[2/6/2011] In Verdi's "La Traviata," Violetta faces her second life-transforming event (continued}

"Dite alla giovine . . .": Violetta (Amelita Gallli-Curci) gives in, and Germont (Giuseppe de Luca) has won -- at considerable cost to both of them (but especially Violetta, of course); then she asks him to tell her what to do. This 1918 recording comprises our tracks [5] through [7] (translations below).


NOW WE HEAR OUR OTHER VIOLETTAS
FROM OUR TRAVIATA PREVIEWS --

Maria Callas (with Mario Sereni) and Virginia Zeani (with her Romanian countryman Nicolae Herlea). In both performances we begin later than in the Masterson-du Plessis one, right at the moment of Germont's entrance. The Callas-Sereni version, conveniently, uses exactly the same track points as the Masterson-du Plessis, while the track-free Zeani-Herlea version allows us to hear the scene without interruption.

VERDI: La Traviata: Act II, Scene 1, Violetta-Germont scene

[1] Germont, "Madamigella Valéry" . . .
[2] Germont, "Pura siccome un angelo" . . .
[3) Violetta, "Non sapete, quale affetto" . . .
[4] Germont, "Un dì, quando le veneri" . . .
[5] Violetta, "Dite alla giovine" . . .
[6] Violetta, "Or imponete" . . .
[7] Violetta, "Morrò! Morrò! La mia memoria" . . .

[1] (A): track 1, (B): 0:00
GERMONT: Mademoiselle Valéry?
VIOLETTA: Yes.
GERMONT: I'm Alfredo's father.
VIOLETTA [surprised, invites him to sit down]: You are?
GERMONT [sitting down]: Yes, I'm the father of that headstrong boy,
Who's rushing to his ruin
Because of his infatuation for you.
VIOLETTA [rising indignantly]: I am a woman, Sir,
And this is my house;
Please excuse me if I leave you,
More for your sake than mine.
[She turns to go out. ]
GERMONT [to himself]: What bearing!
All the same ...
VIOLETTA [returning to her chair]: There must be some mistake!
GERMONT: He wants to make over everything to you.
VIOLETTA: He wouldn't dare,
I should refuse.
GERMONT [looking round him]: But all this luxury . . .
VIOLETTA [showing him a document]: That puzzles a lot of people,
But you shall know the truth.
GERMONT [looking at the document]: Heavens! What are you telling me?
You're sacrificing
Everything you possess?
Is this how the past reproaches you?
VIOLETTA [with enthusiasm]: The past is over. I love Alfredo now,
God has wiped out the past.
He knows of my repentance!
GERMONT: Your feelings do you credit.
VIOLETTA [getting up]: How kind your voice sounds now.
GERMONT: I have to ask a sacrifice
Of those noble feelings of yours.
VIOLETTA: No! Don't tell me!
Don't tell me your terrible demand!
I foresaw it . . . I expected it . . .
I was too happy!
GERMONT: Alfredo's father
Pleads with you now for the future
Of his two children!
VIOLETTA: His two children?
GERMONT: Yes.
[2] (A): track 2, (B): 3:08
God gave me a daughter
As pure as an angel;
And if Alfredo refuses
To return to the bosom of his family,
The man she loves and who loves her,
The one whose wife she was to be,
Will break the chain
That was to bind them in their happiness.
I pray you not to change the roses of their
Love to flowers of sadness.
Surely your heart will not deny
The prayer I utter now.
VIOLETTA: Ah yes, I understand.
If I left
Alfredo for a time . . .
It would be a sacrifice, but then ...
GERMONT: That's not what I'm asking.
VIOLETTA: Heavens! What more do you expect?
So much I've offered already!
GERMONT: But not enough.
VIOLETTA: You want me to leave him
Forever?
GERMONT: It's necessary.
VIOLETTA: Oh, no! Never!
No, never!
[3] (A): track 3, (B): 5:13
You cannot know the kind of passion
-- Living, overwhelming --
That burns in my heart!
I have no friends, no family still living.
Alfredo swore,
That I should find them all in him.
How should you know that my life
Is threatened by a fell disease?
That already I see the end is near?
If I parted from Alfredo,
My suffering would be so unbearable
That I would rather die,
Why yes, much rather die!
GERMONT: The sacrifice is weighty,
But hear me out with patience,
You're young and beautiful
And in time . . .
VIOLETTA: Oh, say no more . . .
I understand you.
But it's impossible for me . . .
I want nothing but to love him!
GERMONT: That may be,
But men are often less faithful.
VIOLETTA: Oh, heavens!
[4] (A): track 4, (B): 7:45
GERMONT: One day, when time
Has put your charms to flight,
Boredom will swiftly rise.
What will happen then? Think!
The gentle balm of affection
Will not be for you,
Because the threads that bound you
Had not been blessed by heaven.
VIOLETTA: It's true!
GERMONT: Ah, why not then abandon
So tempting a dream?
VIOLETTA: It's true!
GERMONT: Be the consoling angel
Of my family!
Violetta, only think,
You still have time for that.
My child, it's God who inspires
The words this father speaks.
VIOLETTA [in great grief]: So, for the wretched woman
Who's fallen once,
The hope of rising is forever gone!
Though God should show His mercy,
Man will never forgive her.
[5] (A): track 5, (B): 10:49
[To Germont, weeping] Say to your daughter, so pure and fair,
That there's a victim of misfortune
Whose one ray of happiness
Before she dies
Is a sacrifice made for her.
GERMONT: Weep, unhappy girl, weep!
I see the sacrifice I ask
Is the greatest one of all,
In my own heart I feel your sorrow;
Have courage, and your generous
Heart will conquer!
[6] (A): track 6, (B): 15:19
VIOLETTA: Tell me what I must do.
GERMONT: Say you don't love him.
VIOLETTA: He won't believe me.
GERMONT: Then leave him.
VIOLETTA: He would follow me.
GERMONT: Then . . .
VIOLETTA: As your daughter now embrace me,
So you may give me strength.
[embracing Germont] Soon he will be restored to you,
But more unhappy than words can tell.
You must be there
To comfort him.
[She indicates the garden. She goes to the writing table.]
GERMONT: What are you doing?
VIOLETTA: If I told you,
You would oppose me.
GERMONT: You are generous indeed!
And what can I do for you?
What can I do for you who are so generous?
[7] (A): track 7, (B): 16:29
VIOLETTA [turning to him]: I shall soon die!
And he'll not curse
My memory
If someone tell him
How much I suffered.
GERMONT: No, generous girl, you must live,
You must be happy,
For one day
Heaven will repay you for these tears.
VIOLETTA: Let him know the sacrifice
I made of the love
That will be his
Till I draw my last breath.
GERMONT: Your sacrifice shall be rewarded,
And in days to come
You will be proud
Of so great a love.
Yes!
VIOLETTA: Someone is coming, you must go now.
GERMONT: I thank you from my heart!
VIOLETTA: Go now. [They embrace.]
We may not meet again.
VIOLETTA and GERMONT: May you be happy! Farewell!
[Germont goes to the door.]
VIOLETTA [weeping]: Let him know the sacrifice
I made of the love . . .
GERMONT [at the door]: Yes! Yes!
VIOLETTA: That will be his forever ...
Her tears stifle the words.
Farewell!
GERMONT: Farewell!
VIOLETTA and GERMONT: May you be happy! Farewell!
[Germont goes through the door into the garden.]

