La Traviata - 1979

Synopsis

Act I

Violetta Valery, a brilliant but frail Parisian courtesan, is holding a magnificent party with her current admirer Baron Douphol. As she greets her glittering guests, one of them, Gastone, introduces a young stranger, Alfredo Germont, to her. Alfredo, who has loved Violetta from the first time he saw her, toasts her beauty in a spirited drinking song (Libiamo). As the guests adjourn to the ballroom, Violetta collapses faint and exhausted. Alfredo returns and confesses his love for her (Un di felice). Violetta, unused to emotion of this intensity, first rejects his advances, but gives him her camellia promising to meet him with Violetta. After her other guests depart, Violetta wonders if Alfredo could give her the true love she has never known (Ah, fors’ è lui). Putting thoughts of love behind her as folly for a woman like herself, she vows to continue her life of pleasure and freedom while Alfredo’s love refrain echoes in the distance (Sempre Libera).

Intermission of 15 Minutes

Act II

Now lovers, Alfredo and Violetta are hiding in a villa outside Paris where he sings of his great happiness (Dé miei boleti spiriti) Annina reveals that her mistress has been forced to sell her possessions to pay for their country hide-away. Alfredo, distraught and ashamed, resolves to leave for Paris to assume responsibility for their affairs. Violetta, looking for Alfredo receives an invitation to her friend Flora’s masquerade party. Before she can reply, Giorgio Germont, Alfredo’s father arrives in search of his son. Although moved by Violetta’s gentle dignity, Germont asks her to renounce his son, whose relationship with Violetta threatens to ruin the marriage of his daughter (Pura siccome un Angelo). Violetta refuses until the elder Germont insinuates that Alfredo’s infatuation with a woman of her kind will fade in time. Tearfully, Violetta agrees to Germont’s demands (Dite alla giovine) and accepts Flora’s invitation; she writes a goodbye to Alfredo. Her lover enters unaware that his father has met Violetta, he cannot understand her nervousness and hurried departure. When he reads Violetta’s farewell note the elder Germont returns and begs his son to come to their home in Provence and forget (Di Provenza il mar, il suol…). But Alfredo, seeing Flora’s invitation, suspects Violetta has taken another lover and leaves in pursuit.

Intermission of 15 Minutes

Act III

Word of Violetta’s separation spreads at Flora’s masquerade. To entertain her guests, Flora has planned a diversion of gypsy fortune telling and Spanish dance (Noi siamo zingarelle…). Unexpectedly, Alfredo enters and begins to gamble large amounts. Nervously, Flora greets the arrival of Violetta escorted by the Baron Douphol, her previous lover. The Baron challenges Alfredo to leave and warns him of the Baron’s volatile temper. She pretends to love Douphol hoping Alfredo will leave. Instead, Alfredo calls back the quests and public denounces Violetta repaying his debts to her with his winnings of the evening (Ogni suo aver tal femmina). The elder Germont, who has just arrived in search of Alfredo, rebukes his son for his insulting behavior toward Violetta. And the Baron Douphol challenges Alfredo to a duel (Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende…).

Intermission of 15 Minutes

Act IV

Months later, sick, poor and alone, Violetta rests in the remnants of her once splendid Parisian home. Her faithful friend, Dr. Grenvil tells Annina that her mistress may only live a few hours more. Violetta re-reads a letter from Germont who tells that Alfredo wounded Baron Douphol in a duel and is now in exile. Germont has told his son the true story of Violetta’s sacrifice and Alfredo is returning to her. Violetta, knowing any reunion will now be too late says goodbye to the past (Addio del passato). A group of Mardi Gras revelers sing outside and Annima rushes in announcing Alfredo’s return. Together they lovers plan to leave Paris forever (Parigi, o cara), but Violetta is too weak to continue. Annina leaves for the doctor while Violetta appeals to God to grant Alfredo happiness (Ah! gran Dio! morir st giovine). Germont and the doctor enter, but realize there is little to be done. Dying, Violetta gives Alfredo a medallion to remember her (Prendi, quest´ é l’immagine). Suddenly, filled with feverish joy, she cries that her pain is gone; she feels new strength. Happily she turns to Alfredo only to collapse dead at her lover’s feet. - John Hall

Biographies

Soprano DEBORAH ASTON comes from Des Moines, Iowa, where she performed Pousette in Massenet’s Manon. A resident of California for the past 2 1/2 years she has appeared in Suor Angelica and Carmen. Violetta is Deborah’s debut with the UCLA Opera Theater.

