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La Traviata
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 March 2036 | ||||||
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Plot
ACT I
Violetta Valéry is giving a reception at her luxurious flat in Paris. She is a high-class kept woman, protected by Baron Duphol. Not only is she beautiful, but her sensitivity and fragility add to her charm. In the midst of the dancing, she is presented to an admirer, Alfred Germont a young man of excellent family. He dedicates a toast to her and invites her to dance but Violetta is suddenly taken ill and cannot even reach the ballroom. She is already in the early stages of consumption and, apart from her illness, she is also suffering from moral unease, a feeling inside which distances her from the superficiality of the party. Alfred senses her mood. He confesses that he has loved her for a year, secretly. Violetta is touched by this, but warns him against loving her in any other way than as a friend. First, she rejects him, then she gives him a flower, inviting him to re-present himself the following day.
Once alone, Violetta reflects on her feelings. She is perturbed: a real love responsibly accepted could change her life. Then she rebels: the idea of change is sheer madness. She cannot give up her unscrupulous independence. Yet, her anxiety for freedom, counterbalanced by Alfred’s loving attention, tempts her to free herself from a knot which is forcing her to lie to herself.
ACT II
Six months later, Violetta and Alfred are living together in a house in the country outside Paris. One day, Annina, a servant, tells Alfred that Violetta has sold all her possessions to finance their new life. His pride hurt, he leaves for Paris in search of more money.
No sooner has he left than George Germont, Alfred’s father, arrives. He begs Violetta, to give up his son, speaking insolently, accusing her of ruining him. She defends herself well, showing him the receipts of sales of her possessions, adding that she has never asked Alfred for money. The man instantly changes tone. However, he pleads with her to leave Alfred because the engagement of his daughter risks being compromised by the scandal of this relationship, unacceptable in the bourgeois mentality. The verbal abuse becomes more subtle. Germont senses that Violetta feels a sense of guilt and takes advantage of her weakness. He knows which points to touch, he knows what to say and how to say it. And he keeps on going: not having contracted marriage, her prospects in old age are uncertain, he says. Violetta admits her error. She has asked forgiveness, it’s true; maybe God will forgive her, but man certainly won’t. At the end, she decides to sacrifice her personal happiness in order to restore happiness to Alfred’s family. She has only one request: that when she is dead, Alfred know of her sacrifice. Geront is profoundly moved by this and he promises to grant her wish.
Violetta writes Alfred a letter of farewell, telling him she no longer loves him. She is distraught, she cries and before leaving, lets out a scream of love. Alfred suddenly returns so she rushes out of the room, pretending to go into the garden. He is informed of his father’s visit during his absence and this worries him. Shortly afterwards, he reads the letter and learns that his love is returning to her past life in Paris. He is filled with jealousy and bitterness. His father consoles him and takes advantage of the situation, convincing him to return home. Alfred is beside himself; maybe he has a rival in love. He hastens to find Violetta to get revenge.
The same evening, Flora Bervoix has a party at her home. The din of the masked dances starkly contrasts with the protagonists’ feelings of solitude and anxiety. Alfred enters and immediately starts gambling, and winning. Violetta arrives, accompanied by Douphol. Alfred challenges the Baron at cards and repeatedly wins, at the same time provoking him by making allusions that hurt. Dinner is announced and everyone leaves the room.
Violetta comes back immediately. She has given Alfred a nod and he understands that she wants to talk. He comes in and listens, but it seems that dialogue is impossible: they are unable to communicate. They have hit a wall and she is forced to lie so as not to reveal the truth. She says she loves Douphol. On hearing this, Alfred loses control: in a fury of rage, he calls all the guests into the room and throws all his winnings at Violetta’s feet, asking the company to witness that in so doing, he has paid back the money she spent on him. Everyone is astounded by his lack of social aplomb. Violetta faints and Alfred is upbraided by his father for his heartless conduct. Alfred, contrite, is escorted out by his father, but only after he has been challenged in a duel by Douphol.