(A)
Maria Callas (s), Violetta Valéry; Mario Sereni (b), Giorgio Germont; Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional (Lisbon), Franco Ghione, cond. Myto, recorded live at the Teatro São Carlos, Mar. 27, 1958
(B)
Virginia Zeani (s), Violetta Valéry; Nicolae Herlea (b), Giorgio Germont; Orchestra of the Romanian National Opera (Bucharest), Jean Bobescu, cond. Electrecord/Vox, recorded 1968


VIOLETTA PUTS HER "PLAN" INTO EFFECT

This is the plan she refuses to share with Germont. Sorry to say, it kind of sucks. She hurriedly writes Alfredo a letter, which she has delivered to him while she's vamoosing to Paris. Alfredo returns sooner than she expects, and she struggles to retain her composure, finally erupting in this outburst.

La Traviata: Act II, Scene 1, "Amami, Alfredo"

VIOLETTA: Love me, Alfredo.
Love me as much as I love you.
Farewell.

[in English] Valerie Masterson (s), Violetta Valéry; English National Opera Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. EMI/Chandos, recorded Aug.-Oct. 1980
Maria Callas (s), Violetta Valéry; Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional (Lisbon), Franco Ghione, cond. Myto, recorded live at the Teatro São Carlos, Mar. 27, 1958
Virginia Zeani (s), Violetta Valéry; Orchestra of the Romanian National Opera (Bucharest), Jean Bobescu, cond. Electrecord/Vox, recorded 1968


AND ONE LAST TIME, LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING

No, I didn't forget about the Prelude to Traviata. I just thought that today we would save it for the end. I think the reason will be readily audible.

La Traviata: Prelude to Act I

Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Carlos Kleiber, cond. Live performance, Dec. 9, 1984


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

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