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LA TRAVIATA

Student Matinee Guide

2010-2011 Season

MUSIC BY GIUSEPPE VERDI

TEXT BY FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE

PREMIERED IN VENICE, ITALY ON MARCH 6, 1853

BASED ON THE NOVEL LA DAME AUX CAMEILAS

BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. What to Expect at the Opera 3

II. Cast and Characters 4

III. Story of the Opera 5

IV. What to Listen For 7

V. Biography of Verdi 9

VI. Historical Context 11

VII. Production Personnel 13

VIII. Traviata WordFind! 15

IX. POPera Connections 16

X. Online Resources 17

XI. Post-Opera Activity 18

XII. Glossary of Operatic Terms 19

All material herein compiled and edited by Brian Hinrichs for Madison Opera.

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I. WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE OPERA

Welcome, from all of us at Madison Opera! We are thrilled you

have decided to attend the Student Matinee.

Opera combines elements of music, drama, visual art, and

movement to tell a story on stage. The history of opera goes

back to the Renaissance in Italy, and to this day it is

considered the grandest of the performing arts.

At the Student Matinee performance of Verdi‘s classic La Traviata (pronounced TRAH-VEE-AH-

TA), you will see a full length, fully staged production during the opera‘s final dress rehearsal.

Verdi is known for developing the Italian style of grand opera, which is characterized by large

casts, stunning sets, beautiful costumes and high drama, all of which you will see on stage at

Madison Opera. Our production will feature professional opera singers from around the world,

including the U.S. debut of the Italian tenor Giuseppe Varano, in addition to the Madison Opera

Chorus and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Before the performance, the cast will have been

in rehearsal for a three week period in Madison, working closely with the stage director.

Madison Opera‘s staging of La Traviata will be traditional, placing the action in the mid-19th

century in Paris. Our sets and costumes are grand and luxurious, giving the impression of

flowing, rich fabrics and elegant visuals, all evocative of the time period. During intermission,

we‘ll leave the curtain up so your students can get a sense of our backstage operation.

Because La Traviata is sung in Italian, we will project translations of the text above the stage so

you can understand every word. However, it is always helpful (and rewarding!) to study the

opera ahead of time, so we hope you‘ll enjoy this guide to the fullest.

Please review the following opera etiquette with your students:

• Sit quietly in your seat, keeping shuffling and shifting to a minimum.

• No talking during the performance, as it disturbs other audience members, the performers

onstage, and it will cause one to miss important parts of the action. Intermission is the perfect

time to discuss what you‘re seeing.

• No food or drink is allowed in the theater.

• Turn off all electronic devices. Take photos in the lobby, and save your texts for later!

• Applaud to welcome the conductor when you see him enter the orchestra pit.

• Show appreciation by applauding at the conclusion of a song (the orchestra will pause) and

at the end of an act.

• When the opera is over, you my also call out “Bravo!” to thank the performers for a job

well done.

• Find different things onstage or in the orchestra to focus on. Students will want to follow

the action onstage and the progress of the story, but you may also suggest that they watch the

orchestra and the conductor, or make a point to observe lighting, scenery, and costumes.

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II. CAST OF CHARACTERS

Violetta Valery: a courtesan in Paris, famous for being a carefree party girl

>Performer: ELIZABETH CABALLERO, a Cuban-American soprano based in

Miami and a rising opera star with credits at the Metropolitan Opera

Alfredo Germont: a nobleman from the country, in love with Violetta

>Performer: GIUSEPPE VARANO, an Italian tenor who has performed across

Europe, making his U.S. debut in Madison

Giorgio Germont: Alfredo‘s father, who disapproves of Violetta

>Performer: DONNIE RAY ALBERT, a leading international baritone hailed for

his “powerful voice” by the San Francisco Chronicle

Supporting roles:

Flora: Violetta‘s friend and accomplice in Paris

Annina: Violetta‘s maid

Gastone: Alfredo‘s friend, a count

Baron Douphol: an older man, Violetta‘s escort and current fling

Grenvil: Violetta‘s doctor

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III. STORY OF THE OPERA

PLACE:

Paris and the surrounding area, around 1850

SUMMARY:

Violetta Valery is the toast of the town. Known as the go-to party girl in Paris, she has a

reputation as an independent spirit, despite keeping the company of the wealthy Baron

Douphol. But everything changes when Alfredo enters the picture. A quiet nobleman from the

countryside, he has admired Violetta from afar and finally confesses his love. After resisting at

first, Violetta soon gives in and abandons the life of freedom she thought she wanted. However,

complications arise during the couple‘s carefree escape to the countryside when Alfredo‘s father

expresses his disapproval of the relationship. What ensues is a heartbreaking tale of love

broken and life unfulfilled, all set to some of Verdi‘s most memorable music.

