Classical 19: Verdi’s La Traviata – Pt. 2

(A) Introduction

Act I is all a big party, where Violetta and Alfredo meet.  Violetta considers Alfredo’s offer, and despite her reservations, falls for him.  Good times.

 

In Act II Scene I, some time has passed – and the two lovebirds are living an idyllic life together.  But there’s trouble on the way (what, you expected a happy ending?) as papa Germont shows up.  He convinces Violetta to leave, and after much anguish, she does.  It’s a scene right out of a Latin American soap opera.

In Scene II, Violetta is at a party, having returned to her career as a courtesan.  She has a new suitor, too… and then Alfredo tracks her down.  He throws money at her, breaking her heart and humiliating her, and stabs her new suitor in a duel.  The guests leave, and the party is ruined.  Violetta, distraught and inconsolable, collapses.

 

In Act III, Violetta dies of consumption.  She gets visits from Alfredo and Germont, everyone reconciles by her deathbed, and she’s gone.

 

(B) La Traviata, Act II and III

Okay, this is where the drama hits Latin American soap opera levels.  That’s good and bad.  Let’s get right into it!

 

Act II Scene 1: Madamigella Valery? … Son io (Germont, Violetta)

This is Germont’s entrance.  His deep voice rocks, and he hasn’t even warmed up yet.

Act II Scene 1: Un di, quando le veneri (Germont, Violetta),

Act II Scene 1: Dite alla giovine (Violetta, Germont),

Act II Scene 1: Or imponete … Non amarlo ditegli (Violetta, Germont), and

Act II Scene 1: Morro! morro! la mia memoria (Violetta, Germont)

Ok, Germont takes a couple of songs to warm up and then really starts strutting his stuff.  Violetta sings a great counterpart to Germont’s booming voice.  He’s implacable, wearing down her defiance calmly and inexorably.  Think of Agent Smith from the Matrix in the subway tunnel fight: “hear that, Ms. Valery?  It is the sound of inevitability…”

Act II Scene 1: Dammi tu forza, o cielo! (Violetta, Annina, Alfredo)

Germont exits, and Violetta gives her tearful farewell to Alfredo.  She wails and storms off, leaving the poor guy with a “WTF?” look on his face.  Poor guy!

Act II Scene 2: Noi siamo zingarelle (Chorus, Flora, Marchese)

We’re at Violetta’s party now.  And I just ruined this piece for myself.  Listening to the chorus singing suddenly brought to mind the Oompa-Loompas of the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka movie.  I can’t listen to this without acting like a little orange dude.  And every time the chorus steps in for the next few songs, I get the same visual in my head.

Act II Scene 2: Ogni suo aver tal femmina (Alfredo, Chorus)

If I remember correctly, this is where Alfredo reveals himself to Violetta, throwing accusations and money at her…

Act II Scene 2: Di sprezzo degno (Germont, Alfredo)

… and moments later Germont shows up at the party, cussing Alfredo out for acting like an asshole.  Alfredo again pulls a “WTF?” look.  So do I.  What the hell is Germont doing here?  And why all of a sudden is he cussing out his son for mistreating Violetta, when he’s the one who told her to screw off in the first place?  Alfredo, like Cartman, decides ‘screw you guys I’m going home’ and leaves…

Act II Scene 2: Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core (Violetta, Barone, Chorus)

… while everyone else stands around talking about how Alfredo is acting like a complete tool.

Act III: Prelude

The third act opens with this mournful piece, and you just know things are going from bad to worse.  It borrows from the prelude to Act I, where we got our first hint that it was going to be a tragedy.

Act III: Teneste la promessa (Violetta)

Violetta starts off doing a spoken word thing, pining for Alfredo.  I can’t decide if it’s tacky or it’s really cool.  Then she starts singing.

Act III: Baccanale: Largo al quadrupede (Chorus)

This is weird, and interesting.  Violetta stands at her window and hears the echoes of a party somewhere off stage.  And the chorus really is off stage, singing mutedly.  It’s a nifty effect.

Act III: Signora! … Che t’accade? (Annina, Violetta, Alfredo)

Violetta and Alfredo are reunited, and their first harmonized wail is positively orgasmic.  Seriously.

After that, it’s all about the death scene.

(D) Commentary

Act I was all about Violetta’s pipes.  Act II Scene I was all about Germont’s pipes.  And Alfredo?  Well, he doesn’t get a whole lot.  He plays sidekick to Violetta and Germont – even though he’s the main concern for both of them.  He’s the lovesick chump that gets pushed around and directed by people who know what’s best for him.  And nobody fills him in on the plan till the very end, when it’s already too late.

He falls in love with a girl, and she suddenly leaves him because she says she still wants to party.  Dad says it’s probably for the best.  He tracks the girl down at a party and yells at her for breaking his heart – rightly so.  Then Dad shows up and tells him not to act like a jackass.  He storms off, and people talk about his behaviour behind his back.  Then finally Dad tells him what really happened, and he rushed back to the girl, only to have her die in his arms – because of the way he treated her.  Man, I feel for the guy.

I listened to a different recording for Acts II and III, this one featuring Monika Krause as Violetta and Georg Tichy as Germont.  I liked this version better than the Callas one I listened to for Act I.

(E) What I’ve Learned

-Apparently, La Traviata is really popular.  It’s the third most performed opera in North America, behind only Madama Butterfly and La Bohème.  And the horrid movie “Pretty Woman” is based on the story, but with more wacky hijinks.

-Tuberculosis.  What a crappy, crappy way to die.