La Traviata

Opera in three acts by

Giuseppe Verdi 

Libretto - Francesco Maria Piave

Based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas Jr.

First performance: 6 March 1853 in Venice.

First performance in Bulgaria: 1910, Opera Druzhba-Sofia.

First performance in Ruse: 8 November 1949, conductor - Konstantin Iliev, director - Dragan Kardjiev, artist - Asen Popov, choreographer - Ana Vorobyova, choirmaster - Ilia Iliev.

Main characters:

Violetta Valéry - soprano

Flora Bervoix - mezzo-soprano

Annina - mezzo-soprano

Alfredo Germont - tenor

Giorgio Germont, his father - baritone

Gastone de Letorières - tenor

Barone Douphol - baritone 

Marchese d'Obigny - bass

Dottore Grenvil - bass

Giuseppe, Violetta's valet - tenor

Flora's servant - bass

Commissioner - bass

Friends of Violetta and Flora, the action takes place in Paris and the surrounding area around 1850.

Short synopsis

First picture

Paris. Happy party at Violetta Valéry's. After the end of a severe illness, the young and beautiful courtesan has invited all her old friends to her home. The Vicomte Gaston has brought his friend Alfredo Germont, who has recently come from the country. He is introduced to the hostess. At first sight Alfredo falls in love with Violetta and raises an inspired cheer. Music invites the guests to dance in the next room, but Violetta, feeling a sudden weakness, stays. Along with her is Alfredo. Violetta, too, is smitten with him at first sight. This feeling is completely new and unknown to her. As a sign that she expects him to return to her, she gives him a camellia blossom, which he promises to ѝ come back the next day. The guests say goodbye to Violetta and leave. Left alone, she can't stop thinking about Alfredo and the strong and unfamiliar feelings she had for him. She understands that she is in love and that love will ѝ bring suffering.

Second picture

House in the surroundings of Paris. For three months now, Violetta and Alfredo have been living happily together. Their happiness is marred by a lack of money. Violetta secretly sells her belongings from Alfredo. When he learns this from the maid Annina, Alfredo goes to Paris to try to get some money. Violetta returns home and learns from Annina that Alfredo has gone to Paris. While going through her mail, Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, arrives unexpectedly. He accuses Violetta of being a bad influence on his son and ruining his life. Germont wants her to part with his son immediately and forever. He ѝ tells that his daughter is getting married. Alfredo's relationship with Violetta undermines the family's authority and for this reason the groom is about to give up on this marriage. Germont urgently convinces Violetta of the necessity of separation - her and Alfredo's relationship is not blessed by heaven, and she is young, life is ahead of her and she will meet love again. Violetta is persuaded - however ѝ is hard, she'll break up with Alfredo. And let the father tell his daughter of her sacrifice. Germont leaves and Violetta, with the last of her strength, begins to write a farewell letter to Alfredo, who at that moment surprisingly returns. With tears in her eyes, Violetta tells him that she wants him to love her as much as she loves him. Unexpectedly, she tells him "goodbye" and leaves. Alfredo is left alone... Not long after, Germont arrives, reproaching his son for having forgotten his homeland and his family. It is only at this moment that Alfredo sees the letter Violetta has written to him. He decides that she has abandoned him to continue her life as before. Filled with anger and doubts, he leaves for Paris.

Third scene

Ball at Flora Bervoix. The guests are enjoying themselves. The rumour that Alfredo and Violetta have broken up has reached everyone. Alfredo arrives. After a while she comes too, accompanied by her old admirer Barone Douphol. Alfredo and Dufault sit down at the gaming table for the usual game of cards and begin to play, betting more and more. Alfredo never stops winning, and his behaviour is defiant. Seeing Alfredo, Violetta's anguish and suffering are amplified even more. Not knowing what Violetta's reason is for leaving him, Alfredo demonstratively throws in the face ѝ the money won from the game, stating that so ѝ returns the state wasted because of it. Violetta can't stand it and faints. At that moment Giorgio Germont enters the salon. Outraged by his son's action, he censures and condemns his behaviour. He alone knows what Violetta's sacrifice was and how much ѝ she costs, but she can't tell anyone...

Fourth scene

In Violet's bedroom. After the scandal at the ball, Violetta's health has seriously deteriorated. Now she lies alone and has no desire to see anyone. Alfredo is abroad after his duel with Barone Douphol. Doctor Grenville encourages her that she is better, but Violetta is sure - it's just a noble lie. She suspects that ѝ has very little left to live and that it is all over. At that moment, Annina announces the happy news - Alfredo has returned! The two are immensely happy at this reunion, but only briefly. Violetta feels worse and worse. Germont arrives and regrets what he has done and wants to embrace Violetta as his daughter. Alas, he has come too late. Violetta suddenly notices with surprise that she no longer feels any pain and the life in her seems to return. After this sudden burst of strength and hope, she gasps.   

The opera La Traviata was first performed in 1853. Five years earlier, in 1848, Alexandre Dumas Jr's novel The Lady with the Camellias had been published. In 1852 Verdi saw the novel reworked into a drama and commissioned Francesco Maria Piave to write the libretto. The premiere took place on 6 March 1853 in Venice. 

In Bulgaria "La Traviata" was staged by the Opera Society in Sofia in 1910. The conductor was Todor Hadjiev, one of the prominent musicians of Ruse. It was directed by Konstantin Mihailov-Stoyan, a tenor, a famous opera singer, soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Helsinki Opera, the founder of opera in Bulgaria.

In Ruse the opera "La Traviata" was on stage for the first time in the late autumn of 1949, when on 27 November the Ruse Opera opened with its premiere. The production was directed by prof. Dragan Kardzhiev, and the conductor-stage director - Konstantin Iliev.