SYNOPSIS:

ACT I. The courtesan Violetta Valéry has been out

most of the night running from party to party with a

group of friends, who are now continuing the

festivities in her Paris apartment. Flora, the Marquis,

Gastone, and Violetta‘s ―boyfriend‖ the Baron

Douphol are among the revelers, as is a new admirer

of Violetta‘s, Alfredo Germont. Having long adored

her from afar, Alfredo now flirts with Violetta in a

rousing drinking song. As the guests move to

another room of the house to hear an orchestra play,

Violetta suffers a fainting spell. Quickly regaining her composure, she assures her friends that

all she needs are a few minutes alone. Concerned, Alfredo returns and confesses his love.

Violetta makes light of his declaration – she seeks pleasure, not love. But he persists, and she

agrees to meet him the next day. After the guests depart, Violetta thinks more about her new

suitor, wondering if Alfredo could be the man to change her life. But she quickly opts instead for

continued freedom, as Alfredo‘s voice, heard outside, sings of the pleasures of romance.

ACT II. Scene 1. For three months Alfredo and Violetta have been

living blissfully in a country house near Paris. Alfredo reflects on their

contentment (―De‘ miei bollenti spiriti‖). When their servant Annina

reveals that Violetta has sold her possessions to keep the house,

Alfredo hurries off to the city to settle matters at his own cost. Violetta

enters and receives an invitation from Flora to a party that evening.

She is soon surprised by the arrival of Alfredo‘s father, Giorgio

Germont, who demands that Violetta break off her affair with his son;

the scandal of their relationship has threatened Germont‘s daughter‘s

engagement (―Pura siccome un angelo‖). Violetta says that she

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cannot, but she eventually gives in (―Dite alla giovine‖). Alone, the desolate woman sends a

message of acceptance to Flora and starts writing 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. A servant brings Violetta‘s note to Alfredo as Germont

returns to console his son and remind him of his loving family back home in Provence (―Di

Provenza‖). But Alfredo, catching sight of Flora‘s invitation, suspects Violetta has left him for

another lover. Furious, he resolves to confront her at the party.

Scene 2. At her ―Spanish soirée‖ that evening, Flora

learns from the Marquis that Violetta and Alfredo

have separated, then clears the floor for hired

entertainers—a band of fortune-telling gypsies and

matadors (―E Piquillo un bel gagliardo‖). Before long,

Alfredo strides in, making bitter comments about love

and gambling recklessly at cards. Violetta arrives with

Baron Douphol, who challenges Alfredo to a game

and loses a small fortune to him. The crowd moves to

another room for supper. Violetta has asked to speak with Alfredo privately. Fearful of the

baron‘s anger, she wants Alfredo to leave, but he misunderstands her apprehension and

demands that she admit she loves Douphol. Hurt by the accusation, she says that she does.

Alfredo calls in the others, denounces his former love, and cruelly hurls his winnings at her feet

(―Questa donna conoscete?‘‘). Violetta is distraught. Germont arrives in time to witness his son‘s

rash act and denounces his behavior. The guests rebuke Alfredo, and Douphol challenges him

to a duel.

ACT III. In Violetta‘s bedroom six months later, Dr. Grenvil

tells Annina that her mistress does not have long to live:

she will soon die of tuberculosis. Alone, Violetta re-reads

a letter from Germont saying the Baron was only

wounded in his duel with Alfredo, who knows everything

and is on his way to beg her pardon. But Violetta senses

it is too late (―Addio, del passato‖). In a feverish daze, she

hears street revelers celebrating Mardi Gras and believes

them to be her old friends. As she rushes downstairs to

join them, Annina stops her, announcing that Alfredo has arrived. Ecstatically, the lovers plan to

leave Paris forever (―Parigi, o cara‖). Germont enters with the doctor, but Violetta says she feels

her strength miraculously returning. But this surge of vitality lasts just a moment; she suddenly

staggers and falls dead at her lover‘s feet.

Courtesy of Opera News

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IV. WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

Verdi crafted his music to make the listener aware of certain elements of the plot. See if you can

detect the following techniques as you watch and listen to La Traviata:

> Reoccurring musical themes

The first notes of the prelude, played before the curtain rises, establish the theme of Violetta‘s

suffering from her illness, tuberculosis. This same theme is heard in the final act as Violetta

nears death. In this same prelude a theme is introduced that portrays Violetta‘s love. This love

theme is repeated in Act II when Violetta bids Alfredo goodbye.

> Contrasting melodic lines played simultaneously

Verdi illustrates the two very opposing life styles of La Traviata: The desperate, suffering and

sad love story of Violetta, and the merry life of a Parisian courtesan. At the beginning of the

opera super imposed over Violetta‘s love theme is a bright and witty melodic line that makes us

think of parties and festivities- of people enjoying the good life. In the final act, as we hear the

sad theme associated with Violetta‘s illness, counter-balanced is the music and singing heard in

the streets outside of Violetta‘s apartment.

