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La Traviata
Featuring Casta Diva Angela Gheorghiu
Greetings darlings all! This month, I bring you the most excellent diva, Angela Gheorghiu, and her divine performance within my most favorite opera, La Traviata..This is a moving story about a famed courtesan, Violetta Valéry, and how she fell passionately in love with Alfredo Germont, and was forced by his father, to give him up..In the end, she is reunited with her love, after having been put through so much, and then, she dies of a long illness from the consumption, in his arms.. Tragic, passionate, romantic..A truly marvellous performance indeed! So sit back, and quaff a glass of toscana red, and enjoy the ride!
ACT I. In her Paris salon, the courtesan Violetta Valéry greets party guests, including Flora Bervoix, the Marquis d'Obigny, Baron Douphol, and Gastone, who introduces a new admirer, Alfredo Germont. This young man, having adored Violetta from afar, joins her in a drinking song (Brindisi: "Libiamo"). An orchestra is heard in the next room, but as guests move there to dance, Violetta suffers a fainting spell, sends the guests on ahead, and goes to her parlor to recover. Alfredo comes in, and since they are alone, confesses his love ("Un dì felice"). At first Violetta protests that love means nothing to her.
"flee from me..all I can offer you is friendship"..
Something about the young man's sincerity touches her, however, and she promises to meet him the next day. After the guests have gone, Violetta wonders if Alfredo could actually be the man she could love ("Ah, fors'è lui"). But she decides she wants freedom ("Sempre libera"), though Alfredo's voice, heard outside, argues in favor of romance. She has never known love before, and is not prepared to admit that Alfredo has struck a chord within her heart..
"No! It's folly! I'll flutter to new delights instead"..
Violetta feels undeserving of anything so grand and wonderful as love, because of her position in life, which is a courtesan..Basically speaking, this is a highly paid whore..Her clients would be wealthy aristocrats..But Alfredo is keen..She was unaware that he came to visit her when she was ill, and it touched her that someone whom she barely knew, could come to care so much..
"Love, the heartbeat of the Universe..Mysterious exalted..Torment and
delight to my heart"..
ACT II, Scene 1. 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. Violetta has no intention of going back to her old life, but trouble intrudes with the appearance of Alfredo's father. Though impressed by Violetta's ladylike manners, he demands she renounce his son: the scandal of Alfredo's affair with her has threatened his daughter's engagement ("Pura siccome un angelo"). Violetta says she cannot, but Germont eventually convinces her ("Dite alla giovine"). He tells her she will be Alfredo's ruin, so she tells him 'not so', and shows him proof that she is keeping them on her money and not his..
"I would not have it otherwise"..
He is very cruel to her, telling her Alfredo will soon become bored,
and she will never have the sweet consolations of marriage..She
begins to believe what he says is true - God may forgive, but man
will not..
"Tell your daughter, so lovely and pure, that there was a poor,
unfortunate woman, who cherished a single spark of happiness, that
she sacrificed for her, and died"..
Alone, the desolate woman sends a message of acceptance to Flora and
begins a farewell note to Alfredo..She leaves, and Alfredo believes
this is the doing of Baron Douphol, that stole her back..Monsieur
Germont pleads with Alfredo to return home..
ACT II, Scene 2. At her soirée that evening, Flora learns from the Marquis that Violetta and Alfredo have parted, then clears the floor for hired entertainers - a band of fortune-telling Gypsies and some matadors who sing of Piquillo and his coy sweetheart ("E Piquillo un bel gagliardo"). Soon Alfredo strides in, making bitter comments about love and gambling recklessly at cards. Violetta has arrived with Baron Douphol, who challenges Alfredo to a game and loses a small fortune to him. Everyone goes in to supper, but Violetta has asked Alfredo to see her. Fearful of the Baron's anger, she wants Alfredo to leave, but he misunderstands her apprehension and demands that she admit she loves Douphol. Crushed, she pretends she does. Later, at the party, he enters suddenly, surprising her, and she can barely control herself..Alfredo, angry, asks everyone there if they know what she has done, ("Questa donna conoscete?") and of course, they do not, so he tells them..
"She sold all, for me, and now will I repay that", and throws his
winnings at her..Baron Douphol becomes angry with him, and tells him
to get out, as he has just insulted a lady..Even Alfredo's father
comes to her rescue, and states openly -
"He that insults a woman, is a coward..I do not see Alfredo in
you"..He is apologetic..
ACT III. In Violetta's bedroom six months later, Dr. Grenvil tells
Annina her mistress has not long to live: tuberculosis has claimed
her..
"My body is sick, but my mind is strong"..
"Soon, you'll be on the road to recovery"..
The doctor makes ready to leave, and on the way out, tells the
servant Annina that Violetta has a few hours left, at the most..
Alone, Violetta rereads a letter from Germont saying the Baron was only wounded in his duel with Alfredo, who knows all and is on his way to beg her pardon. But Violetta senses it is too late ("Addio del passato"). Paris is celebrating Mardi Gras and, after revelers pass outside, and Violetta asks Annina "how much money have we left"? She then tells her to give half to the poor, and then begins to let go of life, praying to God for forgiveness..
Annina rushes in to announce Alfredo. The lovers ecstatically plan to
leave Paris forever ("Parigi, o cara").
"No man or demon will part us now, my angel..Your health will blossom
once more, you'll be light and breath to me..The future will smile on
us"..
Germont enters with the doctor before Violetta is seized with a last
resurgence of strength..He embraces her like a daughter, and Alfredo
says "Father, do you see her"?