ACT III
A month later, Violetta is ill in bed. She has little time left to live, Dr. Grenville informs Annina. Violetta is extremely weak: all she can do is drink some water, give instructions that what little money she has left be given to the poor, reread her letters. There is one letter in particular, from George Germont, telling her of Alfred’s return. Having wounded the Baron in the duel, he fled abroad but is now returning to Paris to see her and to ask forgiveness, having learnt of the sacrifice she made for him. But it is too late. Violetta looks at herself in the mirror and sees what a ghost of her former self she is. All she can do is say goodbye to her past dreams of happiness. Outside it is Carnival and life goes on as normal.
Momentarily, a ray of hope returns. Alfred rushes in and the two lovers exchange words of love and forgiveness. He promises to take her away from Paris where they’ll be able to live happily together, but Violetta is already too ill. The arrival of George Germont , now ready to accept Violetta as a daughter, and Alfred’s promise never to leave her again are too much. Violetta makes one final gesture of love: she gives Alfred a portrait of herself when she was young and beautiful, saying that is how she wants him to remember her.
For a fleeting moment she shows signs of recovery, only to fall back and die.
Program and cast
Duration: Approx. 2h 45 min
Music: Giuseppe Verdi
Language: Italian
Subtitles: English
Direction and set design - Hugo De Ana
cast coming soon
Verona Arena
Recommendations for the seats categories by age: it is highly advised for elderly persons to choose if possible only the stalls/parterre/orchestra seats (platinum, gold, silvera, poltronissima and poltrona categories), the rest of the seats on the stairs are not very easy to climb, the stone blocks are each of about 0,5m high, the old stone stairs aren not everywhere available, it can be quite hard to reach the seats, the first lines, tribunes, not to mention the last levels. Opticaly the arena seems to be not extra big from the ground floor entrances, actually it is quite huge, the capacity of the half of the arena today, adapted for the Arena Opera Festival is of: 15.000,00 spectators. It is about half of the space, the rest is taken for the stage set up. There are no seats behind the stage for view reasons.
1.*Explore more with the Verona Card!
Verona Card is your key to the city, unlocking its rich cultural heritage and helping you save!
This combined ticket gives you savings on entrance to the main sights in the city, from the Arena to Juliet’s House, from Castelvecchio to the Museo Archeologico at the Teatro Romano.
There are two versions of the card available: a 24-hour card for €20 and a 48-hour card for €25. And that is not all: with the Verona Card, you can travel on buses in the city for free!
Let me show you some of the benefits of this card in more detail.
The following places offer free admission to Verona Card holders:
The Verona Arena
The Arche Scaligere Tombs
Basilica di Sant’Anastasia
Basilica di San Zeno
Juliet’s House
San Fermo Church
Verona Cathedral
GAM Achille Forti modern art gallery
Castelvecchio Museum
Natural History Museum
Juliet’s Tomb and frescoes museum and the Lamberti towers.
The following places offer discounted admission to Verona Card holders:
Fondazione Museo Miniscalchi Erizzo
Museo Africano
Giardino Giusti
Further reductions:
Arena di Verona Opera Festival
SIM Shakespeare Interactive Museum
Guided tours of the city centre
The tourist train around the city centre
CitySightseeing Verona
Simonetta Bike Tours
Saba Arena Car Park
Adige River Rafting
Outside Verona: Museo Nicolis in Villafranca, Parco Sigurtà in Valeggio sul Mincio.
Important information:
- The Verona Card only gives admission to each museum/monument once.
- On the first Sunday of every month, from October to May, entrance to the public museums in Verona is just €1.
- The prices shown are subject to change, outside the control of the organisers.
- The Verona Card is non-refundable in the event of changes to the opening hours or the closure of the partner attractions, or in the event of a strike, public holiday or for other reasons, outside the control of the organisers.
- On buses run by ATV, the Verona Card must be validated by placing the card on the reader.
- The Verona Card is not valid on the Aerobus airport shuttle.
- The opening times of all of the listed attractions, in particular the Arena and churches, are subject to change for shows, services, special events and public holidays.
The Verona Arena (Arena di Verona) is a Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy built in 30 AD. It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there. It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind.
2. City Sightseeing® Verona*
City Sightseeing® Verona allows you to admire city walls, castles, barracks, landscapes and historical, cultural, military, folkloristic and culinary testimonies, of a city declared a World heritage site by UNESCO.