> Familiar music

So much of Verdi‘s music is used in popular commercials and as background music because

you can easily sing or hum his thematic lines. Have you ever heard the music of the drinking

song, ―Libiamo?‖ Can you hum the melody?

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This theme, and other Verdi has written, are so engaging that they have become recognizable

by many people who are not all that familiar with the entire opera. The party scene in Act II with

the gypsies and matadors is memorable for the bright and exuberant singing and the dancing in

colorful costumes by the entire opera chorus. One of the most popular arias of La Traviata is

known as ―Sempre Libera (Forever Free).‖ This aria is a musical form known as a ―cabaletta.‖ It

is sprightly, fast, short in length and catches our attention. It makes us immediately aware of

Violetta‘s interest in returning to her former merry life.

> Theatrical devices

When Violetta reads the farewell letter she has written to Alfredo, she ―speaks‖ the words. There

is a musical background, but it serves to echo her feelings, rather than to accompany her voice.

The technique employed here is called ―melodrama,‖ that is, a dramatic reading with a melodic

background.

> A superstar soprano

In Act I when Violetta first discovers her love for Alfredo, Verdi writes a bold coloratura solo

(coloratura sopranos have very strong voices, sing in the highest vocal range and specialize in

florid runs and trills). At one point, the orchestra drops out and Violetta sings a ―cadenza‖ (a

section of an aria that shows off the singer‘s virtuosity) by herself. Verdi wrote difficult parts for

soprano singers. In La Traviata the coloratura singer is expected to push the limits of her vocal

range, sing powerfully and, in addition, be an excellent actor to portray the difficult role of

Violetta. The singing role is so difficult in the first act that Verdi gives the singer a little rest at the

beginning of the second act while Giorgio Germont sings. In the rest of the opera, the soprano is

required to sing dramatically. Coloratura sopranos are not usually required to be dramatic

sopranos in the same opera, so the role of Violetta requires a virtual superstar to sing the part.

Courtesy of Washington Opera

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V. GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813 – 1901)

Born in 1813 in the Italian village of Le Roncole near Busseto,

Giuseppe Verdi spent his early years studying the organ. By the

age of seven, he had become an organist at the church of San

Michele Arcangelo. It was there that the young Verdi was an altar

boy and, according to myth, his mother saved him from the

French in 1814. In 1823, Verdi moved to Busseto where he

attended music school and by the age of 13 was an assistant

conductor of the Busseto orchestra. After finishing school, Verdi

applied for admission to the Milan Conservatory. He was rejected

for admission, although one of the examiners suggested that he

"forget about the Conservatory and choose a maestro in the city"

to study with. Verdi studied composition in Milan with Vincenzo

Lavigna, a composer and the conductor at the famous opera

theater La Scala. Verdi bounced back and forth between Milan and Busseto until he was named

conductor of the Busseto Philharmonic in March 1836.

By May 1836, Verdi married childhood sweetheart, Margherita Barezzi, who also happened to

be the daughter of his greatest supporter. He returned to Milan several years later, this time with

a young family. Verdi's first opera, Oberto, was brought to the stage at La Scala in November

1839 and ran for multiple performances. The noted Ricordi firm published Oberto and, based

upon his initial operatic effort, Verdi won a contract for three additional operas. He began work

on his next opera, Un Giorno di Regno, but was interrupted when, one by one, his family fell ill.

A little over the course of a year, Verdi lost his son, his daughter, and his beloved wife to illness.

Unfortunately, Un Giorno was a complete failure.

Verdi vowed never to compose another comedy and began to believe that everyone had a

predetermined destiny, even if that meant death at a young age. Throughout this troubled

period, the director at La Scala still believed in Verdi, and it was Verdi himself who later

declared that with his next work, Nabucco, "my musical career really began." At dress

rehearsals for Nabucco in the La Scala theater, carpenters making repairs to the house

gradually stopped hammering and, seating themselves on scaffolding and ladders, listened with

rapt attention to what the composer considered a lackluster chorus. At the close of the number

(the famous Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) the workers pounded the woodwork with cries of

"Bravo, bravo, viva il maestro!" The opening of Nabucco was a triumph. Verdi was famous,

commanding a higher fee than any other composer of his time.

I Lombardi followed Nabucco and won an unprecedented victory over Austrian censors. Verdi's

triumph in retaining the libretto and melodic themes the censors had hoped to ban as "religious"

in nature forged the composer's lifelong reputation as an ideological hero of the Italian people.

This would be the first of his many battles with censors for artistic freedom.

