Virtuosi d'opera di Roma: La Traviata

Enjoy Verdi's La Traviata! The libretto by Francesco Maria Piave is based on the novel and play 'La Dame aux Camelias' by Alexandre Dumas' son. The much loved opera in three acts was first performed 6th March 1853 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice.

After the highly successful premiere of Rigoletto at La Fenice in March 1851, Verdi was commissioned to deliver an opera for that house, to be performed in March 1853. He spent some time in Paris during the winter of 1851/52 and there he saw a daring new play by Alexandre Dumas: 'La Dame aux Camelias'. However, Verdi did not decide on this subject right away. The theatre forced Verdi to abandon the contemporary setting and relocate the action back to the year 1700. This rankled Verdi enormously, but he accepted, relieved that the libretto had passed the censor quite quickly and with less trouble than he was used to encounter in Venice.

It would almost seem that the hallmark of some of the most successful and well-loved operas is a less than favorable - even disastrous - reception of the premiere. This was the case for 'La Traviata' when it was first performed at La Fenice. It was an unmitigated fiasco. But: Exactly 14 months later on 6th May 1854, again in Venice, at the Teatro San Benedetto it was an overwhelming success.