06 April 2018 (Fri), 19:00 Mikhailovsky Classical Ballet and Opera Theatre (established 1833) - Opera Giuseppe Verdi "La Traviata" (Opera in 2 acts)
Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes (till 21:10)
The performance has 1 intermission
Schedule for Giuseppe Verdi "La Traviata" (Opera in 2 acts) 2022
Conductor: Igor Tomashevsky
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Set Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev Production: Stanislav Gaudassinsky Principal Chorus Master: Alexandr Chernov Artistic Director: Vladimir Stolpovskikh Musical Director: Andrei Anikhanov Lighting Designer: Mikhail Mekler Principal Chorus Master: Vladimir Stolpovskikh Chorus Master: Alexey Dmitriyev Chorus Master: Sergey Tsyplenkov
Orchestra: Mikhailovsky Symphony Orchestra Opera company: Mikhailovsky Opera
Opera in 2 act
Performed in Russian with synchronised English supertitles
World premiere: 6 March 1853, La Fenice, Venice
Premiere in Russia: 26 April 1868 Mariinsky theatre, St Petersburg, Russia
Premiere of this production: 24 February 1995, Mikhailovsky theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia
The most lyrical Verdi’s work is La traviata, based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils The Lady of the Camellias. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman Who Goes Astray.
The title character of the play is Marguerite Gautier, who is based on Marie Duplessis, the real-life lover of author Dumas, fils. Duplessis was both a popular courtesan and the hostess of a salon, where politicians, writers, and artists gathered for socializing. Alexandre Dumas, pиre allegedly insisted on his son splitting up with Duplessis: and when he returned to Paris, she had already died of consumption.
Since its debut as a play, numerous editions have been performed at theatres around the world. Giuseppe Verdi attended the Paris premiиre of the play and soon turned to composing the opera. When Dumas, fils heard La traviata, he said: “Nobody would have remembered my Lady of the Camellias in 50 years but for Verdi, who made it immortal”.
The production of the Mikhailovsky Theatre is one of the most elegant treatments of the opera.
Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave, after Alexandre Dumas fils’s play La Dame aux camellias
Synopsis
Act I
Southern France, Provence. Iolanta, blind from birth, is the only daughter of King René. She is the fiancée of Robert, Duke of Burgundy. Iolanta’s father hopes to have his daughter cured by the time of the wedding and it has been announced that Iolanta is being educated in a Spanish nunnery.
René doesn’t want his daughter to know about her ailment. He’s forbidden to make any mentions of the light, colours, sights: she shouldn’t know about her blindness. Everybody is kind and tender to Iolanta but she’s been inexplicably sad lately.
Ibn-Hakia, a famous Moorish physician, has been invited to the castle. He states that Iolanta can be cured but only in case she is informed of her blindness and has a desire to see. The king refuses the treatment, fearing for Iolanta’s happiness.
Act II
Two friends, knight Vaudémont and count Robert have lost their way and suddenly come to the King René’s castle. Robert announces to Vaudémont his love to beautiful Mathilde, countess of Lorraine. But since childhood he’s been engaged to Iolanta, King René’s daughter.
Vaudémont encounters Iolanta who is asleep. Stunned by her beauty he falls in love.
Iolanta hears the voices and wakes up: they rarely have guests in the castle. The young men explain that they have come here by chance. Robert leaves to find his people, Iolanta and Vaudémont stay alone. He confesses his sudden love to her.
He discovers Iolanta’s blindness and her ignorance of the fact and explains light and color to her. The couple is discovered by the king, the physician and Iolanta’s friends. They find out that the secret has been revealed to the girl. The king is desperate, Ibn-Hakia, however, is sure that it’ll save Iolanta.
Iolanta can’t wish to see, as she doesn’t know what it is. The king threatens to kill Vaudémont if the physician’s treatment fails. Iolanta is ready to do anything to save the knight. Vaudémont asks the King to marry his daughter who refuses as his daughter has been engaged since her childhood.
Robert returns to find out that Vaudémont’s beloved girl is his fiancée. Vaudémont begs Robert to admit his love to Mathilde. The king cancels the wedding contract. Ibn-Hakia takes off a bandage from Iolanta’s eyes: she can see now. She’s frightened, she can’t recognize anybody. King René comforts Iolanta and offers her a reliable partner: Vaudémont who pledges fidelity to Iolanta. Everybody glorifies God.
Schedule for Giuseppe Verdi "La Traviata" (Opera in 2 acts) 2022
Giuseppe Verdi "La traviata" |
| |
|
|
About This Video 01:34 Mikhailovsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Performed by Mikhailovsky Opera |
|