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Over the next seven years, the composer penned ten additional operas of varied success,

gradually making the transition between two distinct eras of Verdi composition. Initially captive

of the "bel canto" style of Donizetti which focused almost solely on vocal purity and elegance,

Verdi continually experimented to produce his own operatic genre in which drama was driven by

melody and characters had an identifiable musical essence.

In explaining his work Il Trovatore, Verdi said: "I think (if I'm not mistaken) that I have done well;

but at any rate I have done it in the way that I felt it." In saying so, he defined his own creative

hallmark. Although a musical genius, Verdi composed spontaneously from the heart. A brilliantly

schooled musician, he placed emotional sensibility above intellect in all that he wrote. In the

process, he created the remarkable marriage of dramatic characterization and vocal power, an

indelible artistic signature.

The creation of an operatic tour de force based upon his ingenious

artistic formulation assured Verdi's immortality, beginning in 1851

with Rigoletto, followed soon after by Il Trovatore, La Traviata, and

ultimately in 1871, by Aida. Even without the masterpieces that

followed - Simon Boccanegra, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del

Destino, and Don Carlos or his great Requiem Mass - the Maestro

could have afforded to rest on his musical achievements and stand

unchallenged as the premier operatic composer of any age. In fact,

with the success of Aida, Verdi seemed to have abandoned

composing altogether, producing no new works for fifteen years.

Fortunately an electrifying libretto for Otello, created by poet Arrigo

Boito, brought the composer out of his self-imposed retirement.

The opening of Otello in February of 1887 attracted an

international audience to Milan for a dramatic event which ended

only after the citizenry had showered Verdi with gifts and applause

throughout twenty curtain calls and towed his carriage to the hotel.

Public festivities continued until dawn.

In 1893, with the premiere of Falstaff, Verdi and his adoring audience repeated the entire

sequence of events at La Scala - all in honor of a comedy he had vowed as a young man never

to write. The maestro finally retreated to his country home in Sant' Agata with his second wife,

singer Giuseppina Strepponi. They spent several peaceful years in retirement until her death in

1897. His wife's death left Verdi in a state of unbearable grief. He immediately fled Sant' Agata

for the Grand Hotel in Milan and, after four unhappy years, Verdi died in 1901, the victim of a

massive stroke. Verdi's death left all Italy in mourning. He still is revered throughout the music

world as the greatest of operatic composers and, more particularly, in Italy as a patriotic hero

and champion of human rights.

Courtesy of Arizona Opera.

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VII. HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Verdi‘s life covered a period of great musical and political upheaval. When he was born, the

classical period of Mozart and Haydn had already begun to pass, and the highly ornate bel

canto operas of Bellini and Donizetti were enormously popular. Soon, the dramatically nuanced

and musically full bodied Romantic style began to take over, varying greatly between France,

Italy, and Germany, where Wagner‘s ―music dramas‖ were considered revolutionary. Politically,

the 19th century saw the unification of Italy in 1861 after a period of revolution that Verdi‘s opera

Nabucco is said to have partly inspired. The following dates mark significant events in Verdi‘s

life, in Italy, and around the world, from 1813 to 1901.

1813: Giuseppe Verdi is born in Busseto, Italy, then part of the First French Empire, under the

rule of Napoleon

1814: Napoleon is defeated and is exiled to St. Elba

1815: Napoleon escapes, but is defeated again at the Battle of Waterloo; Congress of Vienna

restores Austrian rule to the Kingdom of Italy

1823: The Monroe Doctrine declares that European powers must not colonize or interfere with

independent nations in the Americas

1827: Beethoven dies

1831: Premiere of Norma, Bellini‘s most influential opera

1836: Verdi marries first wife, his childhood sweetheart

1838: Photography invented; Charles Dickens writes Oliver Twist

1839: Verdi‘s first opera, Oberto, premieres at La Scala in Milan

1842: Premiere of Verdi‘s Nabucco, in which the plight of the oppressed Jews was instantly

compared to the plight of the Northern Italians under the Austrian Empire

1843: Wagner‘s The Flying Dutchman premieres in Dresden

1848: Revolution of 1848 in France results in the establishment of the Second French Republic,

spreads revolutionary movements throughout Europe, including Italy; death of bel canto opera

composer Gaetano Donizetti

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1853: Premiere of Verdi‘s La Traviata at La

Fenice in Venice

1858: Birth of composer Giacomo Puccini

1859: War in Italy gradually removes

Austrian rulers from northern states; Charles

Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species

1861: First Italian parliament is called, at

peak of unification process, and Rome is

declared the capitol of Italy; American Civil

War– begins

1866: Austria cedes rule of Venice to Italy

1870: Rome is seized from the Pope by the

Italian army, effectively ending the battle for

Italian unification

1871: Triumphant premiere of Verdi‘s Aida; end of the Franco-Prussian war

1876: First complete performances of Wagner‘s Ring Cycle at Bayreuth

1887: Premiere of Verdi‘s Otello, finally shows the influence of Wagner‘s style on the

consummate Italian Verdi

1896: Premiere of Puccini‘s La boheme represents changing of the guard in Italian opera; new

style is more realistic, with through-composed music

1901: Verdi dies in Milan

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VII. PRODUCTION PERSONNEL

Onstage....