PETER ATHERTON was Marcello in last year’s UCLA Opera Theater’s production of La Bohème. A regional finalist of the San Francisco Opera Debut Auditions, Peter was invited to the Merola Opera Program last summer where he performed Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor.

Baron Douphol, the other man in La Traviata, is performed by STEVE J. BERMAN. Born in St. Louis, he has studied voice in Philadelphia and Southern California where he has performed St. Brioche in The Merry Widow and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro. Steven makes his first appearance with the UCLA Opera Theater with this production.

Movie audiences may remember JAMES CANNING in the recently released film The Boys from Company C. An actor who loves to sing, Mr. Canning comes from Chicago and makes his UCLA debut as Gastone. Earlier this season he performed Tybalt in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet with the Los Angeles Opera Studio.

Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions in 1976, WAYNE EIKENBERRY has appeared with the Lyric Opera of Orange County, in Madama Butterfly at the Greek Theater, and with the William Hall and Irvine Master Chorales. He is also baritoe soloist for the “Hour of Power” from Garden Grove Community Church.

Born in Riverside, California, soprano STARLEIGH GOLTRY was. a regional finalist in last year’s San Francisco Opera Debut Auditions. While at UCLA she has performed Suor Angelica by Puccini and three Mozart roles: the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, a role she has also performed with the Music Academy of the West and the Pacific West Coast and Hidden Valley Opera Companies.

Alfredo is tenor RONALD GONZALES’ secord role at UCLA; he made his Opera Theater debut as Rodolfo in last season’s La Bohème. He first became interested in opera in Fresno, California, where he performed Don Jose in Carmen.

RICHARD HORNE first appeared at UCLA as Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi. Since that time we have enjoyed his portrayals of Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Monostatos in The Magic Flute and Parpignol in La Bohème.

Annina is a debut for soprano MARY AGNES JONES who is a music teacher at Providence High School. She joined UCLA Opera Theater last Fall.

Basso PETER JUDA makes his first operatic appearance in this produciton. A doctoral candidate in Geology at UCLA, Peter has sung with the UCLA Madrigal Singers and in the UCA production of South Pacific.

Last year mezzo-soprano SUSAN LA CROIX performed Dorabella in the UCLA production of Così fan tutte. She was also a member of the Los Angeles Guild Opera’s production of The Magic Flute.

YOAV STEVE PASKOWITZ sang two roles with the UCLA Opera Theater last year, Benoit in La Bohème and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. A UCLA Music major he performs his Senior Recital in the Little Theater in March.

While this is DEBORAH PATCHELL’S first appearance with the Opera Theater, UCLA first heard her sing with the University Chorus in the Schubert Mass in E Flat last November.

VINCENT PIRILLO’S recent performances include Romeo in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theater, Lionel in Martha, and South Pacific with the Glendale Civic Light Opera.

Mozart and Gounod kept tenor TERRENCE SLAVIN busy this year, as Monostatos in the Guild Opera production of The Magic Flute and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet wit the Los Angeles Opera Studio. This is his UCLA Opera Theater debut.

SCOTT SWOPE delighted UCLA audiences with his portrayal of two roles by Mozart, the Viennese banker Mr. Angel in The Impresario and Ferrando in Così fan tutte. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he studied in Santa Barbara before coming to Los Angeles.

Senior Music major AMELIA TRIEST transferred to UCLA from Berkeley. She first appeared as Pierrot with the Opera Workshop in the rarely performed Ruse d’amour by Lecocq. A member of the ensemble in last year’s La Bohème, Annina is her debut role with the Opera Theater. In Spring quarter, Amelia will give her Senior Recital in the Little Theater.

The UCLA Opera Theater extends special thanks to Tom Golyar at Wes-Lee Frames, Smith and Houchins Interior Furnishings, and to Peter Horton, Director of Bullock’s Westwood Beauty Salon, for their assistance with this production.