“La traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three

ACT ONE

A drawing room in Violetta's home. In the background
a door, opening to another room. There are two other
lateral doors; to the left, a fireplace with a mirror over
the mantel. In the centre of the room, a huge table
richly laden.
(Violetta is seated on a sofa, talking with Dr Grenvil
and other friends. Some of her friends go to greet
various guests as they arrive. Among them, the Baron
and Flora, escorted by the Marquis.)

CHORUS I
You were invited for an earlier hour.
You have come late.

CHORUS II
We were playing cards at Flora's,
and the time passed quickly.

VIOLETTA (going to greet them)
Flora, my friends, the rest of the evening
will be gayer because you are here.
Surely the evening is livelier with good food and drink?

FLORA, MARQUIS
And can you be lively?

VIOLETTA
I must be.
I give myself to pleasure, since pleasure
is the best medicine for my ills.

ALL
Indeed, life is doubly heightened by pleasure.
(The Viscount Gastone de Letorières enters with Alfredo
Germont. Servants are busily engaged at the table.)

GASTONE
My dear Madam, in Alfredo Germont
I present a man who greatly admires you;
few friends are so fine as he.

VIOLETTA
(She offers her hand to Alfredo, who kisses it.)
My dear Viscount, thank you for this gift.

MARQUIS
My dear Alfredo -

ALFREDO
Marquis -
(They shake hands.)

GASTONE (to Alfredo)
As I told you,
here friendship joins with pleasure.
(Meanwhile the servants have finished setting the
table.)

VIOLETTA
Is everything ready?
(A servant nods in affirmation.)

Please be seated:
it is at table that the heart is gayest.

ALL
Well spoken - secret cares
fly before that great friend, wine.
(They take their places at the table. Violetta is seated
between Alfredo and Gastone. Facing her Flora takes
her place between the Marquis and the Baron. The
remaining guests take their various places around the
table. A moment of silence as the food is served.
Violetta and Gastone are whispering to each other.)
It is at table that the heart is gayest.

GASTONE
Alfredo thinks of you always.

VIOLETTA
You are joking?

GASTONE
While you were ill, every day he called
to ask about you.

VIOLETTA
Don't talk like that. I am nothing to him.

GASTONE
I do not deceive you.

VIOLETTA
It is true then? But why?
I don't understand.

ALFREDO
Yes, it is true.

VIOLETTA
I thank you.
You, Baron, were less attentive.

BARON
I have only known you for a year.

VIOLETTA
And he for just a few minutes.

FLORA (in a low voice, to the Baron)
It would have been better to say nothing.

BARON (softly, to Flora)
I don't like this young man.

FLORA
Why not? I think he's very pleasant.

GASTONE (to Alfredo)
And you have nothing more to say?

MARQUIS (to Violetta)
It's up to you to make him talk.

VIOLETTA
I shall be Hebe, the cup-bearer.

ALFREDO
And, like her, immortal, I hope.

ALL
Let us drink.

GASTONE
Baron - can't you find a toast
for this happy occasion?
(The Baron shakes his head.)
Then it's up to you -
(nodding to Alfredo)

ALL
Yes, yes, a toast.

ALFREDO
Inspiration fails me.

GASTONE
But aren't you a master?

ALFREDO (to Violetta)
Would it please you?

VIOLETTA
Yes.

ALFREDO (rising)
Yes? I have it already in my heart.

MARQUIS
Then - attention!

ALL
Yes, to the poet.

ALFREDO
Drink from the joyful glass,
resplendent with beauty,
drink to the spirit of pleasure
which enchants the fleeting moment.
Drink to the thrilling sweetness
brought to us by love,
for these fair eyes, irresistibly,
(indicating Violetta)
pierce us to the heart.
Drink - for wine
will warm the kisses of love.

ALL
Drink - for wine
will warm the kisses of love.

VIOLETTA (rising)
I shall divide my gaiety
among you all;
Everything in life is folly,
except for pleasure.
Let us be joyful, for love
is a fleeting and short-lived joy.
A flower which blossoms and fades,
whose beauty is soon lost forever.
Be joyful - a caressing voice
invites us warmly to joy.

ALL
Ah! Be carefree - for wine and song
with laughter, embellish the night.
The new day breaking will find us still
in this happy paradise.

VIOLETTA (to Alfredo)
Life is only pleasure.

ALFREDO (to Violetta)
For those who don't know love.

VIOLETTA
Speak not of love to one who knows not what it is.

ALFREDO
Such is my destiny.

ALL
Be carefree - for wine and song
with laughter, embellish the night.
The next day breaking will find us still
in this happy paradise.
(The sound of music is heard, coming from an adjoining
room.)
What is that?

VIOLETTA
Wouldn't you like to dance now?

ALL
How kind of you! We accept with pleasure.

VIOLETTA
Let us go, then.
(As they are going out through the centre door,
Violetta suddenly turns pale.)
Oh!

ALL
What is the matter?

VIOLETTA
Nothing, it is nothing.

ALL
Why have you stopped here?

