2 Famous

Operas of the
Romantic Period
La Traviata
• La traviata (The Fallen Woman) is an
opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi
set to an Italian libretto by Francesco
Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux
Camélias (1852), a play adapted from
the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The
play is known in English as “Camille.”
The opera was originally titled Violetta,
after the main character. It was first
performed on March 6, 1853 at the La
Fenice opera house in Venice.
Giuseppe Verdi
Francesco Maria Piave
• Categorized as a Romantic tragedy.
• Set in Paris, France during 1850.
• Originally in three acts, but present-day
productions are usually in four acts.
• ACT I: Violetta’s Paris salon, luxuriously
furnished
• ACT II: A villa near Paris
• ACT III: Ballroom in Flora’s mansion
• ACT IV: Violetta’s bedroom
Synopsis
• At one of her brilliant supper parties,
the beautiful but frail demimondaine (a
woman supported by a wealthy lover –
Merriam Webster Dictionary), Violetta
Valéry, meets the well-born Alfredo
Germont. They immediately fall in love
and she decides to abandon her life of
pleasure.
• Alfredo’s father did not approve of their
lifestyle in the country and demands that
Violetta renounce Alfredo. Violetta
determined to make the sacrifice, then
departs and leaves only a note for Alfredo.
Violetta Valéry and Alfredo
Germont
• She appears at a ball in Flora’s house on
the arm of an old admirer, Baron Douphol
which makes Alfredo angry. Alfredo
challenges the Baron to play cards where
Alfredo wins consistently. Unable to
persuade Violetta to go with him, Alfredo
insults her. Violetta becomes ill, and all her
friends desert her, leaving her virtually
penniless.
• Alfredo returns to Violetta. His father told
him of the real story behind Violetta’s
departure from their country house, and
urged him to seek her forgiveness.
Overjoyed at the sight of him, Violetta
attempts to rise but falls into Alfredo’s
arms. Germont and the doctor enter as
Violetta dies.
Madame Butterfly
• Madame Butterfly is an
opera in three acts by
Giacomo Puccini, with an
Italian libretto by Luigi
Illica and Giuseppe
Giacosa. It is based on the
short story by John
Luther Lung, derived
from Pierre Loti’s tale
Madame Chrysantheme.
Giacomo Puccini
 Luigi Illica and
Giuseppe Giacosa
Synopsis
• When American naval vessels
frequented Japanese seaports, American
Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin
Pinkerton met Cio-Cio-San (“Butterfly”)
and was captivated by her beauty.
Pinkerton rented a Japanese house and
part of his rental package is his
“betrothal” to Cio-Cio-San.
Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton and
Cio-Cio-San
• Treating the marriage merely as a casual
affair, Pinkerton returns to America after the
wedding leaving Cio-Cio-San loyally waiting
for his return. He marries an American
woman named Kate. When he returns to
Japan three years later with his American
wife, he learns that he bore a son with Cio-
Cio-San. Upon learning that Pinkerton had
married another woman, CioCio-San kills
herself to make sure that Pinkerton takes
their son with him.