I’ll never love this way again
A faithful parterreian writes: “Recently, I was listening to various performances of ‘Amami Alfredo’ and was struck by the August 29, 1939 Stockholm performance (sung in Swedish) with Hjordis Schymberg and Jussi Björling. After she finishes the passionate outcry, the orchestra, instead of playing Verdi’s agitated three measures of exit music, launches into a grand reprise of the tune of ‘Amami Alfredo’.”
Two questions: 1) Why? and 2) How might this postlude be staged?
Here’s the excerpt: [Amami Alfredo]
Sounds like the description of Verdi’s revisions for the Paris version.
(Paris version was published by Verdi’s Parisian publisher Escudier)
Violetta’s text in the Paris vesion before the orchestra reprise of the great theme is quite different too: “Adieu je t’aime / Songe au serment suprême / Ah!___ jamais tu ne sauras combien je t’aime ! [vocal line changed slightly here] Rodolphe! je t’aime!” It would be interesting to know if the Swedish singing translation followed that French text.
Wow, QPF, I wasn’t aware that Traviata was among the operas that Verdi revised for Paris. Are there other interesting variants in the Paris revision?
Frankly I can’t recall if those variants were authorized by Verdi or just implemented for the staging and French translation as published by Escudier.
Call me vulgar, but I don’t mind that reprise. And in terms of staging, Violetta could start to leave the stage, then stop, turn around to give Alfredo a deep look. And then run to him for a long, meaningful embrace before making an agonizing exit from the stage. All the while Alfredo could look puzzled by her emotional behaviour.
Hey, you got a good tune, milk it.
If you think about it, the transition from Amami Alfredo to Alfredo’s entrance is rather abrupt. The reprise and kashania’s staging would smooth it out.
I always find the little rum-ti-tum postlude after ‘Amami, Alfredo’ a severe anticlimax. (On the other hand, I have to confess that Traviata is the only Verdi opera I’d happily never sit through again. I can’t explain why.)
This is so funny. Traviata is the ove verdi opera that I have 25 recordings of, and i can sit through it several times a year and be happy.
Traviata is my favorite opera.
and then end up in gaol because she’s a grande cocotte , exiled to Louisiana where she is eaten alive by alligators
There are, to my knowledge three versions of Traviata by Verdi: The Venice original which was performed not too long ago with a cast including Dimitri Hvorostovsky and I think was linked from Parterre at the time; the revision which is the version we know (some changes to the Violetta/Germont scene and some bits throughout); and the Paris version which was recorded at least once in Paris, I’m guessing by Pathe.
The Washington Opera presented the original version (or so they claimed) a few years ago with H K Hong as Violetta. It was interesting – many more high notes all over – but I didn’t care for it. Either I’m just too used to the revised version or the revised version is indeed quite an improvement.
I have a DVD of a Carsen-directed TRAVIATA in which Ciofi and Hvoro do the original version of the Act 2 duet. It is frustratingly Not-As-Good.
I’m on an Ernani kick since Saturday. I listened to a ’58 Met broadcast that has a 15 minute ballet in the last act. This ballet includes music from Macbeth!! Some from the brindisi in the banquet scene and some Witch music! I wonder if Verdi authorized that!? No extra tenor aria for DelMonaco.
Funny how these thing happen, aulus. I recently spent three or four weeks just listening to versions of Gotterdammerung. Couldn’t get it out of my system.
Wow!
1. I like the music after her “Amami,Alfredo–much more effective.
2. I had no idea my favorite, Jussi ever sang Alfredo!
3. Where can I find a recording of it?
I like it, but only if Violetta looks exactly like Garbo and rushes back to him (Robert Taylor)for one of those backlighted embraces where she is bending over backwards, suffering the anguish of an angelic courtesan in total despair-heat.
I watched the Willie Decker production with Netrebko and Villazon again hoping to get some ideas for the reprise; however, it was so brilliantly powerful, especially Netrebko’s acting. I wouldn’t want to mess up that scene. Can we ask Willie Decker?
I have to say i like them both. The one in the Bjorling performance is just the sound of Violeta’s and guish and it tugs that the audience’s heart; very effective.
The other (and in my opinion just as effective) is the sound of her skirts as she rushes out before she changes her mind and sends Mesieur Germont, the little whinny bitch and the closet case who is shopping for a beard all to hell and proceeds to use the last few tricks of the trade she has yet to use on Alfredo.