"Don't torture me anymore, I am full of remorse", he says..
She gives Alfredo a locket with a picture of her in her younger days..
"If one day, you meet a lady who gives her heart to you, you must
marry her, and give her this, saying, it is a gift from one who lives
with the angels"..
Monsieur Germont says to her "as long as I have tears, I'll weep for
you"..
Feeling life return, she staggers.."The pain has ceased! I am filled
with new strength! I am returning to life"! And then, she falls dead
in Alfredo's arms...
One hopes that this has been an enjoyable read, and that you will
experience this wonderful opera for yourself..No one can bring it to
life as well as Angela Gheorghiu can..Here is a short history on her,
and her works..In a very short time, she has become world renowned,
and her performances are a sellout within a matter of a few hours..
Angela Gheorghiu was born in Adjud, Romania, and graduated from the Bucharest Music Academy in 1990. Her magnificent voice and dazzling stage presence have established her as a unique international opera star. Since her 1992 debut at Covent Garden – where she made her first live recording and video in La traviata in 1994 – Ms Gheorghiu (now Mrs. Roberto Alagna), has been in constant demand in opera houses around the world.
In 1996 Angela Gheorghiu made her first EMI Classics recording, an album of Duets and Arias with Roberto Alagna and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In March 1997 EMI Classics released Puccini’s rarely recorded opera La Rondine. Since its release, the recording has received widespread critical acclaim; this culminated in two Gramophone Awards for Best Opera Recording and Record of the Year, a French Choc du Monde de la Musique, two Diapason d’Or awards, the Belgian Cecilia Prize, the German Deutsche Schallplattenkritik, the Italian magazine Musica e dischi Foreign Lyric Production award and the USA Critics’ Award. At the Classical Brit Awards in May 2001, she won the title of Female Artist of the Year.
In January 1998, Angela Gheorghiu signed an exclusive recording agreement with EMI Classics for solo recitals, duet albums and complete operas. Angela Gheorghiu recorded Gounod's Roméo et Juliette for EMI Classics (released in April 1998) and a second album of Verdi duets, Verdi per due, with Roberto Alagna, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (released in October 1998). She returned to Puccini with a recording of Gianni Schicchi (from Il Trittico), which was released in February 1999. In October 1999 she released Massenet’s Werther with the London Symphony Orchestra – in which she sings the role of Charlotte. In August 2000 EMI Classics released Ms Gheorghiu, again with Roberto Alagna in Massenet’s Manon. Her first solo album with EMI Classics, Casta Diva, was released in June 2001 to great acclaim, followed this year by a live recording of her 2001 Covent Garden recital. Prior to EMI Classics Angela Gheorghiu had a recording contract for Decca for whom she made several recordings.
In December 2000 Gheorghiu started filming for Tosca, a movie in which she stars alongside Roberto Alagna. The Tosca soundtrack was released in November 2001: "She is one of the most sensuous Tosca's imaginable...Angela Gheorghiu's passion and beauty are ideal for Tosca, as if the best qualities of Callas's and Tebaldi's portrayals had come together.” (Opera News, USA). It was also Gramophone, Recording of the month, December 2001. The film was released in the US in July 2002. Please see my previous review on "Tosca" here
In August 2002 a complete recording of Verdi's Il Trovatore was released, with Roberto Alagna and Antonio Pappano, and in February 2003 a new recording of Bizet's ever-popular Carmen will be issued with Gheorghiu in the title role, accompanied once again by Roberto Alagna and conducted this time by Michel Plasson.
Among major appearances in the 2000/01 season was Roméo et Juliette at Covent Garden in February/March 2000, for which her performance alongside Roberto Alagna in the title roles received rave reviews, and Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in October 2000. Engagements then included Gala concerts and appearances at the Royal Opera House, Hampton Court, and Royal Festival Hall (all in London) and New York’s Met, in the Summer of 2001, as well as La bohème at the Bastille in Paris at the end of October 2001. In January 2001 she performed in Verdi’s Requiem again with Alagna and the Berlin Philharmonic. The evening was recorded live in Berlin and released in August 2001.
The 2002/2003 season has included performances of La Rondine at Covent Garden; a historic performance at the ‘Prom at the Palace’ on June 1 to mark the Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and a major recital with Roberto Alagna in Seoul, South Korea. Gheorghiu also performs in Roméo et Juliette in Orange in France, and at this year's Salzburg Festival. The year 2003 will also include performances of Gounod's Faust at the Met in New York in March. July 2003 will see Angela Gheorghiu at Covent Garden in Pagliacci.
Ms Gheorghiu’s repertoire includes roles Mimì in La bohème, Violetta in La Traviata, Adina in L’Elisir d’amore, Liù in Turandot, Micaela in Carmen, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Magda in La Rondine, Suzel in L’Amico Fritz, Manon in Manon and Charlotte in Werther. In the future she will appear in Luisa Miller, Pagliacci, Faust, Adriana Lecouvreur, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Sonnambula, Tosca, Lucrezia Borgia and Simon Boccanegra. Ms Gheorghiu was recently honoured with ‘La Medaille Vermeille de la Ville de Paris’, and last year was appointed an ‘Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres’ by the French Ministry of Culture.
And there you have it! Again, I hope this review will have broadened your horizons, and that you come away with a real love for both opera, and the velvety voice of Angela Gheorghiu..Until next month.......
Silver~
Dark Blessings~
Edited By: Silver
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