohlauf waren, zum anderen, nicht glücklich mit einer solch ungewöhnlichen von La dame aux camélias bei, die der jüngere harsche Kritik geäußert hatte, daß das Publikum weil der Komponist überzeugt war, daß das vom Oper, die ausschließlich in einer häuslichen Alexandre Dumas nach seinem gleichnamigen bei einigen Passagen einschlafen würde. Einen Teatro La Fenice engagierte Ensemble seiner Umgebung spielte und weder Intrigen noch Roman angefertigt hatte. Verdi hatte den Großteil der Musik hatte Verdi geschrieben, Oper nicht gerecht werden würde. Piave hielt Schlachten noch die üblichen romantischen Roman wahrscheinlich bereits gelesen, denn ein während er gleichzeitig Il trovatore den letzten sich ebenfalls in Sant’Agata auf, um zur Stelle zu Paraphernalien enthielt. Die Uraufführung fand Jahr zuvor hatte er seinem Trovatore-Librettist Schliff gab; dies zeigt, wie sehr er fähig war, sich sein, falls Änderungen an seinem Libretto am 6. März statt, und am folgenden Tag 26 27 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 28

berichtete Verdi verschiedenen Freunden La traviata tragen wird. Es handelt sich um ein Inszenierungen zu erlauben, es sei denn, Verdi Fiasko; jetzt hat sie Furore gemacht. Ziehe brieflich von einem Desaster. “Lieber zeitgenössisches Thema. Ein anderer Komponist selbst habe die künstlerische Leitung. Während deine eigenen Schlüss!” Emanuele”, schrieb er seinem ehemaligen hätte sich wahrscheinlich nicht darauf Verdi noch mit dem Gedanken spielte, die Alexandre Dumas’ Roman La dame aux Schüler und Amanuensis Emanuele Muzio, eingelassen wegen der Kostüme, der Epoche Oper in Rom zu produzieren, erhielt er ein camélias war 1848 in Paris erschienen, nur “Traviata gestern abend – ein Fiasko. War es oder tausend anderer dummer Einwände, doch Angebot aus Venedig, jedoch nicht von wenige Monate nach dem Tod von Alphonsine mein Fehler, oder lag es an den Sängern? Die mir gefällt die Idee. Alle protestierten, als ich La Fenice, sondern von einem kleineren Plessis (oder Marie Duplessis, wie sie allgemein Zukunft wird es zeigen.” vorhatte, einen Buckligen auf die Bühne zu Theater, dem Teatro San Benedetto. Der genannt wurde), auf deren Schicksal der Autor Das Premierenpublikum hatte gelacht bei stellen. Nun, mir hat es Spaß gemacht, Rigoletto Impressario versprach, eine erstklassige Truppe seine Kameliendame hatte basieren lassen. dem Gedanken, daß die äußerst korpulente zu komponieren.” Doch am Teatro La Fenice zu engagieren, die Proben von Piave leiten zu Marie Duplessis war eine berühmte Pariser Sopranistin, Fanny Salvini-Donatelli, an der hatte man kalte Füße bekommen, und als lassen und unbegrenzte Probenzeit zu erlauben. Kurtisane von großer Schönheit und Schwindsucht dahinsiechen solle, die Kritiker La traviata schließlich aufgeführt wurde, waren Die Louis-XIV-Szenerie jedoch wurde sprühendem Esprit, die zu verschiedenen Zeiten hatten sie jedoch als einzige Sängerin gepriesen. Zeit und Kostüme die von Louis XIV, also beibehalten, da man es weiterhin für zu gewagt Verhältnisse mit solch bedeutenden Verdi-Spezialisten vermuten, daß ein weiterer frühes 18. Jahrhundert. Verdi hatte hart darum hielt, das Publikum von der Bühne herab mit Persönlichkeiten wie Alfred de Musset, Liszt Grund für den anfänglichen Mißerfolg von La gekämpft, in seiner Oper die zeitgenössische seinesgleichen zu konfrontieren. und Dumas selbst hatte. Sie war erst 23 Jahre traviata darin liegt, daß das venezianische Handlung des Schauspiels beizubehalten. Ein Nach kurzem Zögern ging Verdi auf das alt, als sie an der Schwindsucht starb. Sowohl Publikum nicht gewohnt war, auf der Memorandum im Archiv von La Fenice besagt, Angebot des Teatro San Benedetto ein, und am der Roman als auch das im folgenden Jahr von Opernbühne zeitgenössische Kostüme zu sehen. daß “der Signor Maestro Verdi wünscht, fordert 6. Mai 1854 konnten die Venezianer Dumas verfaßte Theaterstück enthalten starke Doch in diesen ersten Aufführungen in La und erbittet, daß die Kostüme für seine Oper La traviata in anderer Besetzung erneut hören. autobiographische Züge, und es liegt nahe Fenice wurden gar keine modernen Kleider La traviata zeitgenössisch bleiben sollen”. Wenig Diesmal war die Oper ein überwältigender anzunehmen, daß die Figur des Armand Duval, getragen. Es trifft zwar zu, daß Verdi hoffte, sich später jedoch schrieb Piave aus Sant’Agata, daß Erfolg. Bald wurde das Stück auch anderswo in der zudem die Initialen des Autors trägt, als mit seiner Wahl des Stücks von Dumas einem “Verdi sehr gegen seinen Willen einer Italien und im Ausland gegeben, stets jedoch in Selbstporträt intendiert war. (In der Oper trägt zeitgenössischen Thema zuzuwenden. Zurückversetzung der Handlung in die der Szenerie von 1700, und schon bald war diese Figur den Namen Alfredo Germont.) Dergleichen war noch nie in einer ernsten Oper Vergangenheit” zustimme. La traviata zur meistbeachteten Oper der Zeit Dumas beschrieb Marie Duplessis als versucht worden, obwohl Verdi selbst in Verdis düstere Briefe über das “Fiasko” geworden. Verdi war hocherfreut, konnte sich “hochgewachsen, sehr schlank, dunkelhaarig seiner Oper Stiffelio, die zu Beginn des wurden geschrieben, bevor er die Zeitungs- jedoch nicht enthalten, einem Freund und von einer rosa-weißen Gesichtsfarbe… sie 19. Jahrhunderts spielt, der Gegenwart recht kritiken der Erstaufführung gesehen hatte – gegenüber zu bemerken, daß – einige kleinere glich einer Figurine aus Meißner Porzellan”. Die nahe gekommen war. Während er La traviata diese waren zwar gemischt, doch keinesfalls Änderungen ausgenommen, die aus Rücksicht auf dem Lande geborene Tochter eines komponierte, hatte Verdi an einen Freund völlig ablehnend. Es kam in dieser Saison zu auf die neuen Sänger notwendig geworden Kaufmanns kam als Fünfzehnjährige nach Paris, geschrieben: “Für Venedig vertone ich gerade La insgesamt zehn Aufführungen; danach waren – die Oper die gleiche war, wie man sie wo sie schon bald das Leben einer typischen dame aux camélias, die wahrscheinlich den Titel instruierte Verdi seinen Verleger, keine weiteren an La Fenice gehört hatte: “Dort war sie ein Pariser “grisette” führte – ein Mädchen, das sich 28 29 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 30

abends in den Cafés der Künstler- und im Standesamt von Kensington heirateten. Die waren die Regeln strikter und wurden mit vormaliger Schwiegervater und früherer Studentenviertel die Zeit vertrieb, also eine Art Ehe ging bereits nach wenigen Monaten in die größerer Schärfe durchgesetzt. Als illegitimer Wohltäter Antonio Barezzi ihn dafür angriff, Pariser Äquivalent des Wiener “süßen Mädels”. Brüche, und Marie kehrte auf den Kontinent Sohn eines berühmten Vaters attackierte Dumas daß er seine Beziehung mit Giuseppina nicht Ob Marie Duplessis jemals eine einfache zurück, wo sie verschiedene Kurorte aufsuchte mit großer Vehemenz die demi-monde, in der er legalisierte, antwortete Verdi: “In meinem Haus Prostituierte war, ist zu bezweifeln. Innerhalb in der Hoffnung, ihre Gesundheit zurück- aufgewachsen war. Obwohl seine Behandlung lebt eine Dame, frei und unabhängig, die wie eines Jahres nach ihrer Ankunft in Paris hatte sie zugewinnen. Sie starb im Februar 1847 in ihrem der von der Gesellschaft geächteten Kurtisane in ich ein alleinstehendes Leben vorzieht und ein sich in der Pariser demi-monde der Pariser Apartment und ist auf dem Friedhof La dame aux camélias von Sympathie erfüllt ist unabhängiges Vermögen besitzt, das ihren ausgehaltenen Frauen etabliert, ein oder zwei Père Lachaise begraben. und sich eindeutig innerhalb der romantischen Lebensunterhalt sichert. Weder sie noch ich sind Stufen über der Prostitution, zugleich jedoch Dumas war Anfang zwanzig, als er seinen literarischen Tradition der Rebellion gegen die verpflichtet, uns gegenüber irgend jemandem eindeutig außerhalb der respektablen Roman schrieb, der seinerzeit weithin konventionelle Moral bewegt, sollte er später in für unser Handeln zu rechtfertigen. Doch wer Gesellschaft. Die ausgehaltene Frau oder bewundert wurde, heute jedoch in Vergessen- seinem Leben die Kurtisane als den Fluch der weiß eigentlich, wie sich unsere Beziehung Kurtisane hatte gewöhnlich aufeinanderfolgende heit geraten ist. Sein Theaterstück hingegen, das Gesellschaft bekämpfen. zueinander gestaltet, unsere Affäre, unsere und nicht gleichzeitige Beziehungen, und Marie ein Jahr nach dem Roman und nur zwei Jahre Die Pariser Gesellschaft, zumindest aber die Verbindung? Welche Rechte ich ihr einräume Duplessis war zunächst mit dem Duc de Guise nach dem Tod von Marie Duplessis entstand, liberalen Künstlerkreise, in denen Verdi sich auf oder sie mir? Wer weiß, ob sie meine Frau ist und sodann mit Graf Stackelberg liiert. Dumas wegen Schwierigkeiten mit der Zensur jedoch seinen vielen Besuchen in Paris bewegte, wird oder nicht? Und wenn sie es ist, wer weiß, was lernte die Neuzehnjährige in der Zeit ihrer drei Jahre lang nicht aufgeführt werden konnte, Giuseppina Strepponi, die Geliebte des die Gründe sein mögen, diese Tatsache zu Liaison mit dem Grafen kennen – in einer erfreut sich beständiger Beliebtheit; dies liegt Komponisten, kaum als Kurtisane betrachtet verschweigen? Wer weiß, ob das etwas Situation, die der im I. Akt von Theaterstück nicht nur an seiner Eignung für große haben. Doch das provinzielle Italien war nicht Schlechtes ist, und wer hat das Recht, uns zu und Oper geschilderten gleicht. romantische Schauspielerinnen wie Sarah Paris. Verdis erste Ehefrau und ihre beiden ächten? Dies will ich allerdings feststellen: In Indem er sie in seine Marguerite Gautier Bernhardt, Greta Garbo und Edwige Feuillère, Kinder waren seit mehr als zehn Jahren tot, und meinem Haus hat sie ein Anrecht auf ebensoviel verwandelte, romantisierte Dumas Marie, denn sondern auch an seiner formalen Einfachheit Giuseppina Strepponi war seit fünf Jahren seine Respekt wie ich selbst, wenn nicht gar auf mehr. in Wirklichkeit hatte sie ihn nicht verlassen, um und emotionalen Aufrichtigkeit – Qualitäten, Geliebte. Erst drei Jahre zuvor hatte er Und niemandem ist es erlaubt, dies aus den Namen seiner Familie zu schützen; vielmehr die sich weiterhin durchsetzen, obwohl das Giuseppina in seine Heimatstadt Busseto irgendeinem Grund zu vergessen. Und zuletzt: hatte er sich von ihr getrennt, weil sie nicht Stück längst seine Macht verloren hat, die gebracht, wo sie nun mit ihm lebte – dies Sie hat jedes Recht, sowohl wegen ihres bereit war, auf den Luxus zu verzichten, den er Bourgeoisie aufzurütteln. empörte seine Umgebung und entfremdete ihn Benehmens als auch wegen ihres Charakters, das ihr nicht bieten konnte, wohingegen er sie nicht Diese Bourgeoisie war zur Zeit des jüngeren von vielen seiner alten Freunde. Zu der Zeit Zuvorkommen zu erwarten, das sie stets mit anderen Liebhabern teilen wollte. Ihr Dumas und Verdis jedoch sehr leicht zu hatte Verdi die zwei oder drei Meilen außerhalb anderen gegenüber zeigt.” Verhältnis hatte weniger als ein Jahr gedauert. schockieren. Genau wie heute funktionierte die von Busseto gelegene Villa Sant’Agata gekauft, Es ist kaum überraschend, daß Verdi zu einer Im folgenden Jahr reiste Marie Duplessis mit Gesellschaft damals weitgehend nach dem die für den Rest ihres Lebens sein und Zeit, als seine Beziehung mit Giuseppina (die er dem Vicomte de Pérrigaux nach London, wo sie Prinzip der organisierten Scheinheiligkeit, nur Giuseppinas Zuhause sein sollte. Als sein erst sieben Jahre später heiraten sollte) die 30 31 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 32

Einwohner von Busseto brüskierte, mit solch Schauspiels) jedoch sieht man sie in häuslichem traviata finden sich sämtliche hervorragende Gäste, ohne sie zu tanzen. Alfredo bleibt zurück, großer Sympathie auf Dumas’ Theaterstück Frieden mit Armand/Alfredo auf dem Lande Qualitäten des Komponisten: Seine technische um sich zu vergewissern, daß es ihr gut geht. Er reagierte. Wahrscheinlich sah er in dem leben. Trotzdem jedoch finden sich die vier Meisterschaft, seine Klarheit, seine gesteht ihr seine Liebe. Violetta schlägt sein Schauspiel eine Art emotionalen Spiegel seiner Szenen der Oper zu einem musikalisch und Menschlichkeit, sein psychologischer Tiefblick, Ansinnen leichthin ab, schenkt ihm jedoch eine eigenen Situation und nahm vielleicht dramatisch befriedigenden Ganzen zusammen, sein unfehlbarer Geschmack und seine Gabe, Blume und sagt, er solle sie ihr zurückbringen, unbewußt eine Identifizierung von Giuseppina und Dumas’ II. Akt ist weder für den anrührende und eingängige Melodien zu wenn sie verwelkt. Die Gäste verabschieden sich. mit Marie Duplessis/Marguerite Gautier/ Handlungsverlauf noch für die in kräftigen schaffen. Das Prinzip der wahren Liebe, des Gebens Violetta Valéry vor, wobei er sich selbst mit Strichen gezeichnete Charakterisierung wirklich und Nehmens, fasziniert und ängstigt sie Alexandre Dumas/Armand Duval/Alfredo notwendig. In der Tat ist dies eines der © Charles Osborne zugleich. Es ist mehr, als eine Frau wie sie Germont und Antonio Barezzi mit dem älteren erfolgreichsten Libretti Piaves, das in mancher (Dieser Text enthält Material aus Charles Osborne, erhoffen darf, und sie kann sie weder annehmen Dumas(?)/Georges Duval/Giorgio Germont Hinsicht sogar eine Verbesserung seiner Vorlage The Complete Operas of Verdi) noch auf sie vertrauen. Sie muß frei sein, um zu verglich. Sicher ist jedenfalls, daß ihm darstellt. Übersetzung: Stephanie Wollny genießen. La traviata besonders am Herzen lag und daß La traviata ist nicht nur eine der beliebtesten diese Oper auch stilistisch ein weitaus intimeres Opern Verdis, sondern auch eines der großen Inhaltsangabe II. Akt und persönlicheres Werk ist als alles, was er bis Musikdramen der Welt. Daß diese Qualitäten I. Akt 1. Bild dahin komponiert hatte. nicht unmittelbar erkannt wurden, kann nur an Violetta Valéry gibt in ihrem Haus in Paris, wo Violetta hat ihr Leben mit dem Baron Piaves Libretto lehnt sich eng an das dem immensen melodischen Reichtum der sie von ihrem derzeitigen Liebhaber Baron aufgegeben, und sie und Alfredo sind seit drei Theaterstück von Dumas an. Das fünfaktige Komposition liegen, denn es scheint kaum Douphol im Luxus ausgehalten wird, ein großes Monaten ein Liebespaar. Sie sind zusammen in Schauspiel ist in der Oper auf vier Szenen vorstellbar, daß ein solch hervorragender Fest. Unter ihren Gästen befinden sich Flora ein Dorf vor der Stadt gezogen. Alfredo ist reduziert, da Piave auf den II. Akt verzichtet, in Musikdramatiker zusätzlich auch noch in der Bervoix mit ihrem Liebhaber, dem Marquis entsetzt, als er von der Dienerin erfährt, daß dem Marguerite beschließt, mit Armand auf Lage sein sollte, eine solche Fülle von Melodien d’Obigny, Doktor Grenvil und der Vicomte Violetta ihr Hab und Gut verkauft, um die dem Lande zu leben, und sich von ihrem zu erfinden. Kaum vorstellbar, doch in Verdis Gaston de Letorières. Gaston stellt seinen Rechnungen zu bezahlen und ihnen beiden ein gegenwärtigen Liebhaber, dem Grafen de Giray, Fall unbestreitbar. Im Gegensatz zu frühen Freund Alfredo Germont vor, der ihm zufolge Auskommen zu verschaffen. Er geht fort, um in trennt. Auf diese Weise verbesserte Piave die Werken wie Luisa Miller und Stiffelio, deren ein glühender Bewunderer Violettas ist, obwohl Paris Geld zu beschaffen. Violetta ist überrascht, formale Anlage des Dramas auf Kosten seiner Handlungen noch Elemente des romantischen er sie noch gar nicht kennengelernt hat. Violetta zu hören, daß er ausgegangen ist, und inhaltlichen Kohärenz, denn am Ende des Melodrams enthalten, führte Verdi in fordert Alfredo auf, einen Trinkspruch unterrichtet die Dienerschaft, daß sie den I. Akts hat Marguerite – oder Violetta, wie sie La traviata ein neues häusliches Milieu in die auszubringen, und er rühmt ihre Augen. Die Besuch ihres Advokaten erwarte. Sie wird kurze in der Oper heißt –, anscheinend beschlossen, Oper ein und schrieb – trotz der Louis-XIV- Kapelle spielt auf. Violetta, die Tuberkulose hat Zeit durch einen Brief von Flora abgelenkt, die weiterhin ihr Kurtisanendasein zu führen, zu Kostüme der ersten Aufführungen – über die (zu jener Zeit eine unheilbare Krankheit), sie für den Abend zu einem Fest nach Paris Beginn von Akt II der Oper (Akt III des bourgeoise Welt seiner eigenen Zeit. In La erleidet einen Schwächeanfall und bittet ihre einlädt. Der Mann, der daraufhin ankommt, ist 32 33 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 34

