Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala / Coro del Teatro alla Scala
CD 1
1 Preludio 2.45
Atto primo · Act One · Acte un · Erster Akt
2 Dell’invito trascorsa è già l’ora 1.25
Coro, Violetta, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore
3 In Alfredo Germont, o signora, ecco un altro che molto v’onora 3.42
Gastone, Violetta, Marchese, Alfredo, Flora, Barone, Dottore, coro
4 Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (Brindisi) 3.05
Alfredo, Violetta, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, Gastone, coro
5 Che è ciò? … Oh! qual pallor! 2.17
Coro, Violetta, Alfredo, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, Gastone
6 Un dì felice, eterea Alfredo, Violetta, Gastone 4.38
7 Si ridesta in ciel l’aurora Gastone, Flora, Marchese, Barone, Dottore, coro 1.43
8 È strano! Violetta 1.26
9 Ah, fors’è lui Violetta 5.25
10 Follie!… follie!… delirio vano è questo! … Sempre libera Violetta, Alfredo 5.02
Atto secondo · Act Two · Acte deux · Zweiter Akt
11 Lunge da lei per me non v’ha diletto! Alfredo 2.01
12 De’ miei bollenti spiriti Alfredo 2.18
13 Annina, donde vieni? — Da Parigi Alfredo, Annina 0.45
14 Oh mio rimorso! Alfredo 3.05
15 Alfredo? — Per Parigi or or partiva Violetta, Annina, Giuseppe 0.32
16 Ah, ah, scopriva Flora il mio ritiro! Violetta, Giuseppe, Germont 3.41
17 Pura siccome un angelo Germont, Violetta 3.24
18 Bella voi siete e giovine… col tempo… Germont, Violetta 3.29
19 Dite alla giovine Violetta, Germont 4.34
20 Imponete — Non amarlo ditegli Violetta, Germont 1.19
21 Morrò!… La mia memoria non fia ch’ei maledica Violetta, Germont 4.01
CD 2
1 Dammi tu forza, o cielo! Violetta, Annina, Alfredo 4.33
2 Ah, vive sol quel core all’amor mio! Alfredo, Giuseppe, Commissionario 1.11
3 Di Violetta! Perché son io commosso! Alfredo, Germont 1.28
4 Di Provenza il mar, il suol Germont, Alfredo 5.07
5 Né rispondi d’un padre all’affetto? Germont, Alfredo 0.49
6 No, non udrai rimproveri Germont, Alfredo 3.39
7 Avrem lieta di maschere la notte Flora, Marchese, Dottore 1.02
8 Noi siamo zingarelle Coro, Flora, Marchese 2.44
9 Di Madride noi siam mattadori Gastone, coro, Flora, Dottore, Marchese 2.47
10 Alfredo!… Voi! 3.39
Flora, Violetta, Marchese, Dottore, Gastone, Barone, Alfredo, Servo, coro
11 Invitato a qui seguirmi, verrà desso? Violetta, Alfredo 1.53
12 Or tutti a me 2.14
Alfredo, Flora, Marchese, Dottore, Gastone, Barone, Violetta, coro
13 Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende 6.39
Germont, Alfredo, Barone, Flora, Gastone, Dottore, Marchese, Violetta, coro
Atto terzo · Act Three · Acte trois · Dritter Akt
14 Preludio 4.16
15 Annina? — Comandate? Violetta, Annina, Dottore 4.47
16 “Teneste la promessa…” … Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti Violetta 8.15
17 Largo al quadrupede (Baccanale) Coro di Maschere 0.50
18 Signora… — Che t’accadde? Annina, Violetta, Alfredo 1.43
19 Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo Alfredo, Violetta 4.22
20 Ah, non più… a un tempio… Alfredo, andiamo Violetta, Alfredo 2.01
21 Gran Dio! morir sì giovine Violetta, Alfredo 2.48
22 Ah, Violetta! — Voi, signor! Germont, Violetta, Alfredo 1.55
23 Prendi, quest’è l’immagine de’ miei passati giorni 3.19
Violetta, Alfredo, Germont, Dottore, Annina
24 È strano!… — Che! — Cessarono gli spasimi del dolore 2.07
Violetta, Annina, Alfredo, Germont, Dottore
SYNOPSIS
CD 1 1 Prelude
Act One
2 The Parisian courtesan Violetta Valery is holding one of her far-famed, glittering parties. Among the guests are her rich lover, Baron Douphol, her friend Flora Bervoix and Doctor Grenvil. 3 A late arrival is Viscount Gastone de Letorières, who is accompanied by his friend, Alfredo Germont, a secret admirer of their beautiful hostess. When Gastone tells her that Germont had enquired after her every day when she was ill, Violetta expresses her surprise at such a show of sympathy. 4 In a brindisi, Alfredo praises the beauty of love, a love which for Violetta is like some passing bloom.