The City Sightseeing®Verona has two sightseeing tours, sharing the departure in Piazza Bra, the Arena Square, symbol of the city.
The Line A leads to the Garderns Pradaval, reaching the medieval walls and getting to the district of San Zeno, with its famous Basilica; it moves towards the Adige, getting to Castelvecchio and continuing towards the Porta dei Borsari, the Roman Theatre and the Stone Bridge, the eldest monument of the city.
The Line B concerns the eastern part of the city, before moving to one of the most beautiful overlooks, Castel San Pietro. It then goes down then the hill and enters the city's historic district, where you can admire the typical bell towers of the Cathedral of Saint Anastasia. From here you can reach Piazza Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, until you get to Juliet's House.
Amphitheatre
The building itself was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. The ludi (shows and games) staged there were so famous that spectators came from many other places, often far away, to witness them. The amphitheatre could host more than 30,000 spectators in ancient times.
The round façade of the building was originally composed of white and pink limestone from Valpolicella, but after a major earthquake in 1117, which almost completely destroyed the structure's outer ring, except for the so-called "ala", the stone was quarried for re-use in other buildings. Nevertheless it impressed medieval visitors to the city, one of whom considered it to have been a labyrinth, without ingress or egress. Ciriaco d'Ancona was filled with admiration for the way it had been built and Giovanni Antonio Panteo's civic panegyric De laudibus veronae, 1483, remarked that it struck the viewer as a construction that was more than human.
Musical Theatre
The first interventions to recover the arena's function as a theatre began during the Renaissance. Some operatic performances were later mounted in the building during the 1850s, owing to its outstanding acoustics.
And in 1913, operatic performances in the arena commenced in earnest due to the zeal and initiative of the Italian operatenor Giovanni Zenatello and the impresario Ottone Rovato. The first 20th-century operatic production at the arena, a staging of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida, took place on 10 August of that year, to mark the birth of Verdi 100 years before in 1813. Musical luminaries such as Puccini and Mascagni were in attendance. Since then, summer seasons of opera have been mounted continually at the arena, except in 1915–18 and 1940–45, when Europe was convulsed in war.
Nowadays, at least four productions (sometimes up to six) are mounted each year between June and August. During the winter months, the local opera and ballet companies perform at the L'Accademia Filarmonica.
Modern-day travellers are advised that admission tickets to sit on the arena's stone steps are much cheaper to buy than tickets giving access to the padded chairs available on lower levels. Candles are distributed to the audience and lit after sunset around the arena.
Every year over 500,000 people see productions of the popular operas in this arena.[3] Once capable of housing 20,000 patrons per performance (now limited to 15,000 because of safety reasons), the arena has featured many of world's most notable opera singers. In the post-World War II era, they have included Giuseppe Di Stefano, Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi and Renata Tebaldi among other names. A number of conductors have appeared there, too. The official arena shop has historical recordings made by some of them available for sale.
The opera productions in the Verona Arena had not used any microphones or loudspeakers until an electronic sound reinforcement system was installed in 2011.
How to reach Verona
By Car
Verona is easily reached by taking:
- the A4 Motorway SERENISSIMA, Milan-Venice, exit Verona Sud.
- or by taking the A22 Motorway Brennero-Modena, followed by the A4 Motorway Milan-Venice, direction Venice, exit Verona Sud.
Then follow the signs for all directions ('tutte le direzioni) followed by the signs for the city centre.
Approximative distances from Verona by Motorways:
Vicenza km 51 Venezia km 114 Florence km 230
Brescia km 68 Bologna km 142 Rome km 600
Padova km 84 Bolzano km 157 Naples km 800
Trento km 103 Milan km 161
By Bus
The city centre is linked to the surrounding towns and villages, as well as Lake Garda, by a public transport bus service (the buses are blue in colour) which can be accessed at the bus station, situated directly opposite the train station (APTV Service). Click here for timetables and routes.
By Train
The main railway station is VERONA PORTA NUOVA, which is the crossroads of both the Milan - Venice line and the Brennero - Rome line.
