About the Show
At a glance:
The fragile Violetta finds love with the loyal Alfredo, only to be thwarted by misunderstandings and family politics.
The Scene:
Paris, the beginning of the 19th Century
Characters:
Violetta Valéry, a courtesan
Alfredo Germont, a young nobleman
Giorgio Germont, his father
Flora Bervoix, Violetta’s friend
Annina, Violetta’s maid
Gastone, Alfredo’s friend
Recommended Recording:
La Traviata CD
Giuseppe Verdi, Carlos Kleiber, Ileana Cotrubas, Placido Domingo, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Sherrill Milnes (Artists)
Fun Fact:
La Traviata is based on the novel "La dame aux Camélias" by Alexandre Dumas, fils, published in 1848. The title “La traviata” means literally The Woman Who Strayed, or perhaps more figuratively, The Fallen Woman. It was originally titled Violetta, after the main character.
Synopsis
About the composer
When La Traviata premieres in 1853:
- Washington University in St. Louis is founded as Eliot Seminary.
- Franklin Pierce succeeds Millard Fillmore as the 14th President of the United States.
- The first public aquarium opens at the London Zoo.
- An outbreak of yellow fever kills 7,790 in New Orleans.
- New Zealand acquires self-government.
- Potato chips are first prepared.
- Troops of William Walker capture La Paz in Baja California and declare the (short-lived) Republic of Lower California.
- Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest.
- Alexander Wood invents the hypodermic syringe.
- Donald McKay builds the Great Republic, the world's biggest sailing ship, which at 4,500 tons is too large to be successful.
- The University of Florida is established.