nicht ihr Advokat, sondern Alfredos Vater. Er auf ihn warten werde, und fleht ihn dann mit kommt in Begleitung von Baron Douphol, der Der Arzt versucht sie zu trösten, verrät jedoch beschuldigt sie, seinen Sohn in den Ruin zu jäher Leidenschaft an, sie immer zu lieben. ihr verbietet, mit Alfredo zu sprechen. Er fordert der Dienerin, daß sie binnen weniger Stunden treiben. Sie vertraut ihm an, daß es sein Sohn Wenige Minuten später meldet der Diener den jungen Mann zu einem Kartenspiel heraus. tot sein werde. Als Violetta wieder allein ist, liest sei, der sie in den Ruin treibe, und daß sie keine ihren Aufbruch nach Paris. Alfredo ist verwirrt, Alfredo gewinnt, verdoppelt seinen Einsatz und sie zum hundertsten Mal den Brief, den sie vom ausgehaltene Frau sei, sondern Alfredo aushalte. denkt sich jedoch, daß sie hingefahren ist, um gewinnt weiter, bis es für alle an der Zeit ist, alten Germont erhalten hat. Alfredo hat das Der alte Germont läßt sich nicht beirren und die finanziellen Schwierigkeiten zu beseitigen, zum Bankett zu schreiten. Violetta kehrt Land verlassen müssen, nachdem er den Baron sagt, daß der Skandal, den die Affäre ausgelöst die er selbst soeben aus dem Weg geräumt hat. heimlich zurück, um sich unter vier Augen mit beim Duell verletzt hat, doch sein Vater hat ihm habe, die geplante Heirat seiner Tochter Ein Passant gibt einen Brief im Haus ab – eine Alfredo zu unterhalten. Sie bittet ihn, das Haus geschrieben und ihm den wahren Tatbestand gefährde. Violetta müsse Alfredo aufgeben. Sie Dame habe ihm aufgetragen, ihn abzuliefern. zu verlassen, da sie nicht möchte, daß er bei mitgeteilt. Nun hat er den Heimweg angetreten sei jung und werde einen anderen Liebhaber Alfredo reißt ihn auf. einem Duell mit dem Baron umkommt. Alfredo und müßte bald eintreffen, um sie um finden. Violetta entgegnet, daß sie nie wieder Wenn er diesen Brief erhalte, schreibt anwortet, daß er nur gehen wird, wenn sie mit Verzeihung zu bitten. Sie weiß, daß es zu spät einen anderen lieben könne. Germont gibt Violetta, werde sie schon fort und wieder mit ihm kommt. Sie dagegen gesteht ihm, daß sie ist. Alfredo erscheint auch tatsächlich und will nicht auf. Er behauptet, der Himmel werde ihre dem Baron zusammen sein. Die Wochen mit geschworen habe, ihn aufzugeben, und läßt ihn mit ihr für immer aus Paris fortgehen – mit ihm Beziehung niemals segnen und es sei Gottes ihm seien sehr schön gewesen, hätten jedoch in dem Glauben, daß sie dieses Versprechen an ihrer Seite werde sie genesen. Doch schon die Wille, daß sie sich opfert. Daraufhin gibt sie auf. nicht von Dauer sein können. Der alte dem Baron gegeben habe. Anstrengung, sich anzuziehen, löst einen Sie erklärt sich bereit, Alfredo zu verlassen, unter Germont, der vom Garten aus zugesehen hat, Alfredo ruft die Gäste zusammen und setzt sie krampfhaften Husten aus, und der Arzt wird der Bedingung, daß Germont ihm eines Tages kommt herein, um Alfredo zu trösten. Er davon in Kenntnis, daß er, nachdem er von ihr herbeigerufen. Der alte Germont eilt ebenfalls die Wahrheit sagt. nimmt die Gelegenheit wahr, ihm zu erzählen, ausgehalten worden sei, nun seine Ehre retten herbei. Violetta ist froh, ihre Freunde um sich Alfredos Vater geht und Violetta schreibt an wie sehr seine Schwester ihn vermisse. Ob er und sie auszahlen wolle – mit dem gewonnenen zu haben, während sie im Sterben liegt. Sie Baron Douphol. Sie fragt, ob er am Abend frei nicht nach Hause kommen wolle, in die Geld. Der alte Germont, der rechtzeitig überreicht Alfredo ein Bild von sich mit der sei, sie zu Floras Fest zu begleiten, und veranlaßt Provence? Alfredo kann jedoch nur an Rache eingetroffen ist, um seine Worte zu hören, Anweisung, es dem Mädchen zu geben, das er die Dienerin, das Schreiben zu überbringen. denken. Als er auf einmal Floras Einladung wendet sich gegen seinen Sohn, weil dieser sich eines Tages heiraten wird. Dann stirbt sie in Derweil läßt sie sich nieder, um einen entdeckt, weiß er, wo er Violetta finden wird. gegenüber einer Frau unehrenhaft benommen seinen Armen. Abschiedsbrief an Alfredo zu schreiben. Er kehrt habe. Er enterbt ihn – ohne jedoch die Rolle zu zurück, als sie soeben damit fertig wird, doch 2. Bild offenbaren, die er bei den Ereignissen gespielt © Peter Moores gelingt es ihr, den Brief vor Alfredo zu Alfredo erscheint allein in Floras Haus, die das hat. Der Baron fordert Alfredo zum Duell. Übersetzung: Anne Steeb/Bernd Müller verbergen. Er erzählt ihr, daß er mit einem Fest mit Glücksspielen und einer Besuch seines Vaters rechne, der ihm einen Zigeunertruppe in Schwung gebracht hat, die III. Akt Valerie Masterson wurde in Birkenhead bösen Brief hinterlassen habe. Als Violetta das die Zukunft voraussagt und von Stierkämpfen Ein Jahr später zur Karnevalszeit hat Violetta ihr geboren und studierte in London und Zimmer verläßt, sagt sie nur, daß sie draußen singt. Er nimmt am Spieltisch Platz. Violetta Vermögen durchgebracht und ist und todkrank. Mailand. Nach einer Spielzeit in Salzburg 34 35 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 36

wurde sie Erste Sopranistin des D’Oyly Carte engagiert. Er hat an bedeutenden Partien unter Barcelona aufgetreten, sowie in konzertanten Padilla, Il crociato in Egitto, Riccardo e Zoraïde Opernensembles. Sie ist an allen großen anderem Don Ottavio, Belmonte, Ferrando, Aufführungen von Rodelinda mit Dame Joan und Dinorah für Opera Rara sowie The Barber Opernhäusern Großbritanniens aufgetreten; den Grafen Ory, Almaviva (The Barber of Sutherland. Christian du Plessis ist of Seville und Julius Caesar (für Chandos/Peter ihre zahlreichen Auslandsverpflichtungen Seville), Alfredo, des Grieux (Manon), Tamino, insebesondere für seine Interpretationen wenig Moores Foundation). umfassen Engagements in Aix-en-Provence, den Herzog (Eine Nacht in Venedig) und bekannter Opern von Bellini und Donizetti für Nancy, Montpelier, an der Pariser Oper, in Werther gesungen. Zu seinen Rollen an der die London Opera Society und Opera Rara John Gibbs hat an der Royal Academy of Toulouse, Bordeaux, Genf, Rouen, Prag, Royal Opera zählen Fenton (Falstaff ) und bekannt. Zu seinen Aufzeichnungen auf Music und in Paris und Rom studiert. Er hat Dublin, München, Marseilles, an der Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi); außerdem hat er Tonträger zählen Donizettis Maria Stuarda, beit bedeutenden britischen Operntruppen Mailänder Piccola Scala, in Barcelona, an der Seite von Dame Joan Sutherland die und Maria Padilla, L’assedio di Calais, Gabriella gastiert, beispielsweise an der Royal Opera, der Chicago, Philadelphia, Santiago, San Rolle des Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia gegeben. di Vergy und Ugo, conte di Parigi, Meyerbeers English National Opera, der Welsh National Francisco, New York und Houston. Ihr John Brecknock ist in ganz Europa aufgetreten, Dinorah und Offenbachs Christopher Columbus Opera und der Glyndebourne Festival Opera, breitgefächertes Repertoire umfaßt die unter anderem auch an der Wiener Staatsoper für Opera Rara. in Inszenierungen von Le nozze di Figaro Titelrollen in La traviata, Manon, Louise, sowie in Nord- und Südamerika. So hat er an (Figaro), Tosca (der Mesner), Billy Budd, Der Mireille, Die lustige Witwe und Semele, der Metropolitan Opera in New York Don Della Jones wurde in Neath in Südwales Ring des Nibelungen (Alberich), Les contes Madame Lidoine (Dialogues des carmélites), Ottavio gegeben, Ernesto (Don Pasquale) und geboren und hat am Royal College of Music d’Hoffmann, Der Rosenkavalier (Faninal) und Micaëla, Susanna und Gräfin Almaviva, Sophie Fenton in Miami, den Herzog (Rigoletto) in studiert, wo sie zahlreiche Preise gewann, King Priam (Patroclus). John Gibbs ist und die Marschallin, Mimì, Marguerite Houston, den Grafen Ory in Ottawa, Werther darunter auch das Kathleen-Ferrier- außerdem in Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt (Faust), Antonia (Hoffmanns Erzählungen) und in Rouen und San Diego, Ramiro in Buenos Gedächtnisstipendium. Sie is mit allen Mahagonny beim Wexford Festival aufgetreten, The King Goes Forth to France mit der Royal Aires sowie Idomeneo und Ramiro in Paris. führenden britischen Operntruppen, in ganz in L’esule di Roma an der Londoner South Opera. Valerie Masterson ist regelmäßig im Europa, den USA, Kanada, Rußland und Bank sowie in bedeutenden Produktionen des Radio und im Fernsehen zu hören. Ihre Christian du Plessis wurde in seiner Heimat Japan aufgetreten. Sie hat die Titelrollen von britischen Senders BBC-Radio 3 wie Der Einspielungen umfassen Elisabetta von Rossini, Südafrika ausgebildet und hat mit dem Ariodante, La Cenerentola und Carmen Zwingburg und Faust. Zu seinen Aufnahmen Regina d’Inghilterra, Das Rheingold, Ensemble des Performing Arts Council an der gesungen sowie Rosina, Herodias, Baba the auf Tonträger zählen Les huguenots und Tosca. Götterdämmerung, verschiedene Operetten von Transvaal Opera in Johannesburg als Yamadori Turk (The Rake’s Progress), Marcellina und die Gilbert und Sullivan sowie Julius Caesar (für (Madama Butterfly) debütiert. Im Ensemble Schenkwirtin (Boris Godunow). Della Jones Roderick Earle hat am St. John’s College in Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). der English National Opera hat er unter tritt regelmäßig in Rundfunk und Fernsehen Cambridge und am Royal College of Music anderem Rodrigo, Germont, Cecil, Valentin, auf und hat unter anderem Alcina, studiert. Er gehörte von 1978 bis 1981 der John Brecknock stammt aus der englischen Marcello und Posa gegeben. Er ist als Enrico L’incoronazione di Poppea, La clemenza di Tito English National Opera an und ist außerdem Grafschaft Nottinghamshire. Er war an der und Marcello in Hongkong, als Zurga in Fort und Korngolds Die Kathrin auf Tonträger an der Royal Opera, der Opera North und der Sadler’s Wells (später: English National) Opera Worth und Orlando und als Valentin in aufgenommen, Gabriella di Vergy, Maria Welsh National Opera aufgetreten. Er hat bei 36 37 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 38

den Festspielen von Edinburgh, Israel und hat den Platzkommandanten (Aus einem Metropolitan Opera in New York und der Inszenierung und Einspielung von Osud Athen sowie bei den Promenadenkonzerten Totenhaus), Bolkonski (Krieg und Frieden) und Phoenix Opera, bei den Musikfestspielen in wurden von der Peter Moores Foundation der BBC gastiert. Zu Roderick Earles Partien D’Armagnac (Die Teufel von Loudon) gegeben. Bergen, in Wien und Japan. Ihr breit gefächertes gefördert, die auch die Einspielung von The gehören Schaunard, Orestes, Harasˇta (Das Repertoire umfaßt Herodias (Salome), Margret Cunning Little Vixen unterstützte. Sir Charles schlaue Füchslein), King Fisher (The Midsummer Geoffrey Pogson war während seines Studiums (Wozzeck), Magdalena (Die Meistersinger), Mackerras ist Ehrendirigent des Scottish Marriage) und Alberich (Siegfried und in Cambridge Chorstipendiat und hat beim Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Adelaide Chamber Orchestra, Emeritus-Dirigent der Götterdämmerung) für die Royal Opera, Figaro Edinburgh Festival als Remendado (Carmen) (Arabella), Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera), Welsh National Opera, erster Gastdirigent der für die Scottish Opera, Mephistopheles debütiert. Seither war er bei führenden Ottavia (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Marthe und seit der Spielzeit (La damnation de Faust) in Israel sowie britischen Operntruppen engagiert, (Faust), die Hexe (Rusalka), die Fürstin Maria 1998/99 Musikdirektor des Orchestra of Hothner (Die Meistersinger) und Rangoni beispielsweise an der English National Opera, (Krieg und Frieden), die alte Buryjovká (Jenu˚fa), St. Luke’s in New York. (Boris Godunow) in Turin. Er hat unter wo er (in der Uraufführung von Iain Annina (Der Rosenkavalier), Filipjewna (Eugen Sir Charles Mackerras hat sich intensiv anderem Meyerbeers Dinorah, Donizettis Hamiltons Anna Karinina) die Rolle des Onegin), die Dryade (Ariadne auf Naxos) und mit der Aufführungspraxis des 18. und Maria Padilla und Il trovotore auf Tonträger Vronsky kreiert hat, sowie an der Opera North die Gouvernante (Pique Dame). 19. Jahrhunderts befaßt, was seine aufgenommen. und an der Scottish Opera. Zu seinen partien musikalischen Interpretationen wesentlich zählen Don José, Cavaradossi, des Grieux Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1925 als Kind beeinflußte. Seine beeindruckende Denis Dowling wurde in Neuseeland geboren, (Manon), Quint (Turn of the Screw), Paris australischer Eltern in den USA geboren und Diskographie umfaßt den preisgekrönten hat in Melbourne den Sun-Aria-Preis (La belle Hélène), Nero (L’incoronazione di studierte in Sydney und Prag. Sein Debüt Zyklus der Opern Janácˇeks mit den Wiener gewonnen und ist dann zum Studium nach Poppea), Danilo (Die lustige Witwe), Eisenstein als Operndirigent feierte er in Sadler’s Wells, Philharmonikern, Brittens Gloriana England gekommen. Er hat an der Sadler’s (Die Fledermaus), Pinkerton (Madama wo er wesentlichen Anteil an der Produktion (ausgezeichnet mit dem Gramophone Award), Wells Opera als Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier) Butterfly), Frank Crawley (Rebecca) und der der sensationellen britischen Erstaufführung die Sinfonien von Beethoven, Brahms und debütiert und ist seither an der English Herzog (Rigoletto). Geoffrey Pogson hat eine von Janácˇeks Kát’a Kabanová hatte, die dazu Mahler sowie Handels Julius Caesar und National Opera, in Glyndebourne (in The Reihe von Aufnahmen auf Tonträger führte, daß Janácˇeks Werke ihren Weg ins Donizetts Mary Stuart mit der English Rape of Lucretia und Albert Herring) und an vorgenommen und ist regelmäßig im britische Standardrepertoire fanden. Er war National Opera (für Chandos/Peter Moores zahlreichen europäischen Häusern aufgetreten. Rundfunk aufgetreten. Chefdirigent an der Hamburger Oper Foundation). Denis Dowling hat sämtliche Baritonpartien (1966–9) und Musikdirektor an der Oper von Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1974 mit dem Mozarts gesungen und genißt hohes Ansehen Shelagh Squires hat an der Guildhall School of Sadler’s Wells, der nachmaligen English CBE ausgezeichnet und 1979 für seine für seine Interpretationen der Werke von Music studiert. Sie ist als Mezzosopransolistin National Opera (1970–7) sowie der Welsh Verdienste um die Musik geadelt. Außerdem Rossini und Puccini. Figaro, Papageno, unter anderem an der English National Opera National Opera (1987–92), wo unter anderem erhielt er die Verdienstmedaille der Bartolo, Gianni Schicchi und Malatesta zählen aufgetreten, beim Glyndebourne Festival und seine bemerkenswerten Janácˇek- Tschechischen Republik und wurde zum zu seinen Lieblingsrollen. Davon abgesehen mit der Glyndebourne Touring Opera, an der Inszenierungen große Beachtung fanden. Die Mitglied des “Order of Australia” ernannt. 38 39 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 40