There are direct trains and InterCity trains from all the main railway stations in the north of Italy throughout the day.
Duration of trip : from Padua 40 minutes; from Vicenza 30 minutes; from Venice 1½ hours; from Milan 2 hours and from Rome 5 hours.
City buses can be taken from the train station to the city centre and arrive in Piazza Bra, the central square where the Arena Amphitheatre is found.
The Bus numbers are 11, 12, 13, 14, 72 and 73.
By Plane
Verona's international Airport Catullo in Villafranca is situated approximately 10 km S-W of the city centre.
There is a shuttle bus service to and from the airport approximately every 20 minutes from 06.10 to 23.30.
The airport bus terminal is outside Porta Nuova Railway Station.
Brescia Montichiari Airport which is situated approximately 52 kilometres from Verona, is also linked to Verona Porta Nuova Train station by a shuttle bus which runs approximately twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Again the bus terminal is outside Porta Nuova Railway Station.
Parking nearby - Getting by car and parking next to the Arena
From highway A4 or A22 get the exit for Verona Sud.
Follow the signal “tutte le direzioni” (all directions) and then Verona city centre.
Parking Arena 100m
Via M.Bentegodi,8 - Verona - 37122
Parking Arsenale
Piazza Arsenale,8 - Verona - 37126
Parking Isolo
Via Ponte Pignolo, 6/c - Verona - 37129
Parking Polo Zanotto
Viale Università,4 - Verona - 37129
There are plenty of restaurants and hotels next to the ancient amphitheatre.
Frequently asked questions
All the answers to the most frequent questions for those planning a visit to the Arena di Verona Opera Festival
Can I cancel or modify my ticket?
Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged for another date and/or sector.
Tickets refunds before the event are never provided.
What happens in the event of bad weather?
Should weather conditions prevent a performance from being staged as scheduled, Fondazione Arena di Verona may postpone the beginning by up to 150 minutes. In the event of a performance being stopped after it has begun, spectators will have no right to a refund of the ticket price. Click here for further information.
I am a disabled person or the person accompanying me is a disabled person: is a reduction in ticket price foreseen in this case?
For all information regarding access to disabled spectators, we advise you to consult the dedicated page here.
I am unable to print out my ticket – can I show it in electronic format?
It is not necessary to print your ticket, you can also enter by showing the ticket on your smartphone.
Any other invoice request submitted through other channels, after the date of the performance, or which is not related to the ongoing Festival, will NOT be considered and therefore, automatically cancelled.
I would like to bring my children to the opera, at what age are they allowed to enter? Is a discount foreseen for families?
Children can enter the Arena from the age of 4. A package dedicated to families is not foreseen, however, your can visit our web page dedicated to Arena young.
Is it possible to purchase tickets for the shows using the “carta docente” for teachers?
Yes. All info can be found here.
What time should I arrive?
To ensure correct management of the entrances and to avoid delays, the spectator is required to arrive at the Arena at least one hour before the start of the show.
The gates open two hours before the show starts.
Is specific dress code compulsory for admittance to the shows?
There is no compulsory dress code.
In the stalls seats, a smart dress is preferable and shorts, tank tops/vests and thong sandals ARE NOT ALLOWED for men.
Is cloakroom service available?
No, there is no cloakroom service.
Is the opera libretto included in the price of the ticket?
No, but it can be purchased before the beginning of the show at the Arena shop at gate 10
Can I bring a small backpack, umbrella and cushion?
Yes, it is possible to enter with a small backpack and a small/folding umbrella (with no sharp points). On the other hand, it is forbidden to introduce cases, trolley cases, bags, backpacks or other bulky containers (over 17 litres).
If you have a seat on the stone steps, you can bring a cushion from home or purchase one at the Arena from the venue staff.
Can I bring food or drinks?
It is not possible to bring food or drinks into the Arena. Plastic bottles larger than 0.5 litres and any other bottle, container or glass/plastic objects are forbidden, as are any other blunt instruments that could cause damage to oneself or others.
Can I bring a camera?
No, it is forbidden to bring video cameras, professional or semi-professional cameras, tripods or musical instruments into the Arena.
Updated on 11 October 2023
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