Lyric Opera Presents: LA TRAVIATA

Violetta Valery, a beautiful young courtesan, is having a party in her elegant Parisian home.  Among the guests is Alfredo Germont, the son of a wealthy family and a long time secret admirer of Violetta.   The guests are invited to dinner. During the meal, another admirer, Baron Douphol, mutters to Violetta’s friend Flora that he has insintinctive dislike for Alfredo. When someone calls for a toast during dinner, Alfredo rises to the occasion with the familiar and beloved “Libiamo,” He looks at Violetta as he sings and she responds to his toast., but during the dancing which follows she grows faint—the first indication that she is seriously ill-- and leaves the room.  Alfredo follows her and declares his love but she tries to convince him that she offers only friendship and the hospitality for which she is famous.  She gives him a flower and tells him she will be glad to let him see her again when it fades. As the other guests leave the party, Violetta muses on her choice of a hectic social life but forces herself to stop thinking of more serious involvements.

Later, Alfredo and Violetta are living together in her country home.  His father, Germont, enters and confronts Violetta.  He is surprised by her calm and intelligent  demeanor but then begs her to stop seeing his son, because Alfredo’s sister is planning a very good marriage and he is concerned that the bridegroom’s family may object to the match because of Alfredo’s liaison with a known courtesan.  He begs her to give him up.  Weeping, she agrees for the sake of the innocent young bride, and then Germont asks her to tell Alfredo that she no longer loves.  Heartbroken, she agrees and then writes a letter to Alfredo, to be given to him after she leaves.  He is furious at her actions.  Later at a party in Paris, Alfredon confronts her furiously and, in front of the all the guests,  throws money at her, shouting that he is paying her back for her favors.