personnages et dans l’atmosphère de ses sujets. à son livret. “Lorsqu’il pleut”, écrivait-t-il au Verdi: La traviata Il serait difficile d’imaginer deux univers plus secrétaire de la Fenice, “je peux vous assurer différents que ceux du Trouvère et de La qu’il vaut mieux se regarder dans un miroir traviata, mais comme il avait trouvé sa voie pour vérifier si l’on a toujours forme humaine De La dame aux camélias à La traviata presque parfait tel quel”; on s’accorde en dans chacun des deux, Verdi était ou si l’on n’a pas été transformé en crapaud ou Verdi a eu de la chance avec les opéras que lui a général à reconnaître qu’il se référait à La dame apparemment capable de passer aisément de en grenouille.” Verdi avait chargé Piave de faire commandés le Théâtre de la Fenice de Venise, aux camélias. Lorsque Verdi soumit l’idée de la l’un à l’autre. Verdi était un compositeur très connaître à la Fenice sa conviction profonde: où ils ont été créés: Ernani en 1844, Attila en pièce de Dumas à la direction de la Fenice, elle objectif, ce qui explique en partie pourquoi il à moins d’engager d’autres chanteurs, l’opéra 1846 et Rigoletto en 1851. En 1852, le l’approuva et lui demanda juste de changer le est l’un des plus grands compositeurs d’opéras. serait sûrement un échec. Et le jour où Verdi compositeur alors âgé de trente-neuf ans a été à titre qu’il proposait, “Amore e morte” (Amour Toutefois, dans le contexte de cette objectivité, fut averti par une lettre anonyme qu’à moins nouveau contacté par la direction de la Fenice, et mort). il s’est efforcé d’exposer ses propres sentiments. de remplacer la soprano et le baryton, la qui lui a demandé de composer un opéra pour Verdi s’est engagé à ce que le nouvel opéra Il est rare que Verdi s’identifie à l’un des représentation serait un désastre, il donna la la saison suivante. Francesco Maria Piave, qui soit prêt à être représenté à la Fenice le 6 mars personnages de ses opéras, mais lorsqu’il fait lettre à Piave d’un air sombre, en ajoutant: avait collaboré avec Verdi à deux de ces trois 1853; il en a commencé la composition preuve de compassion envers un personnage “Je sais, je sais”. opéras précédents pour la Fenice, a été engagé pendant qu’il était à Rome en décembre 1852, spécifique, cette circonstance est toujours En arrivant à Venise le 21 février pour comme librettiste, et la recherche d’un sujet pour les répétitions du Trouvère. Quelques révélatrice, comme cela est le cas dans La orchestrer l’opéra et superviser les répétitions, approprié a commencé pendant que Verdi était semaines seulement séparent la création du traviata. Verdi avait de bonnes raisons de redouter le encore en train de composer Le trouvère (pour Trouvère à Rome et celle de La traviata à Verdi a écrit la majeure partie de la musique pire, car la soprano était médiocre et le ténor le Théâtre Apollo de Rome, où il allait être créé Venise. Après l’immense succès des trois pendant son voyage et son séjour à Rome n’était pas en voix. Même le baryton, Felice en janvier 1853). premières représentations du Trouvère en pour la création du Trouvère, et juste après, Varesi, qui avait l’habitude de travailler avec Au début de l’année 1852, Verdi et sa janvier, Verdi est retourné dans sa villa de à Sant’Agata. L’acte final a été composé à Verdi et avait remporté un immense succès à la maîtresse Giuseppina Strepponi étaient à Paris. Sant’Agata, près de Busseto, pour achever le Sant’Agata dans une atmosphère mélancolique création de Rigoletto dans le rôle titre, se sentait L’adaptation scénique de La dame aux camélias, nouvel ouvrage. Piave avait soigneusement et pessimiste qui convenait parfaitement au mal à l’aise dans un ouvrage tellement qu’Alexandre Dumas fils avait tirée de son réécrit son livret à la lumière des critiques peu contenu du drame, non seulement parce que inhabituel, dans un cadre purement propre roman, y était présentée pour la aimables du compositeur, qui trouvait que Verdi et Giuseppina étaient souffrants, mais domestique, sans intrigues ni batailles, sans première fois le 2 février, et Verdi assistait à une certaines sections allaient endormir le public! aussi parce que Verdi croyait sincèrement que aucun des atours de la grande romance. La représentation. Il avait probablement déjà lu le Verdi avait composé une grande partie de la la distribution engagée par le Théâtre de la première représentation eut lieu le 6 mars et, roman, car, l’année précédente, il avait parlé au musique pendant qu’il ajoutait les touches Fenice serait incapable de rendre justice à son le lendemain, Verdi envoya des lettres à divers librettiste du Trouvère d’“un autre sujet, simple finales au Trouvère, ce qui prouve à quel point opéra. Piave était resté à Sant’Agata pour amis pour leur raconter le désastre. “Cher et plein de passion, dont on peut dire qu’il est il était capable de s’immerger dans les apporter sur place les modifications nécessaires Emanuele”, écrivait-il à Emanuele Muzio, son 40 41 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 42

ancien élève et secrétaire, “Traviata, hier soir: de mettre un bossu sur scène. Eh bien, j’ai eu d’un plus petit théâtre, le Teatro San comme on l’appelait généralement), qui avait un fiasco. Est-ce ma faute ou celle des beaucoup de plaisir à composer Rigoletto.” Benedetto. L’impresario proposait d’engager inspiré à l’auteur sa dame aux camélias. Marie chanteurs? L’avenir le dira.” Pourtant, au Théâtre de la Fenice quelqu’un a une distribution de premier ordre, avec Piave Duplessis était une célèbre courtisane Le public de la première avait simplement ri eu peur et, lorsque La traviata a été présentée pour diriger les répétitions, et d’accorder un parisienne d’une grande beauté et pleine à l’idée de voir la soprano, Fanny Salvini- sur la scène vénitienne, l’action était transposée temps de préparation illimité. Il fallait d’esprit, qui, à diverses époques, avait eu des Donatelli, une dame extrêmement corpulente, au début du XVIIIe siècle, les costumes étaient toutefois conserver l’époque de Louis XIV, car liaisons avec des hommes aussi éminents mourir de la tuberculose; elle est pourtant la ceux de l’époque de Louis XIV. Verdi s’était il aurait été apparemment trop dangereux de qu’Alfred de Musset, Liszt et Dumas lui-même. seule dont la critique ait chanté les louanges. battu dur et ferme pour avoir le droit de montrer sur scène aux spectateurs des gens qui Elle n’avait que vingt-trois ans, lorsque la On sait, par ailleurs, que les musicographes qui conserver à son opéra le décor contemporain leur ressemblaient exactement. tuberculose l’emporta. Le roman, comme la ont écrit sur Verdi ont attribué une autre raison de la pièce de théâtre. Dans les archives de la Après avoir tout d’abord hésité, Verdi pièce que Dumas en tira l’année suivante, à l’échec initial de La traviata: le public Fenice, un mémorandum indique que “le accepta la proposition du Teatro San comportent d’importants éléments vénitien n’était pas habitué à voir des costumes Signor Maestro Verdi désire, demande et Benedetto, et les Vénitiens entendirent à autobiographiques et il n’y a rien de contemporains sur la scène lyrique. Mais, lors supplie que les costumes de son opéra nouveau La traviata le 6 mai 1854, dans une déraisonnable à supposer que le personnage de ces premières représentations à la Fenice, le La traviata restent ceux de l’époque actuelle”. nouvelle distribution. Cette fois, l’opéra d’Armand Duval, dont les initiales sont celles public n’a pas vu de costumes modernes sur Un peu plus tard, toutefois, Piave écrivait de remporta un succès écrasant. Il fut très vite de l’auteur, fut conçu comme un autoportrait scène. Il est vrai qu’en choisissant la pièce de Sant’Agata pour confirmer que “Verdi accepte, produit dans toute l’Italie et à l’étranger, mais (dans l’opéra, il s’appelle Alfredo Germont). Dumas pour son opéra, Verdi voulait s’attaquer tout à fait contre son gré, que la période soit toujours dans les costumes de 1700, et ne tarda Dumas a décrit Marie Duplessis comme une à un sujet contemporain. Personne n’avait reculée dans le temps”. pas à devenir l’opéra dont on parlait le plus à femme “grande, très mince, brune, au teint jamais tenté de le faire dans un opera seria, Verdi a écrit ses lettres pessimistes sur le l’époque. Verdi fut ravi, mais il ne put pas rose et blanc… elle ressemblait à une figurine même si Verdi lui-même s’en était rapproché “fiasco” avant d’avoir lu les comptes rendus des s’empêcher de faire remarquer à un ami qu’à de Saxe”. Née à la campagne, fille de dans Stiffelio, qui se déroule au début du XIXe journaux qui ont suivi la première l’exception de quelques changements mineurs marchand, elle était arrivée à Paris à l’âge de siècle. Pendant qu’il composait La traviata, représentation: tout en étant mitigés, ils destinés à adapter la partition aux possibilités quinze ans et y était vite devenue ce que les Verdi écrivait à un ami: “Pour Venise, je suis en n’étaient pas entièrement défavorables. Dix des nouveaux chanteurs, c’était le même opéra Parisiens appelaient une grisette, une fille que train d’écrire La dame aux camélias, qui représentations ont été données au cours de la que l’on avait entendu à la Fenice: “Ce fut l’on trouvait le soir dans les cafés des quartiers s’appellera probablement La traviata. C’est un saison, à la suite desquelles Verdi a demandé à alors un fiasco; maintenant, il fait fureur. Tirez- des artistes et des étudiants: l’équivalent sujet contemporain. Un autre compositeur ne son éditeur de ne plus autoriser d’autres en vos propres conclusions!” parisien de la süsse Mädel viennoise. Il est l’aurait peut-être pas fait en raison des productions, sauf si lui-même, Verdi, en était Le roman d’Alexandre Dumas La dame aux douteux que Marie Duplessis ait jamais été une costumes, de l’époque ou d’un millier d’autres responsable. Il a envisagé de produire l’ouvrage camélias avait été publié à Paris en 1848, vulgaire prostituée. En l’espace d’un an, elle scrupules absurdes, mais je suis ravi de l’idée. à Rome, mais a été devancé par une demande quelques mois seulement après la mort s’était intégrée au demi-monde parisien de la Tout le monde s’est plaint lorsque j’ai proposé émanant de Venise, non pas de la Fenice mais d’Alphonsine Plessis (ou Marie Duplessis femme entretenue, un statut se situant un ou 42 43 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 44

deux échelons au-dessus de la prostituée, mais succès à l’époque, est aujourd’hui tombé dans La société parisienne, tout au moins la pour lesquelles ce fait n’est pas proclamé? Qui hors du giron de la société respectable. La l’oubli. Toutefois, sa pièce écrite l’année société artistique libérale que Verdi fréquenta sait si c’est une mauvaise chose, qui a le droit femme entretenue, ou courtisane, suivante et seulement deux ans après la mort au cours de ses nombreux séjours à Paris, de nous frapper d’ostracisme? Je dirai toutefois s’abandonnait à des liaisons successives plutôt de Marie Duplessis, mais qui n’a pu être jouée n’aurait pas considéré la maîtresse du ceci: chez moi, elle a autant le droit au respect que simultanées, et Marie Duplessis fut pendant trois ans en raison de difficultés avec compositeur, Giuseppina Strepponi, comme que moi-même, plus encore. Et personne n’est successivement entretenue par le duc de Guise la censure, s’est maintenue dans la durée, non une courtisane. Mais la société provinciale autorisé à l’oublier pour quelque raison que ce et le comte Stackelberg. Elle avait dix-neuf ans seulement parce qu’elle convient italienne n’était pas celle de Paris. La première soit. Et finalement, de par sa conduite et son et était la maîtresse du comte Stackelberg merveilleusement au jeu de grandes actrices femme de Verdi et leurs deux enfants étaient caractère, elle a totalement droit à la lorsque Dumas fit sa connaissance, dans des romantiques comme Sarah Bernhardt, Greta morts depuis plus de dix ans et il était l’amant considération qu’elle témoigne habituellement circonstances analogues à celles dépeintes à Garbo et Edwige Feuillère, mais également de Giuseppina Strepponi depuis cinq ans. aux autres.” l’Acte I de la pièce comme de l’opéra. grâce à sa simplicité formelle et à son Giuseppina ne vivait avec lui dans sa ville A une époque où les relations de Verdi avec En la transformant en Marguerite Gautier, honnêteté émotionnelle, qualités qui natale de Busseto que depuis trois ans; sa Giuseppina (qu’il n’allait épouser que sept ans Dumas a donné un caractère romanesque à compensent le fait qu’elle a perdu depuis présence avait outragé la société locale et avait plus tard) scandalisaient les habitants de Marie, car elle ne le quitta pas pour protéger longtemps le pouvoir d’épater les bourgeois. séparé Verdi d’un grand nombre de ses vieux Busseto, il n’est guère surprenant que le son nom de famille à lui: c’est lui qui la quitta Par contre, les bourgeois de l’époque amis. A cette époque, Verdi avait acheté la Villa compositeur ait manifesté tant de sympathie à parce qu’elle refusait de renoncer au luxe qu’il d’Alexandre Dumas fils et de Verdi étaient très Sant’Agata, à quatre ou cinq kilomètres de l’égard de la pièce de Dumas. Verdi a sans était incapable de lui fournir, et qu’il ne voulait facilement choqués. Comme aujourd’hui, la Busseto, où il allait vivre avec Giuseppina doute vu dans cette pièce une parcelle de la pas la partager avec d’autres amants. Leur société reposait alors, dans une large mesure, jusqu’à la fin de leur vie. Lorsque Antonio vérité émotionnelle de sa propre situation et, liaison dura moins d’un an. L’année suivante, sur une hypocrisie organisée, mais les règles Barezzi, son ex-beau-père et bienfaiteur, lui au moins dans un petit coin de son esprit, il a Marie Duplessis partit pour Londres avec le étaient plus strictes et plus rudement reprocha de ne pas légaliser son union avec peut-être identifié Giuseppina à Marie vicomte de Pérrigaux, qu’elle épousa au Bureau appliquées. Fils illégitime d’un père célèbre, le Giuseppina, Verdi lui répondit: “Il vit dans ma Duplessis/Marguerite Gautier/Violetta Valéry, de l’état civil de Kensington. Quelques mois jeune Dumas réagit violemment contre le demi- maison une dame libre et indépendante, qui, lui-même se représentant dans Alexandre plus tard, ce mariage tourna à l’échec et Marie monde dans lequel il fut élevé. La façon dont il comme moi-même, préfère une vie solitaire, et Dumas/Armand Duval/Alfredo Germont, et revint sur le continent; elle se rendit dans traite la courtisane, réprouvée par la société, est est dotée d’une fortune qui pourvoit à tous ses Antonio Barezzi dans Dumas père(?)/Georges diverses stations thermales pour essayer de extrêmement sympathique dans La dame aux besoins. Nous ne sommes ni l’un ni l’autre Duval/Giorgio Germont. La traviata a recouvrer la santé. Elle mourut dans son camélias et entre tout à fait dans la tradition obligés de rendre compte de nos actes. Mais certainement occupé une place spéciale dans le appartement parisien en février 1847 et fut littéraire romantique de rébellion contre la qui connaît la nature de nos relations? Quelles cœur de Verdi et, en ce qui concerne le style, enterrée au cimetière du Père Lachaise. moralité conventionnelle. Mais il allait par la affaires? Quels liens? Quels droits ai-je sur elle c’est une œuvre beaucoup plus intime et Dumas avait vingt-trois ans lorsqu’il écrivit suite s’attaquer à cette même courtisane comme et elle sur moi? Qui sait si elle est ou non ma personnelle que tout ce qu’il avait écrit son roman qui, après avoir connu un grand à la malédiction de la société. femme? Et si elle l’est, qui connaît les raisons jusqu’alors. 44 45 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 46

Le livret de Piave pour cet opéra suit d’assez Injuste mais, dans le cas de Verdi, incontestable. fervents admirateurs de leur hôtesse, bien qu’il la visite de son avoué. Son attention se porte près la pièce de Dumas. Celle-ci comporte cinq Dans La traviata, plus encore que dans des ne l’ait encore jamais rencontrée. Violetta momentanément sur une lettre de Flora actes, réduits dans l’opéra à quatre tableaux, car ouvrages antérieurs comme Luisa Miller ou demande à Alfred de porter un toast et il boit à l’invitant à une réception à Paris le soir même. Piave omet le Deuxième acte où Marguerite Stiffelio, dont les intrigues conservent des ses yeux. L’orchestre commence à jouer. C’est alors qu’arrive un visiteur, non pas le décide de vivre à la campagne avec Armand et éléments du mélodrame romantique, Verdi a Violetta, qui est atteinte de tuberculose (un notaire qu’elle attendait, mais le père d’Alfred. renvoie son amant du moment, le comte de transposé l’opéra dans un nouveau milieu social mal incurable à cette époque), se sent défaillir Il l’accuse de ruiner son fils. Elle lui confie Giray. Piave a ainsi amélioré la forme du drame et, malgré les costumes Louis XIV des premières et demande à ses invités de danser sans elle. qu’en réalité c’est son fils à lui qui est en train aux dépens de son contenu, car, à la fin de représentations, il a traité du monde bourgeois Alfred, resté à ses côtés pour s’occuper d’elle, de la ruiner, et que loin d’être une femme l’Acte I, Marguerite, ou Violetta comme elle se de sa propre époque. La traviata est un opéra lui avoue qu’il l’aime. Violetta, d’un air badin, entretenue, c’est elle qui entretient Alfred. nomme dans l’opéra, a apparemment décidé dans lequel toutes les plus belles qualités de lui conseille de l’oublier, mais elle lui offre une Continuant sur sa lancée, Monsieur Germont de poursuivre sa vie de courtisane; mais on la Verdi sont perceptibles: sa maîtrise technique, sa fleur qu’elle lui demande de lui rapporter ajoute que leur affaire scandaleuse risque de voit ensuite, au début de l’Acte II de l’opéra clarté, son humanité, sa finesse psychologique, lorsqu’elle se fânera. Les invités partent. compromettre le mariage prochain de sa fille. (l’Acte III de la pièce), vivre très simplement à son goût infaillible et son génie pour créer une L’idée d’aimer et d’être aimée en retour Violetta doit renoncer à Alfred. Elle est jeune, la campagne avec Armand/Alfredo dans une mélodie chaleureuse et chantable. l’attire mais l’effraie aussi. Une femme comme elle trouvera un autre amant. Violetta lui félicité apparente. Toutefois, les quatre tableaux elle ne peut espérer un tel amour, elle ne peut ni répond qu’elle n’en aimera jamais un autre. de l’opéra apportent une forme musicale et © Charles Osborne l’accepter, ni s’y fier. Ce n’est qu’en restant libre Mais comme Monsieur Germont insiste, lui dramatique satisfaisante et l’Acte II de Dumas (Cet article reprend certains éléments de l’ouvrage de qu’elle pourra profiter des plaisirs de la vie. déclarant que leur liaison ne sera jamais bénie n’est réellement nécessaire ni à l’intrigue, ni à la Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi.) des dieux, qu’elle doit se sacrifier par la volonté caractérisation audacieusement esquissée. Le Traduction: Marie-Stella Pâris Acte II de Dieu, elle finit par lui céder. Elle quittera livret est, en fait, l’un des plus grands succès de Scène 1 Alfred, à condition que Monsieur Germont lui Piave et, à certains égards, il est même meilleur Argument Violetta a abandonné sa vie de courtisane apprenne un jour la vérité. que la pièce dont il est tiré. Acte I auprès du baron et Alfred est son amant depuis Monsieur Germont parti, Violetta écrit un La traviata est non seulement l’un des opéras Violetta Valéry donne une réception dans sa trois mois. Ils vivent ensemble dans un village mot au baron Douphol, lui demandant s’il est de Verdi les plus appréciés, mais également l’un demeure parisienne où elle vit dans le luxe, près de Paris. Alfred est mortifié lorsque la libre pour l’accompagner ce soir-là chez Flora. des grands drames musicaux du monde. S’il n’a entretenue par son amant du moment, le servante de Violetta lui révèle que sa maîtresse Elle envoie sa servante porter le billet au baron pas immédiatement été reconnu comme tel, ce baron Douphol. Parmi ses invités se trouvent est en train de vendre tous ses biens pour payer puis se met à écrire une lettre d’adieu à Alfred. ne peut être qu’à cause de sa richesse mélodique, Flora Bervoix et son amant le marquis ses dettes et subvenir aux besoins du couple. Il Ce dernier réapparaît alors qu’elle la termine car le fait qu’un extraordinaire dramaturge d’Obigny, Dr Grenvil et le vicomte Gaston de décide d’aller se procurer de l’argent à Paris. mais elle réussit à la lui cacher. Il lui annonce musical soit également capable d’inventer une Letorières. Gaston présente à Violetta son ami Surprise d’apprendre qu’Alfredo est sorti, qu’il attend la visite de son père qui lui a laissé telle prodigalité d’airs semble presque injuste. Alfredo Germont qui, dit-il, est l’un des plus Violetta annonce à ses serviteurs qu’elle attend une lettre sévère. Violetta sort, lui disant 46 47 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 48

