Music By Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
After La Dame aux caméliasby Alexandre Dumas, fils
First Performance March 6, 1853, La
Fenice, Venice
Time and Place: Paris in the mid eighteenth century**
Sung in Italian with English Supertitles
THE CAST
(in order of appearance)
| Violetta Valéry, a courtesan, soprano | Anja Harteros (Germany)* | |
| Gastone, Vicomte de Letorières, tenor | Joseph Hu (Taiwan)+ | |
| Alfredo Germont, tenor | Richard Troxell (USA ) | |
| Baron Douphol, baritone | Nicolai Janitzky (USA) | |
| Flora Bervoix, Violetta's friend, mezzo-soprano | Kelly Gebhardt (USA)+ | |
| Marquis D'Obigny, bass | James Scott Sikon (USA) | |
| Annina, Violetta's maid, soprano | Ilse Apéstegui (Costa Rica)+ | |
| Giuseppe, Violetta's servant, tenor | Chad Frisque (USA)+ | |
| Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father | James Westman (Canada )* | |
| Messenger, bass | Joe Pechota(USA) | |
| Flora's Servant | William Nolan (USA) | |
| Doctor Grenvil, bass | Ethan Herschefeld (USA)* | |
| Conductor | Edoardo Müller (Italy) | |
| Director | Ian Campbell (Australia) | |
| Ladies and Gentleman, bull fighters, gypsies, servants | ||
* San Diego Opera début
+ San Diego Opera Ensemble alumni
Production owned by San Francisco Opera. Sets: John Conklin, Costumes:
David Walker
Estimated running time: 3 hours, 10 minutes three intermissions
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
| Traviata = trah-vee-AH-tah | D'Obigny = doh-bee-NYEE | |
| Alfredo = ahl-FREH-doh | Grenvil = gran-VEEL | |
| Germont= zerh-MOHN | Anja Harteros = AHN-yah HAR-tehr-ohs | |
| Giorgio jee-OHR-jee-oh | ViolettaValéry = vee-oh-LEHT-tah vah-LEH-ree | |
| Douphol = doo-FOHL | Ilse Apéstegui = eel-SAH ah-PEHS-teh-gee (hard 'g') | |
| Gastone = gahs-TOHN | Edoardo Müller = ed-WAHR-doh MEOOL-lehr | |
| Annina = ahn-NEE-nah | Giuseppe Verdi = jee-oo-SEHP-peh VEHR-dee | |
| Bervoix = behr-VWAH | Francesco Piave = frahn-chehs-koh pee-AH-veh | |
| Alexandre Dumas, fils = ah-lehx-AHN-dre doo-MAH fees (sounds like peace) | ||
| La dame aux camélias = LAH DAHM OH cah-MEH-lyahs | ||
** The original production was set at about 1700