Composer: Verdi
Premiere: March 6, 1853 at the Fenice Opera House, Venice, Italy
Persons:
Violetta (The Lady of the Camellias, soprano)
Alfredo (Violetta's lover, tenor)
The first female lead singer in the movie "The Lady of the Flower Sellers" by George Bernard Shaw.
Alfred (Violetta's lover, tenor)
Armand (Alfred's father, baritone)
Flora (Violetta's girlfriend, soprano)
Viscount Gaston (Alfred's best friend, tenor)
Baron Dufour (Alfred's rival in love, baritone)
Anina (Vi Oletta's maid, soprano)
Dr. Grenville (baritone)
Along with the valet, the letter carrier, the bullfighter, the gypsy, etc.
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Act I Act II Act III
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The story takes place in 19th century Paris.
It is a rich man's paradise and a poor man's dream. In the streets of traffic and in the lighted mansions flow wine, music and laughter, while in the shadows, where the sun and lights don't shine, tears and disappointment flow.
Let us enter one of the most famous mansions in Paris. The owner of this place is not the princes and nobles, not the rich and powerful merchants, but only a prostitute - known as the "Camellia girl" of the Parisian prostitute Violetta, the upper class of the "favorite". Many noble gentlemen and women are Violetta's regular customers, if you walk through the street at night, you will be a long way to hear the laughter, singing, the sound of wine glasses clinking clear sound. Come a little closer, and you'll be treated to a lively theater performance with figures floating in the tall windows.
Nice, there's a game going on here almost every day. The protagonist is Violetta "The Lady of the Camellias", the hero of our story.
She comes from humble beginnings. Though she would never reveal half of what she was born into, everyone could guess it. Who else would throw away their youth in such a life?
However, her demeanor was very elegant, no less than those of a lady from a wealthy family. She had a slender figure, a beautiful face, a cheerful and intelligent personality, and a melodious singing voice, and the climax of her family's banquets was often reached in the midst of her melodious singing. Would you like to hear her sing? Wait, let's listen to an overture to her story, written by the composer Verdi.
The overture is in two parts, and although the second theme has a danceable rhythm and a beautifully flowing melody, they are equally bleak and tragic. Verdi foreshadows us that this is a tragic story. The beautiful Lady of the Camellias has not exchanged all her loveliness for happiness. What awaits her?
Let's pull back the curtain and see what life is like in this mansion.
What upbeat music! The great dining table in the parlor was filled with people, all of them dressed so radiantly that the lights on the four walls were lost to them. The crystal glasses were filled with wine, and the silver cutlery gleamed with the tantalizing aroma of the food. Everything was ready, just waiting for the host, the Lady of the Camellias.
At last she came. My, what a dress she was - a lovely white dress, with white camellias in her hair and on her bodice. Her eyes were bright, her lips were luscious, and she looked radiant with all the splendor of the seat that was now her companion, and the gaze of the men. It was impossible to tell that she had been very ill, it was as if she had been convalescing somewhere just now.
Violetta thanked everyone for coming with a charming smile:
"Friends, this night is ours, this night gives us infinite joy, let us raise our glasses of joy!"
No, wait, who's that walking through the door? A tall young man whom I had never seen before, guided by an old friend, Viscount Gaston, toward the Lady of the Camellias. He was so regal and dashing, albeit with a slight look of agitation on his young face. Gaston introduced him to the Lady of the Camellias:
"This is Alfred? Amand, you will never find such a love of bells and whistles in all the world ......"
Violeta interrupted Gaston:
"Thank you for coming, I'm just as welcoming to anyone here. "
The people didn't want to wait any longer: raise your glasses high and let the revelry begin! They sang, and the song filled the hall.
Gaston picked up the conversation in a low voice once more:
"Alfred loves you very much, and he came to see you every day while you were recuperating in the hospital."
"Why? He didn't know me."
"He recognized you."
"I don't understand ...... This is so strange it's hard to believe."
"I'm telling the truth."
The teal looked at Alfred who was gazing at him. And at that moment there was a murmur on the other side, and it was Baron Duffer:
"I do not like this youth."
The answerer was Flora, Violetta's girlfriend:
"To be honest, I do admire him."
Only Gaston urged:
"Alfred, dear Baron, why are you silent? Please sing a happy song for all!"
The crowd chimed in:
"Alfred, please sing!"
"But I'm not in a singing mood."
"It's expected!"
Alfred turned to Violetta:
"You expect it that way?"
"Oh, that goes without saying!"
Alfred stood up, raised his full glass, and sang to the rhythmic music of the ballad:
"Let us raise our cups of joy, the wine in them is intoxicating; such joyous moments are wonderful, but true love is more precious. Don't miss the happiness in front of you, let's drink to love."
He turned to Violetta:
"Youth is like a bird that flies away and never returns! Behold the champagne tumbling in the glass, like love in one's heart."
Alfred's booming voice made the crowd even more excited, and they sang in unison:
"Yes, let's drink to love, one more time!"