simplement qu’elle va l’attendre dehors, et dans chantent des chansons de matadors. Il s’installe sa servante que sa maîtresse n’a que quelques Montpellier, Paris (à l’Opéra), Toulouse, un subit accès de passion, elle le supplie de ne et commence à jouer. Violetta entre au bras du heures à vivre. Seule, Violetta relit pour la Bordeaux, Genève, Rouen, Prague, Dublin, jamais cesser de l’aimer. baron Douphol qui lui interdit de parler à centième fois la lettre qu’elle a reçue de Munich, Marseille, Milan (la Piccola Scala), Un valet annonce quelques minutes plus Alfredo. Il invite le jeune homme à jouer aux Monsieur Germont. Alfredo a dû s’enfuir à Barcelone, Chicago, Philadelphie, Santagio, tard que Violetta est en route pour Paris. cartes avec lui. Alfredo gagne, double la mise et l’étranger après avoir blessé le baron en duel, San Francisco, New York et Houston. Son Alfredo est perplexe mais il se dit qu’elle est gagne encore, mais la partie est interrompue mais son père lui a écrit pour lui apprendre la vaste répertoire comprend les rôles-titres de partie résoudre ces questions financières que par l’annonce du dîner. Violetta revient sur ses vérité. Alfredo est en route pour Paris et devrait La traviata, Manon, Louise, Mireille, La veuve lui-même vient tout juste de régler. Un passant pas pour parler à Alfredo en privé. Elle le bientôt être auprès d’elle pour obtenir son joyeuse et Sémélé; elle a également été Madame apporte une lettre: “Here’s a note from a lady supplie de partir car elle ne veut pas que le pardon. Elle sait qu’il est trop tard. Alfredo Lidoine (Dialogues des carmélites), Micaëla, for you…” (Voici un mot pour vous de la part baron le tue en duel. Alfredo réplique qu’il ne entre, il veut l’emmener pour toujours loin de Susanne et la Comtesse Almaviva, Sophie et la d’une dame). Alfredo l’ouvre. “By the time you partira que si elle accepte de l’accompagner; Paris – à ses côtés, sa santé refleurira. Mais Maréchale, Mimì, Marguerite (Faust), Antonia have read this letter, I will have left to join the mais elle lui apprend qu’elle a juré de l’oublier lorsqu’elle tente de s’habiller elle est saisie par (Les contes d’Hoffmann) et elle a chanté dans Baron. Our weeks together have been very et lui laisse que c’est au baron qu’elle a une affreuse quinte de toux et on envoie The King Goes Forth to France avec le Royal pleasant, but it would not have lasted…” fait ce serment. chercher le médecin. Monsieur Germont arrive Opera. Valerie Masterson travaille (Quand vous recevrez cette lettre, je serai partie Alfredo réunit tous les convives et leur à son tour. Elle est contente d’avoir ses amis à régulièrement pour la radio et la télévision et rejoindre le baron. Nos quelques semaines déclare que comme il a été entretenu par ses côtés pour mourir. Elle remet à Alfredo son elle a enregistré entre autres Elisabetta de ensemble ont été très agréables, mais ça Violetta, il veut maintenant blanchir son portrait pour qu’il l’offre à celle qu’un jour il Rossini, Regina d’Inghilterra, L’or du Rhin, Le n’aurait pas duré…) Monsieur Germont, qui honneur et payer ses dettes – avec ce qu’il vient épousera, puis elle meurt dans ses bras. crépuscule des Dieux, plusieurs opérettes de l’observait depuis le jardin, entre le consoler et de gagner. Monsieur Germont, arrivé sur ces Gilbert et Sullivan et Jules César (pour en profite pour lui dire combien sa sœur se entrefaites, s’en prend à son fils de s’abaisser à © Peter Moores Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). languit de lui. Il l’invite à retrouver la maison une telle ignominie envers une femme. Il le Traduction: Nicole Valencia familiale en Provence. Mais Alfredo ne pense renie sur-le-champ – mais se garde bien John Brecknock est originaire du qu’à se venger. C’est alors qu’il aperçoit d’admettre le rôle que lui-même a joué dans Valerie Masterson est née à Birkenhead et a Nottinghamshire. Il était membre du Sadler’s l’invitation de Flora, et il sait maintenant où cette histoire. Le baron provoque Alfredo en étudié à Londres et Milan. Elle a chanté une Wells Opera (qui devint par la suite l’English trouver Violetta. duel. saison à Salzbourg avant d’entrer dans la National Opera). Il chanta plusieurs rôles D’Oyly Carte Opera Company comme majeurs dont ceux de Don Ottavio, Belmonte, Scène 2 Acte III principale soprano. Elle a chanté avec toutes les Ferrando, du comte Ory, d’Almaviva (Le Alfredo arrive seul chez Flora, où la fête bat son C’est le Carnaval, un an plus tard. Violetta est plus grandes troupes lyriques du Royaume-Uni barbier de Séville), d’Alfredo, de des Grieux plein: certains jouent aux cartes tandis que des sans le sou et son mal est incurable. Le et sa riche carrière internationale l’a conduite (Manon), Tamino, du duc (A Night in Venice) bohémiens disent la bonne aventure et médecin tente de la réconforter mais il avoue à entre autres à Aix-en-Provence, Nancy, et de Werther. Pour le Royal Opera il a été 48 49 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 50

Fenton (Falstaff ) et Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) di Calais, Gabriella di Vergy et Ugo, comte de s’est produit avec quelques-unes des plus Royal Opera, Mephistopheles (La damnation et il a également interprété le rôle de Gennaro Paris de Donizetti ainsi que Dinorah de grandes troupes lyriques britanniques comme de Faust) en Israël et Kothner et Rangoni à (Lucrèce Borgia) aux côtés de Dame Joan Meyerbeer et Christopher Columbus d’après le Royal Opera, l’English National Opera et le Turin. Il a gravé entre autres Dinorah de Sutherland. John Brecknock s’est produit Offenbach pour Opera Rara. Welsh National Opera ainsi qu’avec le Meyerbeer, Maria Padilla de Donizetti et Le fréquemment en Europe, entre autres au Glyndebourne Festival Opera; il a chanté dans trouvère . Staatsoper de Vienne, et sur le continent Della Jones est née à Neath et a fait ses études Les noces de Figaro (Figaro), Tosca (le sacristan), américain. Sur la scène internationale, il a été au Royal College of Music où elle a remporté Billy Budd, L’anneau du Nibelung (Alberich), Denis Dowling est né en Nouvelle-Zélande et Don Ottavio (au Metropolitan Opera de New de nombreux prix dont la Kathleen Ferrier Les contes d’Hoffmann, Le chevalier à la rose après avoir remporté le Prix Sun Aria à York), Ernesto dans Don Pasquale et Fenton Memorial Scholarship. Elle s’est produite avec (Faninal) et Le roi Priam (Patroclus). John Melbourne, il est venu étudier en Angleterre. (Miami), le duc de Mantoue dans Rigoletto les plus grandes troupes lyriques britanniques et Gibbs a aussi chanté dans Grandeur et Depuis ses débuts avec le Sadler’s Wells Opera (Houston), (Ottawa), Werther sa carrière internationale l’a conduite en décadence de la ville de Mahagonny dans le dans le rôle de Faninal (Le chevalier à la rose), il (Rouen et San Diego), Ramiro (Buenos Aires Europe, aux Etats-Unis, au Canada, en Russie cadre du Festival de Wexford, dans L’esule s’est produit avec l’English National Opera, à et Paris) et Idoménée (Paris). et au Japon. Elle a tenu le rôle-titre d’Ariodante, di Roma à Londres (South Bank) et il a Glyndebourne (Le viol de Lucrèce et Albert de Cendrillon et de Carmen et a été Rosine, participé à plusieurs grandes productions de Herring) et avec plusieurs troupes lyriques Christian du Plessis a étudié dans son Afrique Hérodias, Baba the Turk, Marcelline et l’hôtesse BBC Radio 3, dont Der Zwingburg et européennes. Denis Dowling a chanté tous les du sud natale et fair ses débuts avec le (Boris Godounov). Della Jones participe Faust. Il a gravé entre autres Les huguenots rôles de baryton de Mozart et il est Performing Arts Council du Transvaal Opera à réglièrement à des programmes de radio et de et Tosca. particulièrement apprécié pour son Johannesburg dans le rôle de Yamadori télévision et a gravé de nombreuses œuvres interprétation de Rossini et de Puccini. Figaro, (Madame Butterfly). En tant que membre de dont Alcina, Le couronnement de Poppée, Roderick Earle a étudié à St John’s College à Papageno, Bartolo, Gianni Schicchi et l’English National Opera, il a tenu les rôles de La clémence de Titus ainsi que Die Kathrin de Cambridge et au Royal College of Music à Malatesta font partie de ses rôles de Rodrigo, Germont, Cecil, Valentin, Marcello Korngold; elle a réalisé de nombreux Londres. Membre de l’English National Opera prédilection. Il a aussi été le Commandant et Posa. Il a aussi été Enrico et Marcello à enregistrements, gravant entre autres Gabriella de 1978 à 1981, il s’est également produit avec (De la maison des morts), le prince Bolkonsky Hong Kong, Zurga à Fort Worth et Orlando, di Vergy, Maria Padilla, Il crociato in Egitto, le Royal Opera, Opera North et le Welsh (Guerre et paix) et d’Armagnac (Les possédées de Valentin à Barcelone et il a chanté en concert Riccardo e Zoraïde et Dinorah pour Opera National Opera. Il a participé aux festivals Loudun). aux côtés de Dame Joan Sutherland dans Rara ainsi que Le barbier de Séville et Jules d’Edimbourg, d’Israël et d’Athènes et aux Rodelinda. Christian du Plessis est réputé pour César (pour Chandos/Peter Moores Promenade Concerts de la BBC. Roderick Après de brillantes études de chant à ses interprétations d’opéras peu connus de Foundation). Earle a été entre autres Schaunard, Orestes, Cambridge, Geoffrey Pogson a fait ses débuts Bellini et de Donizetti pour la London Opera Haraseta (La petite renarde rusée), King Fisher au Festival d’Edimbourg dans le rôle de Society et Opera Rara. Il a enregistré entre John Gibbs a étudié à la Royal Academy of (The Midsummer Marriage) et Alberich Remendado (Carmen). Il s’est produit depuis autres Marie Stuart, et Maria Padilla, L’assedio Music à Londres ainsi qu’à Paris et Rome. Il (Siegfried et Le crépuscule des Dieux) pour le avec certaines de principales troupes lyriques 50 51 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 52

britanniques dont l’English National Opera Buryjá (Jenu˚fa), Annina (Le chevalier à la rose), poussées sur l’interprétation aux XVIIIe et Donizetti (pour Chandos/Peter Moores pour qui il a créé le rôle de Vronsky (Anna Filipevna (Eugène Onéguine), une nymphe XIXe siècles qui ont profondément influencé la Foundation). Karénine de Iain Hamilton), Opera North et le (Ariane à Naxos) et la gouvernante (La dame de façon dont il aborde le répertoire aujourd’hui. Sir Charles Mackerras est Commander of Scottish Opera. Il a aussi été Don José, pique). Sa vaste discographie comprend un cycle primé the British Empire (CBE) depuis 1974 et a été Cavaradossi, des Grieux (Manon), Quint des opéras de Janácˇek avec la Philharmonie de anobli en 1979 pour services rendus à la (Le tour d’écrou), Pâris (La belle Hélène), Sir Charles Mackerras naquit en 1925 aux Vienne, Gloriana de Britten (primé par la revue musique. Il s’est vu également décerner la Néron (Le couronnement de Poppée), Danilo Etats-Unis de parents australiens et fit ses Gramophone), des Symphonies de Beethoven, Médaille du mérite de la République tchèque (La veuve joyeuse), Eisenstein (La chauve- études à Sydney et Prague. Il fit ses débuts de Brahms et Mahler, et avec l’English National et le titre de Companion of the Order of souris), Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly), Frank chef lyrique au Sadler’s Wells, où il contribua à Opera Julius Caesar de Handel et Mary Stuart de Australia. Crawley (Rebecca) et le duc de mantoue la première britannique de Kát’a Kabanová de (Rigoletto). Geoffrey Pogson a fait plusieurs Janácˇek, une création sensationnelle qui assura enregistrements et se produit régulièrement à Janácˇek de figurer au répertoire des troupes à BBC Radio 3. britanniques. Il fut Chef d’orchestre principal de l’Opéra de Hambourg (1966–1969) et Shelagh Squires a étudié à la Guildhall School directeur musical du Sadler’s Wells Opera (qui of Music à Londres. Elle s’est produite avec deviendrait l’English National Opera) entre l’English National Opera comme principale 1970 et 1977 et du Welsh National Opera mezzo-soprano ainsi qu’avec le Glyndebourne entre 1987 et 1992, où ses productions Festival Opera et le Glyndebourne Touring remarquables de Janácˇek furent accueillies avec Opera, le Metropolitan Opera de New York et enthousiasme. La production et l’Opera de Phoenix entre autres; elle a l’enregistrement d’Osud ont été financés par la également chanté au Festival international de Peter Moores Foundation, qui finança aussi musique de Bergen, à Vienne et au Japon. Son l’enregistrement de La petite renarde rusée. vaste répertoire comprend entre autres Il est chef d’orchestre honoraire du Scottish Hérodias (Salomé), Margret (Wozzeck), Chamber Orchestra et du Welsh National Magdalena (Les maîtres chanteurs), Marcelline Opera, l’un des chefs réguliers de l’Opéra (Les noces de Figaro), Adelaïde (Arabella), Ulrica de San Francisco et, depuis la saison (Un bal masqué), Ottavia (Le couronnement de 1998–1999, directeur du St Luke’s Orchestra Poppée), Marthe (Faust), la sorcière (Rusalka), à New York. princesse Maria (Guerre et paix), la grand-mère Sir Charles Mackerras a fait des recherches 52 53 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 54

personaggi e nell’atmosfera dei suoi soggetti. scrisse al segretario della Fenice, “vi assicuro Verdi: La traviata I mondi de Il trovatore e de La traviata non che è il caso di guardarsi allo specchio per avrebbero potuto essere più diversi, ma, vedere se uno è ancora in forma umana o se essendo penetrato in ambedue, Verdi era, non si è tramutato in un rospo o in una rana.” Da La dame aux camélias a La traviata altro soggetto, semplice e appassionato, che si a quanto pare, capace di passare dall’uno Verdi diede istruzioni a Piave di far presente Verdi era stato fortunato con quelle sue opere può dire è quasi completo così com’è”. Si all’altro con facilità. Egli era il più obbiettivo alla Fenice la convinzione del compositore che commissionate e date in prima esecuzione al presume generalmente che Verdi si riferisse a dei compositori, il che vale non poco a l’opera avrebbe fatto sicuramente fiasco se non Teatro la Fenice a Venezia. Ernani nel 1844, La dame aux camélias. Quando Verdi suggerì il spiegare perché sia uno dei maggiori operisti. venivano ingaggiati altri cantanti. Quando una Attila nel 1846 e Rigoletto nel 1851. Nel 1852 dramma di Dumas alle autorità della Fenice Peraltro, entro il contesto della sua obbiettività, lettera anonima avvisò Verdi che se non il trentanovenne compositore venne queste lo approvarono, semplicemente egli riuscì ad esternare i propri sentimenti. venivano rimpiazzati almeno il soprano e il nuovamente interpellato dalla direzione della proponendo che egli cambiasse il titolo da lui Raramente Verdi si identifica con uno dei baritono la rappresentazione sarebbe stata un Fenice e incaricato di comporre un’opera per la proposto, “Amore e morte”. personaggi nelle sue opere, ma quando disastro, Verdi passò lugubremente la lettera a stagione successiva. A Francesco Maria Piave, Verdi concordò di aver pronta la nuova riversa la sua compassione su uno di essi in Piave, aggiungendo, “Lo so, lo so!”. che aveva collaborato con Verdi in due di opera per essere rappresentata alla Fenice il particolare l’occasione non manca di essere Quando arrivò a Venezia il 21 febbraio per quelle precedenti opere rappresentate alla 6 marzo 1853 e cominciò a comporla mentre ampiamente rivelante, com’è il caso de strumentare l’opera e per soprintendere alle Fenice, venne affidato il libretto, e la ricerca di era a Roma, nel dicembre del 1852, durante le La traviata. prove Verdi aveva buone ragioni per temere il un soggetto appropriato ebbe inizio mentre prove de Il trovatore. Solo poche settimane Gran parte della musica venne scritta mentre peggio, giacché il soprano era insoddisfacent e Verdi stava ancora scrivendo Il trovatore (per il separano le premieres de Il trovatore a Roma e Verdi era en route per Roma, mentre era a il tenore non era in buona voce. Persino il Teatro Apollo a Roma, dove la sua prima de La traviata a Venezia. In gennaio, dopo le Roma ad inscenare Il trovatore, o a Sant’Agata baritono, Felice Varesi, che era abituato a rappresentazione ebbe luogo nel gennaio del prime tre recite de Il trovatore, che ebbero immediatamente dopo. L’ultimo atto fu lavorare con Verdi e che aveva avuto un 1853). grande successo, Verdi tornò alla sua Villa di composto a Sant’Agata in un’atmosfera di cupo immenso successo come il primo Rigoletto, Al principio del 1852 Verdi e la sua amante, Sant’Agata, vicino a Busseto, e completò la pessimismo, altamente appropriata al non si sentiva a suo agio in un’opera così fuori Giuseppina Strepponi, si trovavano a Parigi. nuova opera. Piave stava attivamente contenuto del dramma, non solo perché tanto del comune, con uno sfondo puramente L’adattamento scenico de La dame aux riscrivendo il libretto a seguito dell’acido Verdi quanto Giuseppina erano malandati in domestico, senza intrighi, senza battaglie, senza camélias, che Alexandre Dumas fils aveva commento del compositore che alcune delle salute ma anche perché Verdi era convinto che alcune delle guarnizioni del romanzesco di rito. scritto dal suo romanzo, ebbe la sua premiere sue parti avrebbero fatto addormentare il gli interpreti ingaggiati dalla Fenice non La prima rappresentazione ebbe luogo il parigina il 2 febbraio, e Verdi fu presente ad pubblico! Gran parte della musica era stata sarebbero stati in grado di rendere giustizia alla 6 marzo, ed in lettere a vari amici il giorno una delle recite. Probabilmente aveva già letto scritta mentre Verdi stava facendo gli ultimi sua opera. Piave rimase a Sant’Agata per essere dopo Verdi comunicò il disastro. “Caro il romanzo, giacché l’anno prima aveva ritocchi a Il trovatore, il che dimostra quanto disponibile qualora occorresse apportare Emanuele”, scrisse ad Emanuele Muzio, suo menzionato al librettista del suo Trovatore “un completamente Verdi sapesse immergersi nei cambiamenti al libretto. “Quando piove” ex-allievo ed amanuense, “Traviata ieri sera – 54 55 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 56