Backstage...

STAGE DIRECTOR:

responsible for action on stage

MUSIC DIRECTOR:

coaches singers and conducts orchestra and chorus

SET DESIGNER:

designs scenery for the opera

LIGHTING DESIGNER:

manipulates lights to create effects and set mood on stage

COSTUME DESIGNER:

creates clothes singers will wear on stage

STAGE MANAGER:

responsible for lighting and sound cues, entrances and exits of performers; makes sure the show keeps pace

STAGE CREW:

moves sets and props around stage

PROPS MANAGER:

makes sure props are placed accurately

COSTUME SUPERVISOR:

edits and mends costumes, fits artists, assited by dressers

MAKEUP ARTIST:

applies makeup and ensures artists look their part

THEATER TECHNICIANS:

operate lighting board and handle various electrical, audio, and effects jobs

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STAGE DIRECTOR – GARNETT BRUCE

Mr. Bruce began his musical training as a choirboy at the Washington

National Cathedral and later earned his Bachelor of Arts in English and

Drama from Tufts University. Internships followed with Harold Prince for his

1990 production of Faust at the Metropolitan Opera, and with Leonard

Bernstein for his legendary performances and final recording of Candide.

These early experiences led to his work on the directing staffs of the San

Francisco, Houston Grand, Santa Fe, Dallas, Washington National, and San

Diego Operas - working under celebrated directors such as Francesca

Zambello, Bruce Beresford, John Copley, Lotfi Mansouri, John Cox, Stephen Lawless and

Nathaniel Merrill. Today, Garnett is based in Baltimore, Maryland and directs across the United

States. He most recently has staged Don Giovanni at Opera Omaha, La Traviata at Austin Lyric

Opera, and Tosca at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, earning wide critical acclaim.

CONDUCTOR / MUSIC DIRECTOR – JOHN DEMAIN

Maestro John DeMain is known in Madison for his roles as Artistic Director of

Madison Opera and Music Director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He

is also known internationally as the Tony and Grammy Award winning

conductor of Gershwin‘s Porgy and Bess at the Houston Grand Opera and in

New York. As the Music Director of Houston Grand Opera for 18 years, he

led significant world premieres of works by John Adams, Leonard Bernstein,

and Philip Glass. A native of Youngstown, Ohio, John DeMain began his

career as a pianist and earned a Bachelor and Master's Degree in Music at

the Juilliard School in New York City. In addition to his current duties in Madison, he has

recently conducted at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Vancouver Opera, and San Francisco Opera.

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER – DESMOND HEELEY

The English designer Desmond Heeley has led a long and legendary

career, beginning as an apprentice at the Shakespeare Memorial

Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. His practical skills in costuming and

painting was noticed by the director Peter Brook, who gave Heeley his

first commission and later let him design sets for a famous production

starting Sir Laurence Olivier. In 1968, he won 2 Tony Awards for his

sets and costumes in Rosencrantz and Guilderstein are Dead on

Broadway. Heeley is currently back on Broadway, with sets and

costumes for the acclaimed revival of The Importance of Being Earnest.

The designer created the sets and costumes for this production of La

Traviata in 1993, and they offer all of his trademark touches. What appear to be rich and flowing

draperies are in fact impressionistic paintings by Heeley himself. A child of the Depression, he

has said his earliest influences were making arts and crafts with found objects. In La Traviata,

he demonstrates his continued passion for found and recycled objects with a little known secret:

the stunning chandeliers are in fact made of Dairy Queen spoons!

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VIII. TRAVIATA WordFind!

F N V D Q N L G Z S Q V S I A D

L A E U O Y I A K Z E O C S L C

O A R E R F V S S S R T O I F A

R R D T D S N T Q P U N L D R S

A E I W O E E O A B T A O N E D

R P U L E W R N S D R C R I D D

X O B Q M X G E V F E L A R O O

C A B A L E T T A K V E T B Q U

M K N E P C Z U A Y O B U S J P

E G J L P J S W T N P Y R O J H

V A N N I N A T T O A D A M B O

A Z O R T O V I E Z L F U K K L

I L C S M H P L L H L Z T M W N

P F E C Y V G I O R G I O N A F

D W R K P H G K I A R I A G R S

X J D S P B P D V L V Y Q B J Y

Characters:

