Libretto in Italian by Francesco Maria Piave

Based on La Dame aux Camélias by Alexander Dumas

Premiere: Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy, March 6, 1853

The Setting:

Paris, 1850

ACT I: Violetta's Paris Salon. In her Paris salon, the courtesan Violetta Valery greets party guests, including Flora Bervoix, the Marquis d’Obigny, Baron Dauphol, and Gastone, who introduces a new admirer, Alfredo.  As the guests go to the dance salon, Violetta suffers a fainting spell, and goes to her parlor to recover. Alfredo comes in and confesses his love (“Un di Felice”). After the guests have gone, Violetta wonders if Alfredo could actually be the man she could love (Ah, fors’e lui”). She decides she wants freedom (“Sempre libera”), though Alfredo’s voice, heard outside, argues in favor of romance.

ACT II: A country villa near Paris. Some months later Alfredo and Violetta are living in a country house near Paris, where he praises their contentment (“De miei bollenti spiriti”), but when the maid, Annina, reveals that Violetta has pawned her jewels to keep the house, Alfredo leaves for the city to settle matters at his own cost. Violetta comes looking for him and finds an invitation from Flora to a party that night. Trouble intrudes with the appearance of Alfredo’s father. He demands she renounce his son because the scandal of Alfredo’s affair with her has threatened his daughter’s engagement (“Pura siccome un angelo”). Alone, the desolate Violetta sends a message of acceptance to Flora and begins a farewell note to Alfredo. He enters suddenly, and she can barely control herself as she reminds him of how deeply she loves him (“Amami, Alfredo”) before rushing out. Now a servant hands Alfredo her farewell note as Germont returns to console his son with reminders of family life.  But Alfredo, seeing Flora’s invitation, suspects Violetta has thrown him over for another lover.

ACT III: Ballroom in Flora's mansion. At her soiree that evening, Flora learns from the Marquis that Violetta and Alfredo have parted, then clears the floor for hired entertainers, fortune-telling Gypsies and Matadors. Soon Alfredo strides in, making bitter comments about love, and gambling recklessly at cards. Violetta has arrived with Baron Dauphol, who challenges Alfredo to a game and loses a small fortune to him. Alfredo calls in the others, denounces Violetta and hurls his winnings at her feet (“Questa donna conoscete?). Germont enters in time to see this and denounces his son’s behavior. The guests rebuke Alfredo and Dauphol challenges him to a duel.

ACT IV: Violetta's bedroom. In Violetta’s bedroom six months later, Dr. Greenville tells Annina her mistress has not long to live: tuberculosis has claimed her. While Paris is celebrating Carnival outside, Annina rushes in to announce Alfredo. The lovers ecstatically plan to leave Paris forever (“Parigi, o cara”). Germont enters with the doctor before Violetta is seized with a last resurgence of strength. Feeling life return, she staggers and falls dead at her lover’s feet.

--paraphrased from Opera News