The camellia woman stood up:
"In his song is full of true love, it moves me y; In this world the most important thing is happiness, I live for happiness. If a good flower fades it won't bloom again, If youth passes it won't come back; In people's hearts love won't last forever, Tonight's a good time let's not let it go, Let's raise our glasses and celebrate joy!"
The crowd choruses again:
"Ah! How joyous this night together has made us, and all is lingering and unforgettable! Let the beautiful sunrise of the place shine through the flowery windows on the feast of revelry!"
In another hall, lively dance music played. Violetta greeted her guests and danced in the ballroom, and everyone stood up happily. Suddenly, Violetta felt a wave of dizziness, and she rushed to hold on to her chair. Someone noticed her pale face and asked her if she was sick again. Violetta steeled herself, "Don't let me get in the way of everyone's fun"
People left in droves, flocking to the ballroom. Only one man stayed, and that was Alfred. He said pleadingly to Violetta:
"I beg you to change this life, or it will ruin your health."
"Am I able to change?"
"If you were to live with me, I would sincerely and tenderly guard you forever!"
"What do you mean? Is there anyone who would need someone like me?"
"Has no one ever loved you truly?"
"No."
"I love you very much!"
Violetta laughed:
"What a pity! I'll have to forget such love!"
Alfred asked gravely:
"Are you mocking me? Have you no heart?"
"Why do you ask?"
"If you have a heart, why would you mock my piece of truth!"
Looking into Alfred's eyes, Violetta was a little shaken:
"Do you really love me?"
"Absolutely sincerely!"
"Has it been a long time?"
"Ah, over a year!"
Alfred sang a heartfelt aria:
"I'll never forget the day when you flashed by me, and your beautiful silhouette was imprinted on my heart. Then I felt love, glorious, passionate and pure love, which made my heart feel wonderful happiness. Ah, this happiness stayed in my heart for a long time."
Violetta ceased to laugh at this time, and replied earnestly:
"Please do not think so, or forget everything; or it will break your heart, for I am not worthy of your love. Ah ...... please go tell your heart to others."
Drenched in happiness, Alfred disregarded Violetta's polite refusal, still earnestly professed love, and the two conversations formed a beautiful duet. At this moment, someone broke into the living room, this is Baron Gaston:
"What are you doing here? ...... Haha, excuse me."
Violetta was embarrassed:
"Nothing, just telling jokes."
Gaston walked away. Violetta turned to Alfred and gestured for him to leave the area. But when he was ready to go, Violetta stopped him again and took off the white camellia that was stuck to her chest:
"Please take this flower with you."
"For what?"
"Return it to me in the future."
"When?"
"When it is about to wither."
"God! Is it tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow!"
A burst of ecstasy came over Alfred, and he kissed the flower:
"You have given me infinite happiness!"
He hurried away.
By this time, it was nearly dawn, and the guests had danced as much as they could, so they came back to the hall to say goodbye to the Lady of the Camellias, and to thank her for her hospitality, and for giving them a night of pleasure.
With the guests gone, the mansion was quiet and empty. Looking at the cups and plates and the still flickering lamps, the single camellia felt very tired. However, Alfred's words made her heart can not be calm. She said softly to herself:
"How strange. Why do his words move me so? Could it be that love has arisen in my heart? No one has ever made me feel so dear ...... Why does my heart beat so fiercely? Oh, how happy I am to be with someone who loves each other! I should not give up love and go back to this life of revelry."
Then she sings a very beautiful and moving aria, the most famous passage written for this opera by the composer Verdi:
"Late in the night, at the orgiastic feast, your gracious form appeared to me. How bright was your gaze, and the tenderness and warmth of your words stirred me. Your pure emotion invaded my heart and made me feel renewed. At that moment I was set ablaze with love, this glorious passionate and pure love that burned like a flame in my chest."
Violetta was lost in a vision of happiness, everything she had fantasized about so many times was now at hand. But, as if some voice were reminding her of this, she awoke with a start:
"It cannot be, it cannot be, it is all a dream! I am so wretched, alone, adrift in a sea of misery. The people I come and go with are all cold and heartless, and I can only end up discriminated against and forgotten! Revel, revel forever, that's what I'll end up with!"
Verdi has the orchestra play the rhythms of a round dance, and it brings us back to the mood of the feast. Violetta sings with a touch of madness:
"Ah! I'll live in joy, and wear away the years of pain, My destiny was sealed long ago, and it will be like a breeze blowing faintly. It is the sun that rises in the west, and my life will not change. Time will not stay, and a year will be another year, And this empty, hopeless life will not change in the least!"
Verdi wrote many lines here for Violetta, sung with florid technique, to portray the despair and self-destruction in her heart. But then, with a twist of the pen, he brings out a deep and sincere melody, the one we heard earlier, when Alfred confesses his love (see score example 4b). It turns out that he does not leave with the guests, but stays in the window gazing at Violetta's figure, singing of the love in his heart:
"My heart is full of love radiant and ardent and pure, and the flame of this love softly swirls in my heart!"
Violetta listened as if touched. But she returned to her pessimism:
"Time does not stand still, a year is another year, and this empty, hopeless life will not change in the least!"
Just as her despairing lamentation and the deep love chanting outside the window, the curtain closes.