Violetta, Alfredo, Giorgio, Flora, Annina, Gastone, Douphol, Grenvil

Creators:

Verdi, Piave, Dumas

Terms:

opera, overture, aria, duet, cabaletta, brindisi, bel canto, coloratura

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IX. POPera CONNECTIONS

Movies influenced by LA TRAVIATA

>Pretty Woman (1990) – Director Garry Marshall has a soft spot for opera. In

fact, he‘s directed operas for the stage before, and in Pretty Woman, he makes

perfect use of La Traviata. The story of the movie parallel‘s that of La Traviata,

with Julia Roberts as the Violetta character. In one famous scene, her ―Alfredo‖

Richard Gere takes her to a performance of La Traviata at the San Francisco

Opera, and it moves her to tears. Click to watch the scene online.

>Moulin Rouge (2001) – In this epic Baz Luhrmann film starring Nicole

Kidman and Ewan McGregor, La Traviata receives the full Hollywood

treatment. Christian (McGregor) is a wannabe poet who defies his father to join

the nightlife of Paris in 1899, where he falls for the glamorous dancer and

party girl Satine (Kidman). Problem is, Satine is supposed to be an escort for

an older, wealthier man, and she‘s secretly dealing with a fatal illness. Sound

familiar? It‘s Verdi all over again!

Commercials that use Verdi’s music from LA TRAVIATA

La Traviata contains some of the most popular music ever written to this day. Here are just a

few advertisements that make use of it:

>Huggies (uses ―Libiamo‖ from Act 1, Scene 1): Click to watch online.

> Skittles (also uses ―Libiamo‖, and a singing rabbit): Click to watch online.

> Heineken (uses ―Sempre Libera‖ from Act 1, Scene 1): Click to watch online.

> Nissan (also uses ―Sempre Libera‖): Click to watch online.

> EA Games (uses the ―Gypsy Chorus‖ from Act 2, Scene 2): Click to watch online.

*A 2011 commerical by Bertolli also makes use of ―Libiamo‖!

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X. ONLINE RESOURCES

A Brief History of Opera:

http://www.operaamerica.org/content/education/learningCenter/intro.aspx

Score for La Traviata:

> http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bhr7293/index.html

English translation of La Traviata:

> http://www.dennisalbert.com/Opera/latraviata.htm

Biography and Discography of Giuseppe Verdi:

> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/July06/Verdi_conspectus1.htm

La Traviata samples:

> Act I - ―Libiamo‖ - http://youtu.be/NcKdnkGBSgA

> Act I - ―Sempre Libera‖ - http://youtu.be/I-AcsT9LRII

> Act II.i - ―Lunga da Lei‖ - http://youtu.be/EWMTDFQad4k

> Act II.i - ―Di Provenza il mar‖ - http://youtu.be/0saYfRBGBXY

> Act II.ii - ―Gypsy and Matador Chorus‖- http://youtu.be/Tc-PjPf-uIE

> Act III - ―Ah, Violetta (Finale)‖ - http://youtu.be/mg4204jQZqI

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XI. POST-OPERA ACTIVITY

What is beautiful or artful? Everyone has a different opinion, and there are many diverse ways

to judge a work of art. The first performances of La Traviata were panned by critics, and yet

today it is considered a masterpiece. After attending the Student Matinee, encourage your

students to explore their feelings and opinions. The purpose of this activity is to get students to

consider aesthetic judgments. Here are some topics for consideration:

Topics to consider during the performance

Execution – The quality of the musical performance by singers and orchestra;

implementation of set and lighting changes by stage crew

Interpretation – How the director translates the story to the stage

Design – Sets and lighting choices to convey people and places

Realism – How relatable and real the action feels

Thematic – The ideas and message conveyed by the opera

Expressionism – The emotional impact of the music and the acting

Formalism – The structure and story arch of the opera; the balance of drama and music

How to structure a review

Students should include the name of the work being reviewed; where and when the

reviewer attended the performance; names of the main performers, the director, the

designers, and the conductor

A description of what was seen.

A judgment of what was seen. Was the performance good or bad and why.

What are some things that can go wrong in the performance of an opera? Did they go

wrong?

Does the acting convey the expressive content of the words and music?

Do the singers have voices that are pleasing to you? Explain for each of the main

singers.

Was the balance between the singers and orchestra appropriate? Remember that there

may be a hundred performers in the orchestra, and they could easily drown out the

singers.

Describe the settings of the various scenes. Did they bring the story to life in the way the

composer intended?

Was the lighting appropriate?

Would you recommend this production to others?

