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La Traviata (1983)

Opera in Two Acts

Music by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Plave

English translation by Joseph Machlis
Used by arrangement with Associated Music Publishers, Inc., U.S. agent for G. Ricardi and Co., Milan

First performed in Venice, March 6, 1853

Dates of Performance
May 28, June 1, 3, 9, 14, 18, 25

 

1983 Season
La Traviata     Don Giovanni

Margot la Rouge     Les mamelles de Tirésias

Beatrice and Benedict

 

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Cast

Kerry McCarthy
Violetta Valery

 

Kallen Esperian
Flora Bervoix

 

Paul Kilmer
Marquis d’Obigny

 

Andrew Wentzel
Baron Douphol

 

Laurence Albert
Doctor Grenvil

John La Pierre
Gastone

 

Tonio Di Paolo
Alfredo Germont

 

Brenda Everett
Annina

 

Terry Stone
Giuseppe

John Brandstetter
Giorgio Germont

 

Jack Davidson
Messenger

 

Maria Benitez
Spanish Dancer

 

Manolo de Cordoba
Spanish Dancer

Creative Team

Henry Lewis
Conductor

 

Colin Graham
Stage Director

Maria Benitez
Choreographer

 

John Conklin
Scenic Designer

John Conklin
Costume Designer

 

Peter Kaczorowski
Lighting Designer

Synopsis

ACT I
Violetta’s house in Paris: March, winter

 

ACT II
Scene 1: A country house near Paris: some months later, autumn Scene 2: Flora’s house in Paris: the same night

 

ACT Ill
Violetta’s bedroom: a few months later, summer

 

Violetta, a young and attractive courtesan, falls genuinely in love wit h Alf redo, a young man from Provence. She gives up her gay life and friends to live with him outside Paris. They are not married, but they are extremely happy together. His father has an interview with Violetta in which he asks her to break off her affair with Alfredo because it is jeopardizing the marriage of Alfredo’s sister to a suitable young man in Provence. During the interview the father becomes convinced that Violetta genuinely loves Alfredo but points out that with her reputation she cannot marry him and will spoil not only his life but his sister’s. Violetta agrees to sacrifice herself and returns to a life of empty gaiety, telling Alfredo she no longer loves him. The final act shows Violetta alone, dying of consumption, and waiting for Alfredo, whose father has only just told him of her sacrifice, to come to her. When he arrives, she begins to feel they can start their life together again, but the excitement has exhausted her and she dies in his arms.

The original production of La Traviata was made possible by a deeply appreciated gift from Mrs. Homer V. Howes.
The rehearsal costs for the soloists and orchestra for La Traviata have been funded by generous gifts from Mark Twain Bancshares. Inc., Judith Aronson and Dr. Gene Spector.

Additional costs of this production have been underwritten by generous gifts from Mr. Burton Bernard, Mr. and Mrs. William Firestone, Dr. and Mrs. Keith Fischer, Dr. and Mrs. William H. Friedman, Mr. and Mrs. Tom L. Gossage, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Greenberg, Dr. and Mrs. Godofredo Herzog, Dr. and Mrs. Oscar Hantz, Mr. Fielding Holmes, Dr. Robert Kleiger, Dr. and Mrs. Laurence Levine, Mr. Alan Lieberman, Dr. and Mrs. Paul C. Paris, and Dr. Wayne A. Stillings.

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