un fiasco. Colpa mia o dei cantanti? Si vedrà Rigoletto.” Comunque, qualcuno alla Fenice si comunque mantenuto il periodo di Luigi XIV, e lo stesso Dumas. Aveva solo ventitre anni col tempo.” prese paura e quando La traviata fu messa in giacché sarebbe sembrato di voler tentare la quando morì tisica. Vi sono fortissimi elementi Il pubblico della premiere aveva riso alla scena alla Fenice il periodo ed i costumi furono provvidenza se il pubblico avesse visto i cantanti autobiografici sia nel romanzo sia nel dramma vista del soprano, Fanny Salvini-Donatelli, una quelli di Luigi XIV, primo Settecento. Verdi si esattamente nei suoi panni sulla scena. adattato da Dumas stesso l’anno successivo, ed donna estremamente corpulenta, che moriva di era battuto vigorosamente per il diritto di Dopo qualche esitazione iniziale Verdi è più che ragionevole presumere che il tisi, eppure lei fu l’unica dei cantanti che venne mantenere l’opera nell’ambientazione accettò la proposta del Teatro San Benedetto personaggio di Armand Duval, che ha le lodata dalla critica. Sappiamo che alcuni contemporanea del drama. Un memorandum e i veneziani ebbero un’altra occasione di medesime iniziali dell’autore, sia stato inteso studiosi di Verdi hanno suggerito che un’altra negli archivi della Fenice nota che “il signor sentire La traviata, il 6 maggio 1854, con una come un autoritratto. (Nell’opera il suo nome è ragione del fiasco iniziale de La traviata fu che Maestro Verdi desidera, esige e prega che i nuova compagnia. Questa volta l’opera ebbe Alfredo Germont.) Marie Duplessis è descritta il pubblico veneziano non era abituato a vedere costumi per la sua opera La traviata rimangano un successo incondizionato. Venne presto da Dumas come “alta, molto esile, scura di costumi contemporanei sulla scena lirica. Ma a quelli del tempo presente”. Poco dopo, però, rappresentata ovunque in Italia e all’estero, capelli, e con una carnagione rosa e bianca… quelle prime recite alla Fenice il pubblico non Piave scrisse da Sant’Agata per confermare che seppure ancora in costume settecentesco, ed in era come una statuetta di Sassonia”. Nata in vide costumi moderni in scena. E’ vero che, “Verdi è d’accordo, molto suo malgrado, che il breve divenne l’opera più discussa del suo campagna, figlia di un mercante, se ne andò a scegliendo per la sua opera il dramma di periodo venga anticipato nel tempo”. tempo. Verdi ne fu felice sebbene non abbia Parigi all’età di quindici anni, divenendo Dumas, Verdi aveva sperato di venire alle prese Le avvilite lettere di Verdi riguardo al “fiasco” potuto trattenersi dal far notare ad un amico subito una grisette – tale era il nome dato dai con un soggetto contemporaneo. Nessuno furono scritte prima di aver visto le recensioni che, eccetto minori cambiamenti, fatti per parigini ad una ragazza che frequentava i locali aveva mai tentato di fare altrettanto in della prima esecuzione, le quali, sebbene adattare la partitura alle capacità dei nuovi degli artisti e degli studenti nelle ore notturne: un’opera seria, sebbene lo stesso Verdi vi si discordanti, non erano certamente del tutto cantanti, era la medesima opera che era stata un equivalente parigino della viennese süsse fosse avvicinato con Stiffelio che è ambientato sfavorevoli. Durante la stagione vennero date data alla Felice: “Allora fu un fiasco; ora ha Mädel. E’ da dubitare che Marie Duplessis sia all’inizio dell’Ottocento. Mentre stava dieci repliche, dopo di che Verdi diede fatto furore. Traetene le vostre conclusioni!” mai stata una comune prostituta. Entro un componendo La traviata Verdi aveva scritto ad istruzioni al suo editore di non permettere Il romanzo di Alexandre Dumas, La dame anno era divenuta parte del demi-monde un amico: “Per Venezia sto scrivendo La dame ulteriori allestimenti a meno che lui stesso, aux camélias, era stato pubblicato a Parigi nel parigino, occupando il rango di mantenuta, aux camélias, che probabilmente verrà chiamata Verdi, non ne fosse incaricato. Intrattenne l’idea 1848, solo pochi mesi dopo la morte di socialmente un paio di gradini sopra a quello La traviata. E’ un soggetto contemporaneo. Un di produrre l’opera a Roma, ma fu prevenuto Alphonsine Plessis (o Marie Duplessis, come della prostituta, ma tuttora al di fuori della altro compositore forse non l’avrebbe fatto a da una richiesta pervenutagli da Venezia, non era generalmente chiamata), sulla quale rispettabilità. La mantenuta, o cortigiana, di causa dei costumi, il periodo o altri mille dalla Fenice ma da un teatro più piccolo, il l’autore aveva basato la sua storia della signora solito stringeva relazioni successive piuttosto sciocchi scrupoli, ma io sono incantato Teatro San Benedetto. L’impresario si offrì delle camelie. Marie Duplessis era una famosa che simultanee, e Marie Duplessis venne dall’idea. Tutti si sono lamentati quando ho d’ingaggiare una compagnia di primo rango, cortigiana parigina di grande beltà e spirito, mantenuta successivamente dal Duca di Guisa proposto di mettere un gobbo in scena. con Piave a dirigere le prove, promettendo un che in diversi tempi ebbe relazioni con e dal Conte Stackelberg. Fu all’età di Ebbene, mi ha fatto piacere comporre illimitato numero di prove. Sarebbe stato personaggi illustri quali Alfred de Musset, Liszt diciannove anni, quando era l’amante di 56 57 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 58

Stackelberg, che incontrò Dumas in per la sua semplicità formale ed onestà di aveva portato Giuseppina ad abitare con lui Non c’è è da sorprendersi, al tempo in cui la circostanze simili a quelle descritte nell’Atto I, sentimenti: qualità che trionfano sul fatto che nella sua città natale di Busseto, un fatto che relazione di Verdi con Giuseppina (che avrebbe tanto nel dramma quanto nell’opera. ha da tempo perso il suo potere di épater le aveva dato offesa alla locale società e che gli sposato solo sette anni dopo) stava Trasformandola nella sua Marguerite bourgeois. aveva alienato non pochi dei suoi vecchi amici. scandalizzando i cittadini di Busseto, che il Gautier Dumas romanticizzò Marie, giacché lei I bourgeois ai tempi di Dumas fils e di Verdi A quel tempo Verdi aveva comprato la Villa compositore reagisse con tanta simpatia al non lasciò lui per proteggere il nome delle sua si scandalizzavano comunque molto Sant’Agata, alcuni chilometri fuori Busseto, dramma di Dumas. E’ probabile che Verdi famiglia: fu lui a lasciare lei perché non poteva facilmente. La società allora – come adesso – che sarebbe stata la sua casa, e quella di abbia visto nel dramma una scintilla di quella provvedere a mantenerla nel lusso a cui lei non era basata largamente su un’organizzata Giuseppina, per il resto della loro vita. Quando sincerità di sentimenti della propria situazione, voleva rinunciare, e non se la sentiva di ipocrisia, ma le regole erano imposte con Antonio Barezzi, suo ex-suocero e vecchio e che – almeno in un angolo della sua mente – spartirla con altri amanti. La relazione durò maggior severità e ferocia. Figlio illegittimo di benefattore, lo rimproverò per non aver egli abbia identificato Giuseppina in Marie meno di un anno. L’anno dopo Marie un padre famoso, il giovane Dumas reagì legalizzato la sua relazione con Giuseppina, Duplessis/Marguerite Gautier/Violetta Valéry, Duplessis venne a Londra con il Visconte di violentemente contro il demi-monde nel quale Verdi replicò: “Nella mia casa abita una e visto se stesso come Alexandre Dumas/ Pérrigaux, che sposò nell’Ufficio del Registro era cresciuto. Anche se il suo trattamento della signora, libera ed indipendente, che, come me, Armand Duval/Alfredo Germont, con Antonio di Kensington. Dopo pochi mesi il cortigiana, socialmente reietta, è altamente preferisce una vita solitaria, ed è in possesso di Barezzi come Dumas père(?)/Georges Duval/ matrimonio fallì e Marie tornò nel continente, comprensivo ne La dame aux camélias e rientra un patrimonio che basta a tutti i suoi bisogni. Giorgio Germont. E’ certamente vero che visitando varie stazioni termali nella speranza fermamente nella tradizione romantica e Né io né lei siamo obbligati a rendere conto a La traviata ha occupato un posto speciale di rimettersi in salute. Morì nel suo letteraria della rivolta contro la moralità nessuno delle nostre azioni. Ma chi conosce nell’affetto di Verdi e che, nello stile, è appartamento parigino nel febbraio del 1847 tradizionale, Dumas, in età più avanzata, finì quali sono le nostre relazioni? Quali affari? un’opera assai più intima e personale di ed è sepolta nel cimitero del Père Lachaise. per attaccare la cortigiana come la maledizione Quali legami? Che diritti ha ella su di me o io qualsiasi altro lavoro che egli abbia scritto in Dumas aveva poco più di ventanni quando della società. su di lei? Chi sa se ella è o non è mia moglie? precedenza. scrisse il suo romanzo, che a suo tempo destò Il mondo parigino, o almeno la società E se lo è, chi sa quali possano essere le ragioni Il libretto che Piave scrisse per l’opera segue molta ammirazione ma che ora è piombato nell artistica e liberale che Verdi frequentava di non annunciare il fatto? Chi sa se questa sia il testo di Dumas abbastanza fedelmente. Il oscurità. Il suo dramma, peraltro, scritto un durante i suoi numerosi soggiorni a Parigi, non una cattiva cosa, chi ha il diritto di dramma è in cinque atti, ridotti nell’opera a anno dopo il romanzo e solo due anni dopo la avrebbe considerato l’amante del compositore, ostracizzarci? Io dico, comunque: che in casa quattro scene, giacché Piave omette il secondo morte di Marie Duplessis, ma non Giuseppina Strepponi, come una cortigiana. mia ella ha diritto al rispetto quanto me, anzi, atto in cui Marguerite decide di andare a vivere rappresentato per tre anni per problemi di Ma la società provinciale italiana non era di più. Ed a nessuno è permesso di con Armand in campagna, e congeda il suo censura, resta ostinatamente vivo, non solo Parigi. La prima moglie di Verdi ed i loro due dimenticarlo per qualsiasi ragione. Ed alfine, amante corrente, il Conte de Giray. Con ciò perché si presta come strumento di grandi figli erano morti da oltre dieci anni, Verdi e la ella ha ogni diritto, sia per la sua condotta sia Piave arricchì la forma del dramma a spese del attrici romantiche quali Sarah Bernhardt, Strepponi erano stati amanti per cinque anni. per il suo carattere, a quella considerazione che suo contenuto, poiché, alla fine dell’Atto I Greta Garbo ed Edwige Feuillère, ma anche Erano passati solo tre anni da quando egli d’abitudine ella dimostra verso gli altri.” Marguerite, o Violetta (come è divenuta 58 59 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 60

nell’opera) pare esser decisa a continuare la sua rappresentazioni, descrisse il mondo borghese confessa il suo amore per lei. Violetta mantiene Alfredo. Imperturbato, il Signor vita di cortigiana, eppure, nella prossima scena, del suo tempo. La traviata è un’opera in cui volubilmente lo scoraggia, ma gli offre un fiore Germont continua dicendo che lo scandalo all’inizio dell’Atto II dell’opera (Atto III nel tutte le migliori qualità di Verdi vengono alla dicendogli che gli è permesso riportarglielo della loro relazione sta mettendo a rischio il dramma) sta vivendo una vita di felicità luce: la sua maestria tecnica, la sua chiarezza, la quando sarà appassito. Gli ospiti se ne vanno. previsto matrimonio di sua figlia. Violetta deve domestica in campagna con Armand/Alfredo. sua umanità, la sua penetrazione psicologica, il L’idea del vero amore, concesso e rinunciare ad Alfredo. È giovane e troverà un Peraltro, le quattro scene dell’opera si risolvono suo infallibile buon gusto e il genio di creare corrisposto, l’attrae e allo stesso tempo la altro amante. Violetta risponde che non potrà in una forma musicale e drammatica melodie calde e cantabili. spaventa. È più di quanto una donna come lei amare nessun altro. Ma quando Germont soddisfacenti, e l’Atto II di Dumas non è può sperare, e Violetta non può accettarlo né insiste, dicendo che il cielo non benedirà mai realmente necessario, né alla trama né © Charles Osborne farci assegnamento. Deve esser libera di godersi la loro relazione e che Dio impone il suo all’incisiva caratterizzazione. Il libretto è, in (Questo articolo contiene materiale da la vita. sacrificio, Violetta cede: abbandonerà Alfredo effetti, uno dei meglio riusciti di Piave e, sotto Charles Osborne: The Complete Operas of Verdi.) purché un giorno suo padre gli riveli la verità. molti aspetti, è persino migliore del dramma Atto II Il Signor Germont se ne va e Violetta scrive da cui è tratto. La trama Scena I un biglietto al Barone Douphol chiedendogli La traviata non è soltanto una delle più Atto I Violetta ha rinunciato alla sua vita con il se sarà disponibile quella sera per amate fra le opere verdiane: è anche uno dei Violetta Valery sta dando una festa nella sua Barone ed Alfredo e lei sono amanti da tre accompagnarla alla festa di Flora. Manda la più eccelsi melodrammi che il mondo conosca. casa a Parigi, dove è lussuosamente mantenuta mesi. Hanno messo su casa insieme in un cameriera a consegnarlo e si siede allo scrittoio Il fatto che non sia stata immediatamente dal suo presente amante, il Barone Douphol. piccolo paese fuori città. Alfredo è avvilito per scrivere una lettera d’addio ad Alfredo, il riconoscìuta come tale può essere ascritto Fra i suoi ospiti ci sono Flora Bervoix con ill quando apprende dalla cameriera che Violetta quale ritorna mentre ella è sul punto di finire la solamente alla sua ricchezza melodica, giacché suo amante, il Marchese d’Obigny, il Dott. sta vendendo tutto ciò che possiede per pagare lettera che Violetta riesce a nascondergli. non sembra proprio giusto che un tale superbo Grenvil e il Visconte Gaston de Letorières. i conti e mantenere ambedue. Parte per andare Alfredo le dice che sta aspettando suo padre compositore-drammaturgo abbia potuto Gaston presenta a Violetta il suo amico, a raccogliere denaro a Parigi. Violetta si che gli ha lasciato un messaggio adirato. inventare anche una tale prodigalità di Alfredo Germont, il quale è – le dice – un suo sorprende della sua partenza e dice ai suoi Uscendo dalla stanza Violetta dice melodie. Ingiusto, ma nel caso di Verdi, ardente ammiratore sebbene non l’abbia mai servitori che sta aspettando una visita del suo semplicemente che lo aspetterà fuori, poi, indiscutibile. In La traviata, più incontrata. Violetta chiede ad Alfredo di fare notaio. È temporaneamente distratta da una d’improvviso ed appassionatamente, lo implora completamente che in tali lavori precedenti un brindisi ed egli beve ai suoi occhi. lettera di Flora che l’invita ad una festa a Parigi di amarla sempre. quali Luisa Miller o Stiffelio, le cui trame L’orchestra attacca a suonare. Violetta, che è quella sera stessa. Il signore che giunge subito Pochi minuti dopo il servitore annuncia che mantengono ancora elementi del melodramma malata di tisi (in quel tempo un male dopo non è il suo notaio ma il padre di Alfredo Violetta è partita per Parigi. Alfredo, sebbene romantico, Verdi portò un nuovo ambiente incurabile), si sente svenire e chiede ai suoi che l’accusa di rovinare suo figlio. Violetta gli stupito, pensa che sia andata a sistemare domestico nell’opera e, malgrado i costumi ospiti di ballare senza di lei. Alfredo resta con dice in confidenza che è suo figlio a rovinare lei problemi finanziari che però ha già risolto lui settecenteschi di quelle prime a lei per assicurarsi che si sia ristabilita e le e che, lungi dall’essere una mantenuta, è lei che stesso. Un passante viene alla casa portando 60 61 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 62

