A courtesan loves, dies, and breaks your heart in 4/4 time. Bring tissues.
La traviata (Italian: [la traˈviaːta], "The Fallen Woman"[1][2]) is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The opera was originally entitled Violetta, after the main character. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice. Piave and Verdi wanted to follow Dumas in giving the opera a contemporary setting, but the authorities at La Fenice insisted that it be set in the past, "c. 1700". It was not until the 1880s that the composer and librettist's original wishes were carried out and "realistic" productions were staged.[3]
Acting
Gheorghiu's Violetta is vocally flawless and emotionally raw
Production
Sumptuous 19th-century sets that breathe opulence and decay
Direction
Richard Eyre's staging makes melodrama feel intimate
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This 2001 film captures a live performance with Gheorghiu and Lopardo, not a studio recording.
Verdi fought censors who banned contemporary courtesans; the 1700s setting was a compromise that stuck for decades.
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