Study Guide
Study Guide Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Beginner's Guide to Opera
- Who's Who At the Opera
- The Lyric Opera House
- BOC Education Programs
- A Bibliography of Selected Readings
- Education Resources
2007-2008 SEASON
2006-2007 SEASON
2005-2006 SEASON
2004-2005 SEASON
2003-2004 SEASON
2002-2003 SEASON
PREVIOUS OPERAS
La Traviata
Melodramma in three acts
Music – Giuseppe Verdi (Jew-SEHP-peh VEHR-dee)
b. 9 or 10 October 1813, Roncole, Italy
d. 27 January 1901, Milan, Italy
Libretto – Francesco Maria Piave, after the play La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils (1852)
Composed January-February 1853, rev. March-April 1854
Premiere: 6 March 1853, La Fenice, Venice, rev. version: 6 May 1854, Teatro Gallo di San Benedetto, Venice
US Premiere: 3 December 1856, Academy of Music, New York
Principal characters:
Violetta Valery **(Vee-oh-LET-tah Vah-leh-REE), Soprano – a courtesan
Alfredo Germont **(Ahl-FREH-doh Jher-mo*n), Tenor – her admirer
Giorgio Germont **(Gee-OR-Gee-oh Jher-mo*n), Baritone – Alfredo’s father
Flora Bervoix **(FLOH-rah Behr-VWAH), Mezzo Soprano – Violetta’s friend
Baron Douphol **(Doo-FAWHL), Baritone – Violetta’s former benefactor
Doctor Grenvil **(Gre*n- vee), Bass – Violetta’s physician
* For the French nasal vowel the ensuing n is only inflected.
** In most instances when French characters are in Italian operas, the first name is pronounced as in Italian, but the last name is pronounced as in French, such as Andrea Chénier and Adriana Lecouvreur.
La Traviata (Lah Trah-VYAH-tah) takes place in Paris around 1850.