Zeffirelli has long been one of my favorite filmmakers, and some of his movies I have admired are "The Taming of the Shrew" (1967), "Romeo and Juliet" (1968), and "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" (1973). He has also directed noted opera productions at a number of famous venues, including the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala.
Set in Paris around 1850, "La Traviata" chronicles the doomed love between Violetta (soprano Teresa Stratas) and Alfredo (tenor Plácido Domingo). The other major role is Alfredo's father (baritone Cornell MacNeil). The movie features the Metropolitan Opera and Chorus under the direction of James Levine.
The libretto for "La Traviata" is adapted from "La Dame aux camélias" ("The Lady of the Camellias," also known as "Camille"), an 1852 play by Alexandre Dumas fils. The story has enough depth that I found it worth watching the movie several times to gain an appreciation of the psychological complexity of the characters and Zeffirelli's visually dense treatment of them.
The opera's central character is Violetta, a member of the demimonde, that is, the class of women kept by wealthy men known as protectors. She is the title character, and when she sings the Italian word "traviata," the English captions on the DVD translate it as "woman gone astray."
But Violetta's relationship with her protector is a loveless one, and in fact, before meeting Alfredo, she had never known love at all. Her last chance at love will probably be with Alfredo since she suffers from tuberculosis.
Violetta leaves her protector, and she and Alfredo enjoy three happy months living together. But upon becoming convinced by Alfredo's father that what she is doing is causing a scandal harmful to his family, she reluctantly decides she must sacrifice her own happiness and break with Alfredo. The only way she knows to prevent Alfredo from pursuing her is to make the break irreparable by reuniting with her former protector.
Violetta's actions result in her ending up living alone as her tuberculosis worsens and her possessions are being taken away to cover her debts. Actually, the film begins at this point and tells most of the story in a long flashback. But after that flashback, Alfredo and his father come to Violetta's bedside, and there is reconciliation all around. Then Violetta feels intense joy for a few fleeting moments before collapsing in death.
But for me, what makes "La Traviata" so emotional is Verdi's music. For example, there's the celebrated "Drinking Song," also known as "Il Brindisi," and listed on the DVD in the chapter selection menu as "Libiamo ne' liete." Another memorable melody is the haunting love theme that symbolizes Alfredo's devotion to Violetta. It occurs in several places in the film, but the first time I hear it being firmly established is near the beginning when one of the workmen removing Violetta's objets d'art pauses to stare at a large portrait of her.
I am also enormously impressed with the musical entertainments at the elaborate demimonde ball in Act Three. The Metropolitan Opera Chorus sings the delightful "We Are Young Gypsies," which is listed on the DVD chapter selection menu as "Noi siamo zingarelle." Zeffirelli follows that with a number that showcases two ballet dancers from the Bolshoi.
Zeffirelli's "La Traviata" is a superb blend of music, story, and filmmaking, and I believe DVD provides a good way to get to know Verdi's splendid opera. But alas, the DVD comes with almost no extras. Below I have listed all the special features of the "La Traviata" DVD.
Details:
- DVD Release Date: April 13, 1999
- Run Time of Feature Film: 1 hr. 49 min.
- Widescreen (1.66:1), Color
- MPAA Rating: G
- Italian Dolby Digital 2.0
- English Captions
- French Subtitles
- Theatrical Trailer
- Production Notes (text)
- Cast and Filmmakers (text)