VIOLETTA
Let us go out.
(She takes a few steps, but then is forced to stop
again and to sit down.)
Oh God!

ALL
Again!

ALFREDO
Are you ill?

ALL
Heavens, what can it be?

VIOLETTA
It's just a chill.
Go on - please - there.
(She points towards the other room.)
In just a few minutes I shall come -

ALL
As you wish.
(All except Alfredo go into the other room.)

VIOLETTA (looking into a mirror)
How pale I am!

(turning she sees Alfredo)
You are here!

ALFREDO
Are you feeling better now?

VIOLETTA
Yes, better, thank you.

ALFREDO
Ah, this way
you will kill yourself - you must take care
of yourself -

VIOLETTA
But can I?

ALFREDO
If you were mine,
I should watch over you.

VIOLETTA
What are you saying? Is there anyone
to care for me?

ALFREDO (passionately)
That's because no one in the world loves you -

VIOLETTA
No one?

ALFREDO
Except me.

VIOLETTA
It's true! I had forgotten this great love.

ALFREDO
You laugh? Have you no heart?

VIOLETTA
A heart? yes, perhaps - but why do you ask?

ALFREDO
Ah, if that were so, then you couldn't laugh at me.

VIOLETTA
Are you serious?

ALFREDO
I do not deceive you.

VIOLETTA
Have you been in love with me for long?

ALFREDO
Yes, for a year.
One day you passed before me,
happy and light as air,
and ever since that day,
even without knowing it, I loved you -
with that love which is the very breath
of the universe itself -
mysterious and noble,
both cross and ecstasy of the heart.

VIOLETTA
Ah, if this is true, then leave me -
I offer you only friendship:
I cannot love, nor can I accept
so heroic a love from you.
I am simple and frank.
You must find another.
It won't be hard, then,
for you to forget me.

ALFREDO
Love mysterious and noble,
both cross and ecstasy of the heart.

VIOLETTA
It won't be hard, then, for you to forget me.

GASTONE (in the doorway)
Well, now? What the devil are you doing?

VIOLETTA
We were joking.

GASTONE
Aha! Good! Please stay.
(He withdraws.)

VIOLETTA
Then - no more love.
Do you accept the pact?

ALFREDO
I obey. I shall leave you.

VIOLETTA (taking a flower from her bosom)
It's like that, then?
Take this flower.

ALFREDO
Why?

VIOLETTA
You shall bring it back -

ALFREDO
When?

VIOLETTA
When it has withered.

ALFREDO
Oh Heavens! Tomorrow.

VIOLETTA
Good, tomorrow.

ALFREDO (joyously accepting the flower)
I am happy!

VIOLETTA
Do you still think you love me?

ALFREDO (about to leave)
Oh, how much I love you!

VIOLETTA
You are leaving?

ALFREDO (coming near her, kissing her hand)
I am leaving.

VIOLETTA
Goodbye.

ALFREDO
I desire nothing more.

ALFREDO, VIOLETTA
Goodbye. Goodbye.
(Alfredo goes out as the other guests return to the
drawing room, flushed from dancing.)

ALL
Dawn is breaking in the sky
and we must leave.
Thank you, gentle lady,
for this delightful evening.
The city is filled with parties,
the season of pleasure is at its height.
We shall sleep now, to regain our strength
for another night of joy.
(They go out.)

VIOLETTA (alone)
How strange! How strange! His words
are burned upon my heart!
Would a real love be a tragedy for me?
What decision are you taking, oh my soul?
No man has ever made me fall in love. What joy,
such as I have never known - loving, being loved!
And can I scorn it
for the arid nonsense of my present life?

Ah, perhaps he is the one
whom my soul,
lonely in the tumult, loved
to imagine in secrecy!
Watchful though I never knew it,
he came here while I lay sick,
awakening a new fever,
the fever of love,
of love which is the very breath
of the universe itself -
Mysterious and noble,
both cross and ecstasy of the heart.
Folly! All is folly! This is mad delirium!
A poor woman, alone,
lost in this
crowded desert
which is known to men as Paris.
What can I hope for?
What should I do? Revel
in the whirlpool of earthly pleasures.
Revel in joy! Ah!
Forever free, I must pass
madly from joy to joy.
My life's course shall be
forever in the paths of pleasure.
Whether it be dawn or dusk,
I must always live. Ah!
Gaily in the world's gay places,
ever seeking newer joys.

ALFREDO (outdoors, under the balcony)
Love is the very breath...

VIOLETTA
Oh!

ALFREDO
...of the universe itself -

VIOLETTA
Love.

ALFREDO
Mysterious and noble,
both cross and ecstasy,
cross and ecstasy of the heart.

VIOLETTA
Folly! Folly! Ah yes! From joy to joy,
forever free, I must pass
madly from joy to joy.
My life's course shall be
forever in the paths of pleasure.
Whether it be dawn or dusk,
I must always live. Ah!
Gaily in the world's gay places,
ever seeking newer joys, etc.

ALFREDO
Love is the very breath
of the universe itself.

VIOLETTA
Oh! My thoughts have to seek new joys.
Oh! My thoughts. My thoughts.

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three