una lettera: “Here’s a note from a lady for andarsene giacché non vuole che venga ucciso in sempre – al suo fianco la sua salute rifiorirà. Susanna e la Contessa Almaviva, Sophie e la you…” (Eccole un biglietto da parte di una duello dal Barone. Alfredo risponde che se ne Ma persino lo sforzo di vestirsi suscita un Marescialla, Mimì, Marguerite (Faust), signora) Alfredo l’apre. “By the time you have andrà solo se lei verrà con lui, ma Violetta gli violento attacco di tosse e viene chiamato il Antonia (I racconti di Hoffmann) e The King read this letter, I will have left to rejoin the dice che ha giurato di lasciarlo e gli permette di dottore. Arriva anche il Signor Germont. Goes Forth to France con la Royal Opera. Baron. Our weeks together have been very credere che la promessa è stata fatta al Barone. Violetta è felice di avere i suoi amici intorno Valerie Masterson appare regolarmente in pleasant, but it would not have lasted…” Alfredo richiama i convitati e li informa che, a lei mentre sta morendo. Dona ad Alfredo televisione e nei programmi radiofonici; la sua (Quando leggerete questa lettera io sarò andata essendo stato mantenuto da Violetta, è giunto un suo ritratto perchè lo dia alla fanciulla discografia include Elisabetta di Rossini, Regina a raggiungere il Barone. Le nostre settimane il momento di riabilitarsi e di ripagarla – con le che egli un giorno sposerà, e muore fra le d’Inghilterra, Das Rheingold, Götterdämmerung, insieme sono state molto piacevoli, ma non sue vincite al gioco. Il Signor Germont, che è sue braccia. svariate operette di Gilbert e Sullivan e Giulio poteva durare…) Il Signor Germont che è arrivato in tempo per sentire le sue parole, si Cesare per la Chandos/Peter Moores rimasto in osservazione dal giardino entra a rivolta contro suo figlio, acerbamente © Peter Moores Foundation. consolare suo figlio e approfitta dell’occasione rimproverandolo per la sua disonorevole Traduzione: Marcella Barzetti per dirgli che sua sorella sente molto la sua condotta verso una donna, ma senza rivelare la John Brecknock proviene dal mancanza. Perché non ritorna a casa in parte che lui stesso ha avuto negli eventi. Il Valerie Masterson è nata a Birkenhead ed ha Nottinghamshire. Ha fatto parte della Provenza? Alfredo pensa solo a vendicarsi. Barone sfida Alfredo a duello. studiato a Londra e a Milano. Ha cantato a compagnia della Sadler’s Wells Opera (divenuta Quando scorge l’invito di Flora capisce subito Salisburgo per una stagione e poi è entrata a far in seguito la English National Opera). Ruoli dove troverà Violetta. Atto III parte della compagnia D’Oyly Carte Opera principali includono Don Ottavio, Belmonte, È Carnevale, l’anno seguente. Violetta ha come soprano principale. Ha cantato con tutte Ferrando, il Conte Ory, Almaviva (Il barbiere Scena 2 esaurito il suo patrimonio ed è mortalmente le maggiori compagnie liriche britanniche e di Siviglia), Alfredo, des Grieux (Manon), Alfredo arriva solo alla casa di Flora, dove la malata. Il dottore cerca di confortarla, ma dice all’estero la sua carriera si è estesa su un vasto Tamino, il Duca (A Night in Venice) e Werther. festa è stata resa più vivace dai giochi d’azzardo alla cameriera che ormai non le restano che raggio che include Aix-en-Provence, Nancy, I suoi ruoli per la Royal Opera hanno incluso e da un gruppo di zingare che indovinano la poche ore di vita. Rimasta sola Violetta legge Montpelier, l’Opéra a Parigi, Toulouse, Fenton (Falstaff ) e Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi). sorte e cantano storie di corride. Alfredo si per la centesima volta la lettera che ha ricevuto Bordeaux, Ginevra, Rouen, Praga, Dublino, Ha inoltre cantato Gennaro (Lucrezia Borgia) siede al tavolo di gioco. Quando Violetta arriva dal Signor Germont. Alfredo è stato costretto a Monaco di Baviera, Marsiglia, la Piccola Scala con Joan Sutherland. John Brecknock ha è accompagnata dal Barone Douphol che le fuggire all’estero dopo aver ferito il Barone a a Milano, Barcellona, Chicago, Philadelphia, cantato di frequente in tutta l’Europa, incluse proibisce di parlare ad Alfredo. Douphol sfida duello, ma suo padre gli ha scritto rivelandogli Santiago, San Francisco, New York e Houston. la Staatsoper di Vienna, e nelle Americhe. I quest’ultimo ad un gioco a carte; Alfredo vince, come sono andate le cose. Alfredo è sulla via Il suo eclettico repertorio comprende le parti suoi ruoli all’estero comprendono Don Ottavio raddoppia e vince fin quando non viene l’ora del ritorno e presto sarà da lei ad implorare il principali in La traviata, Manon, Louise, al Metropolitan di New York, Ernesto (Don di andare a cena. Violetta torna di nascosto per suo perdono. Violetta sa che è troppo tardi. Mireille, Die lustige Witwe e Semele, Madame Pasquale) e Fenton a Miami, il Duca (Rigoletto) parlare ad Alfredo in privato. 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Rouen e San Diego, Ramiro a Buenos Aires, e Canada, Russia e Giappone. Ha cantato in Roderick Earle ha studiato al St. John’s College ruoli preferiti. Altri ruoli includono: il Idomeneo e Ramiro a Parigi. ruoli di protagonista in Ariodante, La di Cambridge e al Royal College of Music. Ha Comandante (Dalla casa dei morti), il Principe Cenerentola e Carmen. Fra gli altri suoi ruoli vi fatto parte della compagnia dell’English Bolkonsky (Guerra e pace) e D’Armagnac (The Christian du Plessis ha studiato nel nativo Sud sono Rosina, Herodias, Baba the Turk, National Opera dal 1978 al 1981 ed ha cantato Devils of Loudon). Africa e ha debuttato con il Performing Arts Marcellina e l’Ostessa (Boris Godunov). Della per la Royal Opera, Opera North e Welsh Council della Transvaal Opera a Johannesburg Jones appare regolarmente in programmi National Opera. E’ inoltre apparso ai festivals di Geoffrey Pogson si è laureato all’Università di nel ruolo di Yamadori (Madama Butterfly). E’ televisivi e radiofonici e la sua discografia Edimburgo, Israele e Atene e nella serie dei Cambridge e ha debuttato al Festival di poi entrato nella compagnia della English include Alcina, L’incoronazione di Poppea, La Promenade Concerts della BBC. I suoi ruoli Edimbourgo nella parte di Remendado National Opera dove i suoi ruoli hanno incluso clemenza di Tito, Die Katrin di Korngold, includono Schaunard, Oreste, Harasta (La volpe (Carmen). Ha poi cantato con le principali Rodrigo, Germont, Cecil, Valentin, Marcello e Gabriella di Vergy, Maria Padilla, Il crociato in astuta), King Fisher (The Midsummer Marriage), compagnie liriche britanniche, fra queste Posa. Ha inoltre cantato Enrico e Marcello a Egitto, Riccardo e Zoraïde e Dinorah per Opera Alberich (Sigfrido e Il crepuscolo degli Dei) per la l’English National Opera per la quale creò il Hong Kong, Zurga a Fort Worth e a Orlando, Rara, Il barbiere di Siviglia e per Royal Opera, Figaro per la Scottish Opera, ruolo di Vronsky (Anna Karenina di Iain Valentin a Barcellona e in Rodelinda con Joan la Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation. Mephistopheles (La damnation de Faust) in Hamilton), e per Opera North e Scottish Sutherland in esecuzioni in forma d’oratorio. Israele, Kothner e Rangoni a Torino. I suoi Opera. Altri suoi ruoli includono Don José, Christian du Plessis è particolarmente noto per John Gibbs ha studiato alla Royal Academy of dischi includono Dinorah di Meyerbeer, Maria Cavaradossi, des Grieux (Manon), Quint (The le sue interpretazioni di opere meno note di Music, a Parigi e a Roma. Ha cantato per le Padilla di Donizetti e Il trovatore. Turn of the Screw), Paride (La belle Hélène), Bellini e Donizetti per la London Opera principali compagnie liriche britanniche, fra le Nerone (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Danilo (La Society e per Opera Rara. I suoi dischi quali la Royal Opera, l’English National Denis Dowling è nato in Nuova Zelanda. Ha vedova allergra), Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), includono le opere Donizetti Maria Stuarda, e Opera, la Welsh National Opera, la vinto il Premio Melbourne Sun Aria ed è poi Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Frank Crawley Maria Padilla, L’assedio di Calais, Gabriella di Glyndebourne Festival Opera ne Le nozze di venuto a studiare in Inghilterra. Ha debuttato (Rebecca) e il Duca (Rigoletto). Geoffrey Pogson Vergy e Ugo, conte di Parigi, Dinorah di Figaro (Figaro), Tosca (Sagrestano), Billy Budd, con la Sadler’s Wells Opera nella parte di ha inciso numerosi dischi e trasmette Meyerbeer e Christopher Columbus di L’anello del Nibelungo (Alberich), I racconti di Faninal (Il cavaliere della rosa) e da allora ha regolarmente per i programmi radiofonici della Offenbach per Opera Rara. Hoffmann), Il cavaliere della rosa (Faninal) e cantato con la compagnia dell’English National BBC (Radio 3). King Priam (Patroclo). John Gibbs ca inoltre Opera, a Glyndebourne (The Rape of Lucretia e Della Jones è nata a Neath ed ha studiato al partecipato al Festival di Wexford ne The Rise Albert Herring) e per numerose compagnie Shelagh Squires ha studiato alla Guildhall. Ha Royal College of Music dove ha vinto and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, ne L’esule di europee. Denis Dowling ha in repertorio tutti i cantato per l’English National Opera come numerosi premi, fra i quali la Kathleen Ferrier Roma alla South Bank ed in varie importanti principali ruoli mozartiani ed è tenuto in alta mezzosoprano principale, al Glyndebourne Memorial Scholarship. Ha cantato per tutte le trasmissioni dell Terzo Programma della BBC, considerazione per le sue interpretazioni di Festival e per la Touring Opera, Metropolitan principali compagnie liriche britanniche e all’ fra le quali Der Zwingburg e Faust. La sua Rossini e Puccini. Figaro, Papageno, Bartolo, Opera di New York e Phoenix Opera, estero in tutta l’Europa, negli Stati Uniti, in discografia include Les huguenots e Tosca. Gianni Schicchi e Malatesta sono fra i suoi all’International Music Festival di Bergen, a 64 65 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 66

Vienna e in Giappone. Il suo vasto repertorio Osud vennero sponsorizzati dalla Peter Moores include Herodias (Salome), Margret (Wozzeck), Foundation così come il disco de La volpe Magdalena (I maestri cantori), Marcellina (Le astuta. Sir Charles Mackerras è direttore ad nozze di Figaro), Adelaide (Arabella), Ulrica honoris della Scottish Chamber Orchestra, March Andrew (Un ballo in maschera), Ottavia (L’incoronazione direttore emeritus della Welsh National Opera, di Poppea), Marthe (Faust), la Strega (Rusalka), direttore principali della San Francisco Opera e la Principessa Maria (Guerra e pace), Nonna dalla stagione 1998/99 direttore artistico Buryja (Jenufa), Annina (Il cavaliere della rosa), dell’Orchestra of St. Luke’s di New York. Filippyena (Eugene Onegin), la Oriade Sir Charles Mackerras ha intrapreso estese (Arianna a Nasso) e la Governante (La dama di ricerche nella pratica esecutiva della musica picche). del Settecento e Ottocento esercitando profonda influenza nell’interpretazione dei Sir Charles Mackerras è nato nel 1925 negli nostri giorni. La sua vasta discografia include Stati Uniti da genitori australiani ed ha studiato un assai premiato ciclo di opere di Janácˇek con a Sydney e a Praga. In opera ha debuttato come l’Orchestra Filarmonica di Vienna, Gloriana di direttore al Sadler’s Wells Theatre dove diresse Britten (che ha vinto un premio Gramophone) la sensazionale prima esecuzione britannica e con la English National Opera il Julius Caesar della Kát’a Kabanová di Janácˇek, di Handel e Mary Stuart di Donizetti (per la rappresentazione che inserì Janácˇek nel corrente Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). repertorio britannico. È stato direttore stabile Sir Charles Mackerras ha ricevuto dell’opera di Amburgo dal 1966 al 1969 e l’onorificenza di Commendatore (CBE) nel direttore artistico del Sadler’s Wells (poi English 1974 e il titolo di Sir per la sua attività di National Opera) dal 1970 al 1977 e della Welsh musicista nel 1979. Gli è stata inoltre conferita National Opera dal 1987 al 1992 per la quale la medaglia al merito della Repubblica Ceca ed diresse, fra l’altro, di nuovo Janácˇek con grande è stato nominato Companion of the Order in successo. L’allestimento e la registrazione di Australia.

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COMPACT DISC ONE another who honours you greatly. he was so upset Gaston (to Alfredo) There is no friend I value so highly. he came here for news of … Are you going to be silent all evening? 1 Prelude Violetta (giving her hand to Alfredo, who kisses it) Violetta Marquis (to Violetta) Act I Then I’m sure I will value him as you do. You’re teasing. Only our hostess can force him to answer. Drawing room in the house of Violetta. Marquis Why should he care for me? Violetta (fills Alfredo’s glass) (Violetta is conversing with her Doctor and several Dear Alfredo! Gaston I’ll be Hebe and charm you. friends, whilst others receive the arriving guests, Alfredo (they shake hands) I’m not lying. Alfredo (with gallantry) amongst whom are the Marquis, with Flora on his Marchese… Ah, I pray that, like her, you’re immortal. arm, and the Baron.) Violetta (to Alfredo) Gaston (to Alfredo) Did you really? Tell me why? All Chorus () I told you; I don’t follow. Violetta! Violetta! We all drink to you! 2 What a time to arrive at a party! entertainment united with friendship. What delayed you? Alfredo (sighing) Gaston Violetta (to the servants) Yes, it is true. To continue the mood of the party, Chorus (basses) Are you ready? Violetta (to Alfredo) what we need is a toast from the Baron. We looked in on Flora. (a servant makes an affirmative sign) I am grateful, believe me. (The Baron makes a gesture of refusal. We played cards; no one noticed the time. Come, sit down to supper: (to the Baron) To Alfredo.) Violetta (going forward to receive them) all hearts are opened when friends are at ease. You, dear Baron, are far less attentive. Or from you! Flora, and you, friends, the night lies before us, All All laughing, joking, now you make it shine… With a glass of champagne we forget our troubles. Baron You’re right, we drink to you! And a glass of champagne is still better… Here we can do as we please. After only a few months’ acquaintance? Alfredo Flora and Marquis (All seat themselves; Violetta between Alfredo and Violetta Will the muse inspire me? Dare you really enjoy it? Gaston, and Flora between the Baron and the But Alfredo has only just met me. (She laughs.) Violetta Marquis.) Gaston I want to! All hearts are opened when friends are at ease. Flora (in an undertone to the Baron) Oh, he’s just like a poet! You would surely do better not to argue. All these parties and wine are a drug that I need: Gaston (in an undertone to Violetta) Alfredo (to Violetta) I try to forget what I feel. Young Alfredo adores you. Baron (in an undertone to Flora) Would it please you? All Violetta He’s an insolent puppy. Violetta Yes, enjoy life and then you’ll be well. You’re joking? Flora Yes. Gaston (entering with Alfredo) Gaston But why? Alfredo (rises) Here’s Alfredo Germont, dearest lady; Ev’ry day you were ill I’m quite sure he’s a charming young man. Yes? I’m inspired!

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Marquis All All Alfredo Hear the singer. Ah, we taste all the joys, all the joys of night What is it? I came to see if you were alright. All in our drinking and singing and laughter. Violetta Violetta We attend to his ! The dawn, yes, the dawn of the morning after Nothing, nothing. I’m better. will find us in heaven here. Alfredo All Alfredo Violetta (to Alfredo) 3 Be happy, be happy and raise your glass with me, What is the matter? You must be careful, you are so fragile. The point of life is excitement… here in the palace of beauty; Violetta (She attempts to walk a few steps.) Take care. I beg you. Each hour that passes we feel a duty Alfredo (to Violetta) I’m better… This sort of life will kill you. to drink and to taste every joy. For one who has no true lover. (She is forced to stop and take a seat.) Violetta We yield to every ecstasy, Violetta (to Alfredo) Oh Heavens! I know no other. for love alone can fire us. Too late for me to discover. (pointing to Violetta) All Alfredo Let those bright eyes inspire us. Alfredo (to Violetta) Violetta! If you could love me, She rules and we obey. My destiny is clear… how closely I would guard you Alfredo Be happy, be happy and raise your glass with me. and keep you safe from harm. All Let me help you. Kisses and love never cloy. Ah, we taste all the joys, all the joys of night Violetta All in our drinking and singing and laughter. All You’d guard me? Ah, be happy and raise your glass. The dawn, yes, the dawn of the morning after What is the matter? I know of no one who would do that. Ah, for kisses and love never cloy. will find us in heaven here. Violetta Alfredo (ardently) (Music is heard in the further room.) Violetta (rises) I thought that I was fainting! Only because you have no lover. 4 What’s that? With you, yes, with you, my dear friends, (points to the other room) Please start the dancing… Violetta I laughingly Violetta Not one? burn out my life in a fever. There is the music, shall we have dancing? I will be there very soon. Alfredo Pleasure on pleasure is all I crave for. All All Only Alfredo. No time for tears or sighs. Rest for a moment. What a good idea! We will enjoy a dance. Enjoy the moment recklessly. Violetta (All go into the further room except Alfredo.) For love has no true power: Violetta Alfredo? it blossoms like a flower, Let us go in then… Violetta (looking at herself in a mirror) Now you remind me of your secret passion. then withers, fades and dies. (They approach the centre door when Violetta I look so pale! Alfredo Enjoy, yes, enjoy life in feverish ecstasy. suddenly falters.) (turns, and sees Alfredo) You’re laughing! What else can we prize? Oh God… It’s you! Your heart is beating?

