La traviata is so well-known today […] that it is difficult for us to maintain a certain distance from the work in order to appreciate it as if it were new. It is an opera in which the best qualities of Verdi can be perceived: technical mastery, clarity, humanity, psychological insight, and infallible taste. It was that great transformer, Proust, who said that Verdi, in La traviata, had elevated La Dame aux Camélias to the realm of art. — Charles Osborne, The Complete Operas of Verdi: A Critical Guide
Act 1. Violetta, Alfredo, Chorus
“Libiamo ne’lieti calici”
Violetta Valéry, one of the most popular courtesans in Paris, is hosting a party at her home attended by some of her clients and friends from the profession. There, she meets the young Alfredo Germont, who is immediately attracted to her. Violetta offers a toast to her guests to celebrate the joys of life. This passage, right at the beginning, with a leading role for the soprano and tenor, supported by the chorus, is one of the most celebrated moments in La traviata. It showcases the opera's melodic power and sets the tone for the first act, where joy triumphs, but with the shadow of a grim fate looming.
Act II. Violetta
“È strano… è strano!”
After Alfredo confesses his love for her, Violetta offers him a flower and asks him to return the following day. In the final scene of the first act, she is torn between two impulses: to continue her carefree and hedonistic life, where money and pleasure are always present, or to embark on the adventure of love, which she has never experienced. This sequence of recitative, aria, and cabaletta is not only the most famous in La traviata—with “Sempre libera” at its core—but also the decisive moment for the soprano, not only because of the technical difficulty but also because of the psychological portrait she must create of Violetta.
Act III. Violetta
“Addio, del passato”
Violetta has lost everything: love, money, and health. In the third act, she languishes in her apartment in Paris, devoid of furniture and shivering from the cold, only accompanied by a maid. Her tuberculosis has worsened, and she senses that death is near. Before Alfredo returns to apologize for his previous cruelty, Violetta reflects on the happy moments of her life in a sorrowful aria in which she bids farewell to a glorious past that will never return. This passage is one of the most emotional and challenging in the opera: the soprano must convey a sense of desperate pain, with a dramatic voice that is in stark contrast to the one heard in the first act.
On stage
The role of Violetta is undoubtedly one of the most appealing in the entire history of opera for any soprano. All singers with the appropriate vocal range for this role—that is, a wide tessitura extending both in the high and low registers, as well as some capacity for dramatic interpretation—aspire to tackle this pinnacle of lyrical singing at some point in their careers. However, this allure of Violetta hides a certain danger: one cannot take on this role on a whim; it is not for everyone, it is notoriously difficult, and while it is not impossible to get by with minimum conditions, what is truly challenging is to shine from beginning to end.
It has become a cliché associated with La traviata to say that a perfect performance requires not one, but three singers at the peak of their careers, one for each act: the first should excel in the light register, with good coloratura and the ability to hit the highest notes; the second should be lyrical, ideal for conveying the emotional shock of the second act; and the third, ultimately, should be dramatic, so the third act ends with Violetta’s desperate struggle against death. In the upcoming performances at the Liceu, there will only be two sopranos in the leading role, but they are so well-rounded that they will be able to achieve the challenge—not always easy—of mastering the role from beginning to end.
The first soprano is well-known to the Barcelona audience, and with La traviata, she begins a generous participation in the second half of this season, as we will also see her in other productions: Nadine Sierra, the young American soprano, has become one of the most sought-after stars in the international circuit and has been performing Violetta for the past three years. She is, therefore, in an ideal moment where the freshness of her voice and her maturity as a performer align perfectly. The second soprano is the Zaragoza-born Ruth Iniesta, one of the leading Spanish singers in recent years, whose strength also lies in her vocal agility and excellent dramatic training. The main requirement for an impeccable Traviata is that the lead soprano stands out, and with Sierra and Iniesta, we are in good hands.
No less important is the role of Alfredo Germont, who, although he does not have as many arias to showcase his talents as Violetta, guides the dramatic intensity of the opera with equal force. In the Liceu performances, this role is taken on by Javier Camarena—who is gradually moving away from the lighter repertoire and delving into more substantial roles—and Xabier Anduaga, who is increasingly establishing himself in the international elite of high male voices. The role of Giorgio Germont, for baritone, is shared by Artur Ruciński, Mattia Olivieri, and Lucas Meachem. The cast is completed with minor roles performed by Gemma Coma-Alabert (Flora Bervoix), Patricia Calvache (Annina), Albert Casals (Gastone), Josep Ramon-Olivé (Barón Douphol), Pau Armengol (Marqués D’Obigny), and Gerard Farreres (Doctor Grenvil). The production will be conducted once again by Maestro Giacomo Sagripanti, one of the finest Verdi specialists.