Madison Opera would love to hear from your students. Please send any student reviews

to: studentreviews@madisonopera.org

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XII. OPERA GLOSSARY

aria: From the Italian work for "air." A song for a solo voice with instrumental accompaniment.

adagio: A smooth, slow tempo.

andante: A relaxed, walking tempo.

apron: The front part of the stage between the orchestra pit and the curtain.

ballad opera: Combines spoken dialogue with well-known vocal tunes and dances. Popular in England in

early 18th century.

baritone: The middle male voice, close to a French horn in range and tone color. In comic opera, the

baritone is often the ringleader of the highjinks, but in tragic opera, he is usually the villain. The range is

from G an octave and a half below middle C to G above.

baroque: Baroque operas, popular from the early-1600s to the mid-1700s, are characterized by elaborate

vocals and emotional, highly stylized and fanciful plots.

bass baritone: A rare male voice, with a large range and a color between baritone and bass.

bass: The lowest male voice, it is similar to a trombone or bassoon in range and color. Low voices

usually suggest age and wisdom in a serious opera (basso profundo). In comedic opera, they are

generally used for old characters who are foolish or laughable (basso buffo). The range

basso buffo: A category of bass voice; a singer who specializes in comic characters.

basso profundo: The most serious of the bass voices.

bel canto: Meaning "beautiful singing," a fluid and lyrical vocal style popular in the mid-17th to mid-19th

centuries. The singing takes precedence over the words or plot.

bravo: Bravo! is the Italian word for expressing appreciation to a male performer.

brava: Brava! is the Italian word for expressing appreciation to a female performer

brindisi: a drinking song, usually sung by chorus and a staple of 19th century operas

cabaletta: a type of aria that is sprightly, fast, short in length and catches our attention, mastered by

Verdi

cadenza: A series of difficult, fast, high notes, sung at the end of an aria. Often improvised, singers use

them to demonstrate their vocal abilities.

camerata: A gathering of writers and musicians who met regularly, in the late 16th century, to discuss

and experiment with art.

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cantata: Generally for chorus and soloists, a musical form based primarily on narrative text.

casting: Casting is done principally according to voice type. Voice types are basically predetermined by a

person‘s physical makeup. Singers can develop and stretch the instrument (the voice) with practice, and

there is a certain amount of change in every voice as a person ages. However, we are each born with the

voice mechanisms that we keep for the rest of our lives.

castrato: A castrated male with a much-prized high singing voice.

choreographer: The person who designs the movement of a dance

chorus: members of the opera chorus. Choruses are used in most operas to provide vocal

accompaniment to the principal singers, or they may have their own numbers. Many of them play parts

such as townspeople, soldiers, etc.

coda: The final idea presented in a musical composition.

coloratura: A very high-pitched soprano with great vocal agility and high range, able to sing complicated

vocal ornamentation (applicable to all vocal ranges). Lucia is sung by a coloratura soprano

commedia dell'arte: Popular in Italy, plots revolve around disguises, mistaken identities, and

misunderstanding..

contralto: The lowest female voice, sometimes called alto. A true contralto is a very rare voice type,

similar in range to a clarinet. It is usually reserved for an older female or special character parts such as

witches and old gypsies. Its range is two octaves from F below middle C.

counter tenor: The highest male voice, which was mainly used in oratorio and very early (baroque)

opera.

curtain call: Bows at the end of a performance

designer: The person who creates the lighting, costumes or sets.

deus ex machina: A staging or literary device referring to salvation from a tricky situation by a god or

goddess.

diaphragm: The muscle and connective tissue that separates the chest and abdominal cavity. A singer

learns to make the diaphragm stretch to let the lungs fill completely with air. Then, tightens the diaphragm

to push out the air at the desired volume and speed.

director: The person who instructs the singer-actors in their movements on-stage and in the

interpretation of their roles.

diva: A female opera star. Translated into "goddess"; may imply a demanding or high-strung star.

dramatic: Description used for the heaviest voice type, capable of sustained declamation and a great

deal of power, even over the largest operatic orchestra of about 80 instruments.

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ensemble: Two or more people singing at the same time, or the music written for such a group.

falsetto: The upper part of a voice in which the vocal cords do not vibrate fully, more often used in

reference to male voices. Falsetto is frequently used by male characters when they are imitating females,

but it should not be used only for comic effects. Some tenors have been able to integrate the falsetto into

the rest of their voice, which makes for beautiful soft singing.

finale: Usually involving a large number of cast members, the last song of an act.

grand opera: Opera in the grand manner, signified by grandeur and size in cast, orchestra and sets. May

be epic in scale and deal with weighty matters.

heldentenor: Derived from the German prefix meaning heroic, this is used to describe a large voice with

a brilliant range capable of performing the most demanding roles, usually used in reference to roles

written by Richard Wagner.

imbroglio: Chaos and confusion during an operatic scene, created by diversity of rhythm and melody.

intermezzo: A short musical entertainment between acts.

interlude: A short piece of instrumental music played between scenes or acts.