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Violetta Alfredo Violetta Dearest lady we adore you, My heart… Yes, beating… I love you! When it is nearly faded. but the dawn is in the east. but why, why do you ask me? Mystery rules us, mystery rules for ever: Alfredo Paris is a round of pleasure Alfredo cruel and blissful beat of the heart! You mean… tomorrow. and the season’s just begun; It can’t be beating… Violetta we must sleep and take our leisure Violetta so that we enjoy the fun. or you’d never make fun of love. You really must try to forget me I mean… tomorrow. Violetta and find another for your love. (They leave.) Alfredo (takes the flower with rapture) Are you so serious? Gaston (at the door) I’ve never been so happy! Violetta Alfredo 6 Ha, ha! What are you doing? 8 I wonder! I wonder! I don’t deceive you. Violetta I’ll never forget the things he told me! Violetta You say you really love me? Violetta Just talking nonsense… Perhaps to love sincerely would bring misfortune? And so, how long have you loved me? Alfredo (going) Ah, my spirit is full of doubt and anguish! Gaston I love you – how I love you. No man has ever made me love him. Alfredo Just as you please. I’ll leave you… I love you with all my heart. Oh joy I never knew of, For just a year now. (goes back) to be in love and be loved! 5 I saw a vision ethereal Violetta Violetta (to Alfredo) Dare I spurn what he offers, glittering there before me How lovely! And so we are agreed… to choose these empty follies and from that day of glory You’re leaving. Love is forbidden? and waste my life? I was in love from afar. Alfredo (returns and kisses her hand) 9 Is he the one I dream about? Ah, it is love, it is love awakes in us. Alfredo I’m leaving. Hiding my tears in laughter Love universal, the love that brings us together. I shall obey you. I’ll leave you. I have so often pictured him, Mystery rules us, mystery rules for ever. Violetta Violetta Tomorrow. everything that I longed for. Cruel and blissful beat of the heart! You’re really going? Fancy his simple constancy Violetta (takes a flower from her breast) Alfredo when I was sick with fever! This is all far too serious… Then take one of these flowers. I am so happy. I feel a strange new shiver – Friendship is all I offer. Alfredo Alfredo and Violetta can it be I’m in love? The destiny you proffer But why? Tomorrow! Ah, it is love, it is love awakes in us: is greater than I aspire to. love universal, this love that brings us together! I must be frank and tell you now: Violetta (The others return; all are heated with dancing.) Mystery rules us, mystery rules for ever: I am a simple woman: You could return it. All cruel and blissful beat of the heart! so try to forget me Alfredo 7 We present ourselves before you; (She stands pensively and then rouses herself.) and find another for your love. When though? what a splendid night of feasting! 10 It can’t be! It can’t be!

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These dreams are hopeless nonsense. Violetta One day she whispered: ‘Live with me! Alfredo Wretched Violetta! It can’t be! It can’t be! Ah no! I love you, you are my only love! Keep silent? What sum is needed? Lonely, entirely friendless, Joy! That is my only memory, Annina with no one to protect me Give me freedom to be happy, etc. I live in Heaven above.’ Ten thousand louis. in this crowded desert they call Paris! I’ll try them all. One day she whispered: ‘Live with me! What must I do? Alfredo You are my only love! Ah yes! Alfredo What can I hope for? Love is our destiny! That’s my only memory, I’ll pay it… I’ll go to Paris… Enjoy life and drown myself Love universal. I live as if I were in Heaven above.’ And yet your mistress must never know you told in every wild excess. (Enter Annina, the maid, in travelling clothes.) me. Joy! Act Two 14 Annina, where have you been? I still have time to put it all in order. 11 Give me freedom to be happy, Scene 1 Annina Go! Go! all my life enjoying, enjoying: A room on the ground floor of a house in the Up to Paris. (Exit Annina.) let me drink at every party, 15 country near Paris, three months later. I hate myself! I’m so ashamed! let me dance at every ball! Alfredo How could I be so selfish! Never weeping and never sighing, Alfredo Some special reason? But now at last I know the truth, 12 always laughing, always singing, I’m never happy if she is not beside me. Annina I’ll make amends today! oh, I’m only just beginning new excitements; Three months ago Violetta Yes, my mistress sent me. Be still a while and wait, my heart, I’ll try them all. for my sake fled from Paris: I swear I shall restore your honour, Alfredo she left it all behind, I give my word to make amends Alfredo (from beneath the window) But why? her riches, her lovers, and wash this shame away. Ah, it is love, it is love that awakes in us. and all the brilliant parties Annina I hate myself! How shameful! Violetta where she had always conquered the heart of To sell her horses and her carriage, How could I be so selfish! Ah! every man all her furs and jewels. I hate myself! How shameful with all her beauty. I swear I’ll wash the shame away, Alfredo Alfredo And now contented in quiet country pastimes, Forever more, yes forever more! Love universal, the love that brings us Are you serious? she lives only for me. (exits) together! Here at her side I renew my ambitions, Annina Violetta all my dreams of a true and lasting passion, The life you’re leading has cost a lot of money… (Enter Violetta and Annina.) and in its tender joys past grief is forgotten. Alfredo! Alfredo Violetta 13 My life was too impetuous, Why not tell me? 16 Alfredo thoughtless, entirely selfish. Alfredo? Mystery rules us, mystery rules for ever. She taught me how to realise Annina Annina Cruel and blissful beat of the heart! the sweet and tender love of the heart! I promised to keep silent. He has just set out for Paris.

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Violetta Germont Germont (looking round) Violetta To stay for long? Mademoiselle Valéry? You live in style here. Both your children? Annina Violetta Violetta (gives him a paper) Germont No, only till this evening… I am, sir. This contract has so far been secret… Yes. 17 I said I’d tell you. Germont but you may see it… I have a daughter sent from Heav’n, Violetta I am the father of Alfredo. Germont (reads the contract) innocent and appealing; Alfredo now disowns us both How curious! Violetta (surprised, motions him to be seated ) Heavens! What does this mean? Are you really selling and scorns all family feeling. (Joseph, the servant, enters and presents a letter to You? She has a lover young and true, Violetta.) all your worldly possessions? Germont (seating himself ) What a pity your past must always shame you! they are engaged to marry; Joseph Yes, of that madman: now they will have to break the tie Violetta (with ardour) that made them both so fond and happy. For you. how did you bewitch him? All that is over… I love Alfredo Why choose my son to ruin? Ah, do not turn to bitter thorns roses so sweet Violetta (She takes it.) and God has heard my prayer and fair! Thank you. A gentleman is calling here on Violetta (rising with resentment) and granted me his pardon! Ah, do not turn to bitter thorns the roses of business. You may admit him. Sir, you address a woman, Germont their love! and this is my house. Noble and generous feelings. Ah, don’t deny your sympathy; no, no, (Exeunt Annina and Joseph.) I’m afraid I must leave you, Violetta you cannot close your heart to me! more for your sake than mine. Violetta (opens the letter) Ah, how delightful to hear you speak so kindly! Violetta Ha, ha! So clever Flora knows our secret: Germont Germont (rising) Ah, I follow! we are asked to a party there this evening! How gracious! Now I must ask you to sacrifice those feelings. I ought to spend a short while (throws the letter on a table) Wait, though… away from my Alfredo! It’s like another world… Violetta (rising) Violetta Ah, no, you must not. I will suffer, suffer so much… Still… (Joseph re-enters.) Someone has misinformed you. You want to ask for something that would Germont (returns and seats herself ) hurt me. That’s not what I’m asking. Joseph I foresaw it, I knew it… The gentleman is here, ma’am! Germont Ah, I was far too happy. Violetta He is planning to give you his fortune. Heavens! There’s something further? Germont Violetta I’ve tried to help you! It will be my lawyer. Violetta Alfredo’s father implores you (She signs that Joseph is to admit him. Enter He would never dare to… to have pity Germont Giorgio Germont.) I would refuse. on the fate of both his children. Try still harder!

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Violetta Germont no hope of pardon for me is permitted. Violetta You’re asking me to give him up forever? You think so, God may be merciful, He may forgive me; Comfort your daughter, etc. yet you know how fickle men can be. man has no pity, he has no heart. One single ray Germont shut it out and then she died. It must be. Violetta Germont Oh heaven! Be my consoling angel, Germont Violetta Germont you must console us all. What I ask is bitter, Ah no! Ah no! 19 A day will come when making love Violetta yes, the sacrifice I am asking will grieve you. Never! no longer will excite you: Man is implacable, I feel your suffering, etc. 18 Do you realise I adore him, an empty stale monotony, he has no heart. Anguish, anguish etc. and I live only for him? what else is left? Consider! Have courage, Germont There is no one, friend or family, For you no future happiness you must be brave, oh yes! none to guide or to help me; Have pity on me, have pity on me. of sweet and true affection, Violetta and Alfredo has given me I beg you console us, console us all. for this affair will never, 21 Then command me! his word to live for me. never gain the grace of Heaven. Violetta Do you realise I am dying? He has no pity, Germont Yes, I swear it, I am dying. Violetta he has no heart. Tell him you don’t love him. And too little time is remaining I know it! I know it! (weeping) Violetta for me now to leave Alfredo! Germont 20 Ah! Comfort your daughter so pure and lovely, He won’t believe me. Such a torment would be horrible Ah, do not now deceive yourself tell how a victim once suffered so lonely: Germont and I could never bear it. by trusting in delusion. she who had a single ray, Then leave him. I would prefer to die. Violetta just one single ray of happiness, she shut it out of her life Violetta Germont I cannot! It’s true! and she died, yes she died. He will follow. The sacrifice is bitter, Germont Germont Germont but hear me out, I beg of you. Say you will be, for my sake, Anguish, anguish breaks your heart, my poor Well then… You are so lovely and still so young… an angel of consolation… child. Violetta Some other… Violetta won’t you pity me? Anguish, anguish breaks your heart, Violetta! Embrace me as your daughter… We still may be in time… Violetta I am demanding so great a sacrifice, Then I’ll have strength again. The voice of God inspires me, Ah no, don’t say it… asking you now to give up Alfredo. (They embrace.) His voice inspires a father’s words. You mean well… I feel your suffering deep in my spirit. I’ll give you back Alfredo, but I cannot change: Violetta (in an agony of grief ) You must have courage and your noble nature but he’ll be broken-hearted. I never could love another. So I have sinned and my life is committed: will win in the end. He’ll need your comfort…

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Be ready to console him. of all that you have done. Germont Violetta (pointing to the garden) Ah yes, yes! Yes! What shall I say? Ah, who will give me courage? Germont Violetta Violetta What to tell him? Now promise me etc. …you’ll tell him all that happened. (Sobbing, Violetta writes the letter. Enter Alfredo.) Violetta Germont Germont I fear that if I told you, All you have suffered Yes! Alfredo 24 you might oppose it. he will know. Violetta What’s that? Germont I know that you, you noble girl I shall be true until the end… Violetta (hiding her letter) How unselfish! will have no cause to sigh. Farewell! Nothing. How can I repay your noble kindness? Your tears will be rewarded etc. Violetta, you are noble etc. Germont Alfredo Your noble kindness! Farewell! You’re writing? Violetta Violetta (turning to him) Germont and Violetta Violetta (with embarrassment) 22 There’s someone here. Please leave me. I’ll die! But you must promise me May you be happy. God bless you! Yes… No… you won’t ever let him curse me; Germont (Exit Germont by the garden door.) Alfredo you tell him of my sacrifice With all my heart I thank you… You’re pale and trembling! Violetta and how you had to force me! You wrote a letter? Violetta 23 God give me strength to bear it! Germont Ah, leave me. Violetta (Violetta breaks down and sobs. She rings the bell, No, generous girl, you shall not die: This may be our last meeting. To you. a sweet path lies before you. then seats herself and writes.) Alfredo Your tears will be rewarded (They embrace.) Annina and the angels will smile upon you! Show me the letter. Violetta and Germont You rang for me, ma’am? Violetta Violetta May you be happy. Violetta Read it later. Now promise me that one day Yes, go straight to Paris with this letter. you’ll tell him all that happened… Violetta Alfredo Annina (sees the address, surprised) I will be true until the end. Farewell. Ah, forgive me… Oh! I’m his until I die. I’m feeling rather nervous. Germont Violetta Germont Farewell. Say nothing… Go this moment. Violetta (rising) Your tears will be rewarded, (Exit Annina.) Ah, why? Your tears will be rewarded Violetta Now I must tell Alfredo… Alfredo and you’ll be proud, you noble girl Now promise me that one day… (seats herself again to write, distraught) Well, it’s my father… 80 81 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 82

Violetta Alfredo, always love me… A Passer-by How we missed you, dearest boy, Have you seen him? And now farewell! Here’s a note from a lady for you… you will never, never know; Alfredo (exits hastily) I said I’d bring it. how we hung our heads in shame Her coach drove off for Paris. when you left without a word! Ah no, Alfredo But I’ve found you once again he called and left an angry letter. 25 Ah, she is mine forever, (He gives a letter to Alfredo and exits.) and I will not let you go, I still expect him. and how I love her! Alfredo if your honour can still claim When he sees you he’ll love you. (He seats himself and opens a book.) From Violetta! But why am I so nervous? to instruct you what to do. It’s very unlike my father Violetta (with agitation) Does she want me to join her in Paris? Now I’ve seen you once again to visit me at this hour. Oh no, he mustn’t see me. I’m trembling ! Oh God! Have courage! I will never let you go. It’s best if you’re alone here… Joseph (enters hastily) (opens the letter) God led me here. Try to calm him… The young lady has left us… ‘Alfredo, as soon as you have read this letter…’ Yes, I found you once again, Then I will beg him to be kind. in a coach that was waiting; Ah! God led me here. (scarcely suppressing her tears) I saw them go at a gallop off to Paris… (turns and finds himself in the arms of his father) (He embraces Alfredo.) He will not try to make us part… Annina too: she set out before the mistress. Father, father! 27 Won’t you answer your father, Alfredo? We will be happy because you love me. Alfredo Germont Alfredo Alfredo, you love me… I know, don’t worry. Alfredo!… I’m tormented by jealousy and fury. won’t you say it? I know you’re suffering… (repulsing his father) Joseph (to himself ) Come, no more sorrow… Father, leave me! Alfredo What can it mean? Return and cheer your father, Germont I love you! Why this crying? (exits) beloved Alfredo! Alfredo! Violetta (in tears) Alfredo (Alfredo seats himself by the table in despair, his I had to cry. I couldn’t help it. Perhaps she’s gone to hasten face buried in his hands.) Alfredo (resolved, to himself ) But now I’m calmer… the sale of all her property… 26 In Provence, your native land, I’ll have vengeance! (making an effort) Annina will get there first. we still long for your return. Germont Alfredo, see I’m smiling… There’s someone in the garden. Who has stolen you away We’ll be starting, Alfredo, see I’m calmer. Who’s there? from our blue and sunny skies? Alfredo… now hurry. I am smiling. Oh how happy you once were – A Passer-by (at the door) Alfredo I’ll be there, just outside, not a trace of grief nor pain. You’re Monsieur Germont? It was Douphol? yes, I’ll be near you, in the garden, always near. For you know that only there Love me, Alfredo, Alfredo peace will shine on you again… Germont love me as much as I love you… I am, yes. God hear my prayer! So shall we go?

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Alfredo COMPACT DISC TWO permit us to salute you. (The Marquis presses Flora’s hand. Gaston and No! Scene 2 We see into the future, others, disguised as Spanish matadors and picadors, Germont A richly furnished apartment in Flora’s mansion, we read it in your hand. rush in.) When we consult the stars they tell us what we All my love and my pleading in vain? with gaming tables. Gaston with Matadors want to know, 28 No, no, I cannot preach at you; 3 We are heroes, in Spain they adore us; (Flora, the Marquis, the Doctor, and other guests no mystery too dark for us to shed a ray of light! we’ll bury what has happened; in the bullring we all are victorious. enter in conversation.) We make the future bright my love for you has guided me We are here to enjoy life in Paris, Flora and we make you understand. and I can understand. we are ready for wine and for feasting. 1 The surprise is a band of dancing gipsies, Watch closely! Come home and greet your family, Shall we tell you a wonderful story, with Gaston as their leader. (scanning Flora’s hand) embrace your loving sister; full of passionate love and of glory? to know that you have missed her Will Violetta and Alfredo join us tonight? Fairest lady, you must beware of rivals. will fill her heart with joy. Marquis The Others (reading the hand of the Marquis) A father and a sister implore Surely you’ve heard the story? Bravo, bravo, come tell us a story. This nobleman betrays you, your consolation, dearest boy. Violetta will come here with the Baron. Full of passion and glory. he has a roving eye. No, no, I cannot preach at you, etc. Doctor and Flora Gaston with Matadors Alfredo, Alfredo Not really! Flora (to the Marquis) Listen closely. We implore you, dearest boy So you have been unfaithful? Here’s Piquillo, strong and handsome, Marquis Come home, Alfredo, come home. I’ll pay you out, I promise. Biscay’s leading matador. She has left Alfredo for ever. A father and loving sister: Marquis (to Flora) By his skill he won a King’s ransom, we both implore you, dearest boy. Doctor You don’t believe this rubbish? in the ring so brave and sure. Alfredo (rousing himself, sees Flora’s invitation still I saw them yesterday, It’s all a pack of lies. Then he lost his heart completely; they both seemed so happy. poor young hero, brought to his knees, on the table, reads it again, and exclaims) Flora by a proud capricious beauty: Ah! She’s gone to Flora’s! (A noise is heard.) A snake will shed his colour, she was fair but hard to please. I will go and I will have revenge. but not his evil nature, Flora ‘Vanquish five young bulls for me’, (rushes off distractedly, followed by Germont) so you, my dear, be grateful But listen, you hear them? she said, ‘and all within a day: Germont I don’t scratch out your eyes. if you win, then come to see me Alfredo! (The gipsies advance.) All and I’ll let you have your way!’ All Enough, let’s draw a cover He accepted her commission; All our friends are ready! on jealousy and sorrow. next day he was in the ring. Gipsies What matters is tomorrow, He achieved a life’s ambition: 2 We’re gipsy fortune tellers: the past is dead and gone. five went down, Piquillo was King.