5 Violetta invites her guests to dance but is suddenly overcome by a feeling of weakness. While the others repair to the ballroom, she remains alone with Alfredo. 6 The young man confesses his love, but Violetta warns him that a courtesan like herself is incapable of feeling true love. She gives him a flower, however, and tells him to return when it has faded.
7 All the guests leave, 8–9 and Violetta is forced to admit the strength of her feelings for Alfredo, 10 but she shrugs off such sentimental thoughts, telling herself that there is no room for emotions in the senselessly sensuous life of Paris’s demi-monde.
Act Two
11-12 Succumbing to Alfredo’s importunities, Violetta has abandoned the city and, with it, her rich admirers and glittering parties. For three months she and Alfredo have been living happily together in a country house near Paris.
13 To his dismay, Alfredo discovers from their servant Annina that Violetta is planning to sell all her possessions, since only in this way can she continue to finance their country life together. 14 In order to prevent her, Alfredo decides to return to Paris.
15-16 Alfredo has barely left the house when his father, Giorgio Germont, unexpectedly arrives. He confronts Violetta and accuses her of destroying his son. Her proud demeanour takes him aback and finally he is forced to admit that she loves Alfredo dearly. 17-18 Nonetheless, he demands that she renounce Alfredo since his sister’s forthcoming marriage is in jeopardy unless he agrees to separate from his flighty lover. Since Alfredo would never willingly leave Violetta, Germont asks Violetta to leave his son. 19-20 Already seriously ill from consumption, the heart-broken Violetta agrees to Germont’s request, knowing that in doing so she is throwing away her last days of happiness in life. 21 Before he leaves, Germont promises that in due course he will tell his son the true reasons for her decision.
CD 2 1 On his retum, Alfredo notices Violetta’s distressed state, but she does what she can to calm him and assures him that she still loves him and leaves. 2–3 She is already on her way to Paris when a letter is brought to Alfredo, telling him of her decision to leave him. In his despair he sinks to the ground 4–6 and refuses to be consoled by his father, who now retums. Suddenly Alfredo’s eye is caught by a note on Violetta’s desk: it is from Flora, inviting her to a party. Alfredo rushes away, detemined to confront her there.
7 At Flora’s town house, the Marquis tells the astonished Doctor and Flora of Alfredo’s and Violetta’s separation. 8–9 Gastone introduces a group of party guests disguised as gypsies and toreadors, who entertain the other guests with their singing and dancing.
10 Alfredo appears and shortly afterwards Violetta herself enters on the arm of Baron Douphol. The two men confront each other over the gaming table, as the jealous Baron bets against Alfredo, who, on the principle of “Unlucky in love, lucky at cards”, wins hands down. 11 Violetta fears that the situation will get out of hand and, left alone with Alfredo, begs him to leave the party. In reply to his bitter questioning, she pretends to be in love with Douphol. 12 In a raging fury, he calls the guests together and throws his winnings at Violetta’s feet in payment for the hours of pleasure he has enjoyed with her. Profoundly wounded, Violetta collapses 13 and in the general indignation the Baron challenges Alfredo to a duel.
Act Three
15 Violetta’s consumption has grown worse since her separation from Alfredo. Doctor Grenvil attempts to cheer up the lonely invalid, but he confides in Annina the truth conceming her mistress’s health: the once so beautiful courtesan, with her irrepressible love of life, has now only a few hours to live. She herself has long since suspected her imminent death but she still hopes that she may be able to see Alfredo once more before she dies. 16 She reads a letter from Germont, telling her that, following his duel with the Baron, Alfredo had initially had to flee abroad but that his father had subsequently explained the background to Violetta’s behaviour, so that he is now hurrying back to his lover’s side to beg her forgiveness.17-18 A chorus of camival revellers floats up from the street outside at the moment that Annina announces Alfredo’s arrival. The lovers sink into each other’s arms and, 19-21 in the hope of a happy future together, swear their undying love. 12-14 Germont, too, arrives, full of remorse at his former harsh demand and ready to embrace Violetta as his daughter. But it is already too late. Violetta dies in Alfredo’s arms before the Doctor who has been summoned to her bedside, can do anything to save her. All that remains to Alfredo as a memento of his love is a locket containing a portrait of Violetta painted in days gone by.
Stefanie Schütte