leitmotiv: A musical theme used throughout an opera to identify a character or plot situation. Also called

a ‗signature tune‘. It is identified with Wagner‘s operas in which the device was developed.

libretto: Italian for "little book," the text accompanying the opera.

lyric: Average-sized voice, neither extremely agile, nor especially dramatic.

lyric spinto: Spinto literally means pushed, but understood as somewhat heavier than the true lyric.

maestro: A courtesy title given conductors, composers, and directors. Italian for "Master."

masque: A blending of music, poetry, song, and dance.

mezzo soprano: Also called a mezzo, the middle female voice similar to an oboe in range. The mezzo

sound is often darker and warmer than the soprano. In opera, composers generally use the mezzo voice

to portray older women such as mothers, villainesses, seductive heroines, or in a few instances, a young

girl. A special operatic convention is the use of the mezzo to play young men, called trouser roles or

pants parts. The mezzo‘s normal range is from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above it.

opera buffa: Comic opera, popular in late 18th and early 19

th century. Opposite of opera seria.

opera seria: A formal, serious opera, particularly prevalent in the 18th century.

operetta: Light-hearted musical entertainment containing dance, spoken dialogue, and practical jokes. A

musical.

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opera: A play that is sung. In opera, singing is the way characters express themselves. ‗Opera‘ is the

Latin word for ‗opus‘. Opera involves many different arts; singing, acting, orchestral playing, scenic

artistry, costume design, lighting, and dance. Opera is acted out on a stage with performers in costumes,

wigs and make-up. Virtually all operatic characters sing their lines, although there are exceptions where a

role in an opera will be spoken or performed in pantomime.

opera comique: French form of opera in which spoken dialogue alternates with self-contained musical

numbers. The earliest examples of opéra-comique were satiric comedies with interpolated songs, but the

form later developed into serious musical drama distinguished from other opera only by its spoken

dialogue.

opus: A single work or composition.

oratorio: A musical composition with religious, serious, or philosophical text for chorus, orchestra, and

soloists.

orchestra: The group of instrumentalists or musicians who, led by the conductor, accompany the singers.

orchestration: The art of writing for the orchestra. Decisions about what instruments should play which

parts of the music can affect the sound of a composition a great deal.

overture: The instrumental introduction to the opera, usually containing excerpts of the opera's themes.

prima donna: "First lady" or the female star of the opera.

principal arists: Big stars in opera and are cast in the main roles; they are on stage for greater amounts

of time and have the most solo work.

prompter: Sitting in a small box under the stage's apron, a prompter gives singers and choristers their

vocal cues and provides assistance for any on-stage memory lapses.

range: Definitions of different human voices—bass, baritone, tenor, contralto, mezzo soprano, soprano.

raked stage: A stage which slants upward away from the view of the audience.

recitative: The sung words which often come before an aria or ensemble, usually acting as dialogue. The

purpose of recitative is to advance the plot.

romantic :The period of music roughly between the early to mid 1800's and the early 1900's.

soprano: The highest female voice, with a sound similar to a flute in range. In opera, the soprano is most

often the heroine, since a high bright voice traditionally suggests youth, innocence, and virtue. The

normal range of a soprano is two octaves up from middle C, sometimes with extra top notes.

soubrette: A soprano or mezzo of very light vocal weight and comparatively small range, generally cast

as a young girl with a happy disposition.

staccato: Characterized by short, clipped, rapid articulation.

supernumeraries: The principal artists are the big stars in an opera, but opera would not be opera

without the addition of a great many more people. One such group is the supernumeraries or ―supers.”

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The supernumeraries are the masses you see on stage. They do not sing or have speaking roles, but

serve the very important purpose of making big crowd scenes believable. The supers must learn their

blocking or stage positions when they are on stage. In some opera companies, they also must learn to do

their own makeup, put on their own wigs and costumes, and be at all the rehearsals the director

schedules for them. If you have an itching to get on the big stage, becoming a super may be just the

ticket you are looking for!

supporting artists: These singers have smaller, but still individual roles.

tenor: Usually the highest male voice in opera. It is similar to a trumpet in range, tone, color, and

acoustical ring. The tenor is usually the hero. Ranges from the C below middle C to the C above.

tessitura: The average pitch of a piece. Tessitura encompasses all notes from the lowest to the highest.

trill: Two rapidly and repeatedly alternated notes.

trouser or pants role: A male character sung by a woman, usually a mezzo soprano.

verismo: Italian word for ―realism,‖ a movement in Italian literature and music reflecting the naturalism or

realism of a style made popular through the novels of Émile Zola. Stories tended to be about characters

from the 'lower' social strata and the moral ambiguities that these characters face because of their

position in society. Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci are perfect examples of Italian verismo operas.

vibrato: The wavering tone added by a singer while sustaining a note.