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The Others Alfredo Violetta (aside) Violetta Bravo, bravo, young Piquillo, I don’t know. It was madness to come here! Alfredo! what a glorious prize to gain! Dear God I beg, do not forsake me now. Gaston (to Alfredo, pointing to Violetta) Did your lady come to hail you All That’s how to take it! Splendid! (Flora invites Violetta to sit on the sofa beside her, Be kind to her. as the bravest hero in Spain? the Doctor stands beside them; the Marquis You’ll join us in a game? Baron (to Alfredo, with ill-suppressed anger) Gaston with Matadors converses apart with the Baron; Gaston cuts; Germont! Cheered by all the smiling faces, (Gaston goes to the table. Alfredo and others stake Alfredo and others stake; some saunter about.) young Piquillo claimed his bride; money. Enter Violetta leaning on the Baron’s arm. Flora Violetta (in an undertone to the Baron) he was met with sweet embraces, Flora goes forward to meet them.) Sit here beside me, talk to me, I’ll leave if you make trouble. he subdued her maiden pride. why have you left Alfredo? Flora Alfredo (carelessly) The Others I wasn’t sure you’d join us… (Flora and Violetta converse aside.) I think I heard the baron? That’s why matadors are famous, Baron (ironically) they can win a woman’s heart. Alfredo Violetta A seven! Since you have been so lucky, Gaston with Matadors After your charming letter? I’d like to take you on, sir. Here in Paris you will tame us, Gaston teach us laughter for a start. Flora You’re still the winner. Alfredo (ironically) (The gipsies strike their tambourines and the Baron, you’re very welcome. Alfredo (stakes and wins) Yes! I accept your challenge. picadors their pikes on the ground.) I am so pleased to see you. The poor unlucky lover Violetta (aside) Yes, yes, we will teach you laughter has all the luck at gambling. I long for the earth to open! Baron (in an undertone to Violetta) and the fickle smiles of chance; Dear God, I beg, do not forsake me now! Germont is here! All now the cards are dealt, but, after, You have had all the winners. we’ll have half the night to dance. Do you see him? Baron (stakes) Alfredo I bet one hundred louis. (The men take off their masks; some disperse, and Violetta (aside) Yes, I will win this evening, some begin to play at the gaming tables. Enter God, what will happen? I’ll beat whoever offers; Alfredo (stakes) Alfredo.) (in an undertone to the Baron) then I’ll enjoy my gold I bet a hundred also. All I see him! in the country, where I’m happy. Gaston 4 Alfredo! You! An ace… a knave… Baron Flora (to Alfredo) Alfredo Ignore him absolutely! Alone? the winner! Yes. I’m back, friends. You must not even greet him! Alfredo Flora You say nothing. Ah, no! I’ll be with a woman who adored me, Baron Violetta? Do you hear me? then threw me over. Two hundred? 86 87 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 88

Alfredo (They go out, leaving Alfredo and the Baron Alfredo Alfredo The stake is doubled. behind.) Ah, I follow! You are trembling… What – you cannot? Gaston (cutting) Alfredo (to the Baron) So you think that I’m a coward? Violetta A four… a seven. Shall we continue playing? Violetta You must forget me! Poor Alfredo, if you stay here All Baron Ah no, no, never! my dishonour will torment you… Alfredo! We must go in to supper: Alfredo I have sworn an oath Alfredo I’d like another round with you. But you are frightened? to give you up forever! My run of luck continues! Alfredo Violetta Alfredo All You choose the game, I’m ready. I am frightened that the Baron… To whom? Tell me, who could force you? Luck is like that! This evening Baron Alfredo Violetta it smiles upon Alfredo! We’ll join the others… Later! He and I will fight a duel. One who had the right to ask me. Flora Alfredo We will fight and if I kill him, Alfredo Country expenses settled: I’m always at your service. with one single blow I’d rob you Old Douphol? the Baron will be paying. (They go out.) of your lover and protector… Alfredo (to the Baron) Lead on! You’re afraid that you’ll be ruined! Violetta You’ll play again? Yes. Baron (off-stage) Violetta Servant (enters) Monsieur. What if you should be the victim? Alfredo The supper’s ready. That’s the thing I am afraid of So you love him? (Violetta re-enters in great agitation; afterwards and for me it would be fatal. Flora Alfredo.) Violetta I’m hungry! Alfredo Yes, I… love him. Violetta Guests If he kills me – does it matter? 5 I have asked him here to meet me. Alfredo (furiously rushing to the door) We’ll go then! Will he follow? And will he listen? Violetta Come here, come here. Flora He will come… And yet there’s nothing Leave, I beg you… no more delaying! (All re-enter hurriedly.) To supper. I can say to quell his loathing! Alfredo All Guests Alfredo I will go if you will give your word Why this shouting? Let’s go. I must ask why you called me! to come with me this moment What has happened? and to stay with me forever. Violetta Violetta Alfredo (pointing to Violetta, who is overwhelmed I long for the earth to open. You must go away this moment… Violetta with grief ) Dear God, I beg, do not forsake me now! If you stay here you’re in danger. I cannot do it. Do you recognize this woman? 88 89 CHAN 3023 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 4:00 pm Page 90

All You shout in anger, you shame a woman. you do not realise the bitter story… Violetta (waking) Who?… Violetta? My son, Alfredo is lost forever. I cannot tell you how much I love you. 10 Annina? My only son, Alfredo, is lost forever more. You may despise me, but I gave my word. Alfredo Annina (rousing herself ) Where is Alfredo, where shall I find him? The time is coming when you’ll discover Have you heard her noble story? Did you call me? I’ve lost Alfredo, my son, forever more. how I was truly your faithful lover, Violetta Violetta Alfredo (aside) and then may God in his wisdom help you, Be silent. Poor creature, were you sleeping? Oh God forgive me! I’m like a madman! show you mercy, may he save you from remorse! All In my jealous frenzy I shame a woman! Annina Ah, my love for you will never die. No. My heart is breaking, I’ve lost my reason, Yes, please forgive me. all hope of pardon is over now. Germont Alfredo Violetta I thought of leaving but when I tried it I know she loves him! 6 All that she had she spent on me, May I have some water. my anger spurred me, I couldn’t hide it! Her heart is faithful. only because she loved me… (She coughs. Annina obeys.) I poured my heart out with all its venom. I must be cruel! A selfish coward, kept by her, The window… it must be morning? All hope of pardon is over now. I must be silent, I grasped at all she gave me. no one must know. Annina Now I can pay the debt I owe, Baron (in an undertone to Alfredo) Nearly seven. now I can clear my honour… You dare insult a woman, Baron I call you here to witness your odious cruelty fills us with loathing. I want to show you etc. Violetta that I have paid my debt. But I shall punish this dreadful outrage; Let me have the curtains open. I want to show you The Others (With furious disdain Alfredo throws his winnings that I can humble Oh poor Violetta, come, dry your tears, etc. (Annina opens the window and looks out on the at the feet of Violetta, who faints in the arms of your cursed pride. Alfredo street.) Flora. Giorgio Germont enters at the same Oh God forgive me! etc. moment.) The Others Annina Oh poor Violetta, come, dry your eyes. (Germont leads Alfredo off; the Baron follows. Flora Doctor Grenvil is here. All We suffer with you and sympathize. and the Doctor help Violetta; the rest disperse.) You have destroyed her, our senses are reeling, Violetta Ah, how you suffer! Ah, he’s so loyal! are you devoid of all pity and feeling? 9 Try to forget it! Prelude I must get up… please help me! He who is brutally rude to a woman Dearest Violetta, must take society’s curse evermore. (She tries to rise, but fails; then supported by we are your friends. Act III Annina goes slowly to the sofa. The Doctor enters in Leave us, leave us for evermore! Violetta’s bedroom, a few months later. Violetta (returned to consciousness, with a faint time to help her sit down.) Germont (dignified, but angry) voice, but impassioned manner) (Violetta is asleep in bed. Annina is seated by the You’re very kind – 7 Disgraceful conduct! How I despise you! 8 Alfredo, Alfredo, you hate and scorn me, fireplace, also asleep.) thinking of me so early!

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Doctor (feeling her pulse) I fear she’s dying. the duel took place, to grant me this favour. Well, are you feeling better? (exits) the Baron was wounded, Ah, now all my life is done! but he is recovering… Violetta Annina Chorus of Revellers (outside) Alfredo has gone abroad; 13 I feel exhausted, Now come, take heart. Hail to the carnival’s but my mind is calmer. I have written to tell him of the sacrifice you four-footed master! Violetta A priest came here last evening made. Round him the vine leaves Is not today a feast day? and brought me comfort. He is coming back to beg your forgiveness. and bright flowers cluster! Ah, religion is the only Annina I shall come too… No need to fear his horns, balm to those who suffer. Carnival Day has started… they’re all rejoicing. take care of yourself. he wouldn’t eat you, You deserve a better future. so play your pipes and drums! Doctor Violetta Georges Germont.’ Ox we all greet you. Your night was peaceful? Ah, but behind the laughter, God looks (in a sepulchral voice) So, citizens of Paris down on many who weep and suffer. Violetta Too late… step aside and own him master, How much money is left, Annina? Thank you, I slept calmly. (rises) the great fat Ox is master, Annina (opens and counts) I’ve waited and waited… they will never come yes the great fat Ox is master. Doctor now! Why, that is splendid… Just twenty louis. Asia and Africa (looking at herself in the mirror) bow down and serve him: That’s a certain sign that you’re getting better. Violetta How altered they will find me! Go and give ten to the poor folk who need it. everywhere butchers Violetta Still the doctor seemed to think I would are vying to carve him. Ah, doctors are forgiven Annina recover! Maskers, apprentices for lying out of kindness! That leaves you hardly any… Ah, I am dying! cheer him with singing, With this disease it’s hopeless! Doctor (presses her hand) Violetta every one pay his due 12 Forever I must leave thee, thou lone world of Goodbye now, till this evening! Oh, I’ve enough to last me… till the streets are ringing. sorrow. So, citizens of Paris, Violetta Go and see if a letter’s come. The rose of my young days have faded for You won’t forget me? step aside and own him master, Annina ever. the great fat Ox is master, (He takes his leave of her; Annina draws him But you! I’ve lost my Alfredo, I’ve lost my only treasure. yes, the great fat Ox is master. aside.) The one who sustained me has left me for Violetta Hail to the carnival, etc. Annina ever. I’ll be alright, but hurry back, Annina. All comfort is gone. Annina (re-enters in haste) Is she really better? 14 (Exit Annina. Violetta draws a letter from her Ah! Smile on the poor creature Dear Madam – Doctor bosom and reads.) whose life has lost its savour. Violetta 11 Her pulse is very feeble. ‘You have kept your promise… Dear God, I now implore thee What has happened?

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Annina Violetta Violetta Alfredo (with horror, raising her) Now tell me… this morning, But you are back now, you’re here beside me. My grief will vanish now you’re beside me, What is it, Violetta? are you feeling stronger? new life will blossom, I shall be well. Alfredo Violetta Your light and spirit glow here inside me. Violetta I’m so in love with you my heart is beating, A touch of fainting after my illness… Trust in the future, all will be well. Yes, but why? and life is misery when you’re not with me. Now I feel stronger… Alfredo See I am smiling. Annina Violetta All will be well. Alfredo And you won’t get too excited? If I am living and you are with me, Come, bid farewell to Paris forever. no grief in all the world can kill me now. I cannot bear it! Violetta Yes, farewell for ever. Violetta No, why do you ask me? Alfredo We shall be happy living together, Forget your sorrow, my own beloved, Yes, we will be happy. It’s nothing! Annina can you forgive my broken vow? Your/All grief will vanish now I’m beside you, Annina, help me to dress now. Only to prepare you New life will blossom; you will be well! etc. Alfredo Violetta for a joy you’d ceased to hope for… My darling, all is well. Violetta… have … Can I forgive you? I too am guilty, Violetta it was for love I made my choice. Violetta Violetta (rising) Ceased to hope for? You mean it? All grief will vanish now you’re beside me, No! No! I must go! Alfredo and Violetta New life will blossom; I shall be well! etc. (Annina gives her a garment, she begins to put it Annina Ah, neither man nor devil now My darling, all is well. on, but faintness prevents her; she lets it fall and God didn’t fail us… will dare divide us forever more. exclaims despairingly.) Violetta Alfredo Oh, God! I cannot! Violetta 16 Ah, no more Alfredo, let’s go to church now, 15 (falls back on the seat, coughing) Alfredo! You mean you’ve seen him? Come, bid farewell to Paris forever, give thanks to heaven that we’re together. He’s here! He’s here! Oh hurry! we will be happy living together. (faltering) Alfredo (Alfredo appears.) Your grief will vanish now I’m beside you, Dearest Violetta! Alfredo! new life will blossom, you will be well. Alfredo (to Annina) (They embrace.) Your light and spirit glow here inside me: You’re pale and trembling! Go find the doctor. trust in the future, all will be well. Oh my Alfredo, my beloved, Violetta Violetta (to Annina) oh Alfredo, oh my joy! Violetta No, no, it’s nothing; Yes, fetch him, tell him Alfredo I’ll bid farewell to Paris forever, I’m so excited… I’ve been so wretched, Alfredo has not forgotten and that he loves me. we will be happy living together. but now you’re with me… give me a Oh, my Violetta my beloved, Tell him I need to be well, moment. oh Violetta, oh my joy! Alfredo I want to live again, yes, live. My father told me that dreadful meeting… Yes. (Violetta sinks exhausted on a couch.) (Exit Annina.)

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Violetta (to Alfredo) Germont I understand now from someone in eternity, 17 But if my loved one cannot revive me, 18 Ah, Violetta! how I destroyed her! praying for her and you. no power on earth can prevent my dying. Violetta (Violetta opens a casket and takes a locket out of it.) Germont (rising impetuously) You, monsieur! Ah! Oh God, to die when I’m so young Violetta As long as eyes have tears to weep, I’ll weep for and after so much sorrow! Alfredo Come close beside me, you. And now that I have come so near Oh father! beloved, my dear Alfredo… You go to join the spirits, for God is calling 19 Listen! I have a picture here you. the comfort I have longed for! Violetta of me when I was younger: My hope of future happiness You’ve not forgotten? Alfredo by this you will remember was nothing but delusion! Germont You cannot leave me now. how much I was in love. My strength and my devotion all I have not forgotten… Death cannot take you now away from me. a vain and empty dream. You see I keep my promise Alfredo Doctor and Annina and accept you as a daughter! No, do not die, don’t talk like that, Alfredo Alas, as long as eyes have tears to weep, for you must live, my darling. You are the breath of life to me Violetta I weep, I weep for you. Violetta, my beloved. Too late! You cannot help me. God wouldn’t be so cruel. I cannot help but weep to see (embracing him) To bring me here to suffer, God wouldn’t be so Violetta your tears of anguish falling. But I thank you for coming… cruel. Give her this little portrait etc. Believe me, I have need of you, You see, dear Doctor, even though I’m dying Germont Germont, Doctor and Annina your faith and your devotion, my dearest friends are with me. Beloved daughter, You go to join the spirits, so trust in your emotion, Germont (gazing at Violetta) your noble sacrifice for God is calling you. we still can hope and dream. No, it can’t be! has covered you with glory. Violetta darling, calm yourself! (to himself ) Forgive me for the torment I caused your noble Alfredo Your grieving breaks my heart. Oh Heaven! It’s true! heart. You go to join the spirits, Ah, Violetta! I want to die with you. Alfredo Violetta Violetta Oh father, do you see her? 20 I see a pure and lovely girl, Violetta (re-awakening) Alfredo dearest, Germont fair as a flower in springtime, Alfredo!… oh cruel destiny reserved for all our love! My son, do not torment me. offering her devotion… Ah, Alfredo! All I now reproach myself for what has happened… And you will marry, yes, you will make her your Ah! Every word that she utters wife. (Violetta sinks onto the couch. Enter Annina, scorches like lightning… Give her this little portrait, Giorgio Germont and the Doctor.) Violetta I should never have spoken! tell her it is a gift The pain has gone… the pain has gone…

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I can breathe now. Alfredo My pulse is beating. Violetta! I feel it. Look at me. Annina and Germont My strength is coming back! Oh God, receive her soul. March Andrew Ah! Why yes, ah, I feel my life returning… What joy! Doctor (after feeling her pulse) It’s over! (Violetta falls back on the sofa.) All All Oh, grant her rest! Violetta. No! English translation by Edmund Tracey, 1973 © Copyright 1975 Josef Weinberger Ltd

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Valerie Masterson John Brecknock Christian du Plessis Della Jones

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

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Opera in English on Chandos

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Booklet photos of the ENO production of La traviata by Andrew March

Producer John Fraser Engineer Stuart Eltham Recording venue Abbey Road Studios, London; August, September and November 1980 Front cover Photos by Andrew March from the English National Opera production Back cover Photo of Sir Charles Mackerras by Zoe Dominic Design D.M. Cassidy Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editor Richard Denison CHAN 3019(3) P 1981 & 1999 Digitally remastered by Chandos Records Ltd C 1999 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, England Printed in the EU

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SOLOISTS/ENO ORCHESTRA & CHORUS/MACKERRAS bit 20 digitally remastered bass DDD tenor tenor tenor soprano baritone baritone baritone baritone TT 50:17 mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano CHAN 3023(2) COMPACT DISC TWO 1999 Chandos Records Ltd. 1981, p La dame aux camélias 2-disc set 1999 Chandos Records Ltd. Printed in the EU c TT 68:15 DIGITAL COMPACT DISC ONE ...... Geoffrey Pogson Pogson ...... Geoffrey CHANDOS (1813–1901) ...... Denis Dowling Dowling ...... Denis ...... Christian du Plessis du Plessis ...... Christian ...... Brecknock John ...... John Gibbs Gibbs ...... John ...... Masterson Valerie ...... Earle Roderick musical assistant ...... Jones Della (The Fallen Woman) (The Fallen ...... John Kitchiner ...... John ...... Shelagh Squires Squires ...... Shelagh ...... Edward Byles Byles ...... Edward Colchester . Essex . England Victor Morris Victor Morris Charles Mackerras Sir CHANDOS RECORDS LTD. Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe La traviata Dumas’s Alexandre after Piave Maria Francesco by Libretto and Chorus Orchestra Opera National English English translation by Edmund Tracey Edmund by translation English Violetta Valéry Germont Alfredo Germont Giorgio Flora Bervoix Flora Douphol Baron Doctor Grenvil Doctor d’Obigny Marquis Viscount Gaston de Letorières Viscount Gaston Annina Joseph A Passer-by

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