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The Cast |
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| Violetta (Soprano): |
Nova Thomas
(20, 22, 24/9)
Myra Cordell
(21, 23/9) |
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Alfredo (Tenor): |
Warren Mok |
| Germont (Baritone): |
Adib Fazah |
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Flora (Mezzo-soprano): |
Blythe Merrifield |
| Gastone (Tenor): |
Euro Nava |
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Grevnil (Bass): |
Derek Anthony |
| Douphol (Baritone): |
Michael Rippon |
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Marguis (Baritone): |
Sylvester Che |
| Annina (Soprano): |
Cindy Wong
(20, 22, 24/9)
Margaret Yim
(21, 23/9) |
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Giuseppe (Tenor): |
Bastien Tai |
| Commissario (Baritone): |
Lam Ho-chi |
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Servo (Tenor): |
Wong Chi-cheun |
| Repetiteurs: |
Anna Chan
Gordon Kember
Peter Lally |
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| The Opera Society of Hong Kong |
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Chorusmaster: Raymond Fu |
| The Hong Kong Ballet |
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Choreographer: Bruce Steivel |
| The Hong Kong Sinfonietta |
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Conductor: Paul Nadler (20, 22, 24/9)
Long Yu (21, 23/9) | |
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The Story |
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| Act I |
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Opens in a salon in Violetta' house, where she is giving a party. Her friend Gastone arrives with Alfredo, and tells her that Alfredo has for some time been in love with her. Alfredo then sings a lively drinking song. |
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As the guests proceed to the ballroom to dance, Violetta is seized by a fit of coughing. Alfredo, who has stayed behind, speaks of his love for her. Violetta tells Alfredo that what she seeks is not love but pleasure, but she promises to see him the next day. |
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After the guests have departed, Violetta, alone and contemplative, sings of how her heart has been touched by Alfredo's love. But she ends with the brilliant "Semprelibera..." as if to discard the softer emotions. |
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| Act II |
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| Scene 1 |
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Opens a few months later, when Violetta has abandoned her former life and is living with Alfredo in a country house outside Paris. Alfredo enters and sings of his joy in life with Violetta. His joy is short-lived, however, when he learns from the maid Annina that Violetta has been selling her jewellery to meet the costs of upkeep of the house. He rushes off to try to raise the money himself. |
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Violetta comes in. She has received an invitation from her former friend Flora to a party that night, but she laughs at the idea of returning to her former life. Just then, an unexpected visitor arrives. It is Germont, Alfredo's father. Germont begs her to leave Alfredo, not only to save Alfredo from ruin, but because the continued relationship will harm the marriage prospects of his sister. |
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Violetta at first refuses Germont's request, but as he continues to plead, she finally makes the agonising decision to give up Alfredo. Left alone, Violetta writes to Flora accepting her invitation, then begins a letter to Alfredo. Before she has finished it, Alfredo arrives to tell her his father is coming to see him. Violetta, pretending to leave so as not to interrupt father and son, tells Alfredo how much she loves him and then departs. A servant hands Alfredo a note; it is Violetta's farewell letter, telling him that she is returning to her former life. At that moment, Germont returns, just in time to console his son as he realises the implications of the letter. |
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| Scene 2 |
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Takes place in the same evening, at Flora's party. It opens with a group of gypsies singing and dancing, then Gastone and his friends arrive dressed up as matadors. Alfredo arrives alone. Violetta appears soon afterwards, escorted by Baron Douphol. The two men play at cards for high states and Alfredo wins. When all the guests retire to the adjoining room for the banquet, Violetta has a chance to speak to Alfredo. She begs him to leave, saying the Baron is a dangerous adversary. When Alfredo replies that it is the Baron she fears for, Violetta, remembering her promise to Germont, agrees that she does indeed love the Baron. At that, Alfredo throws open the doors to the banquet room and calls for all to come. He tells them of Violetta's betrayal and says he will pay back every penny she spent on him. He throws at her the purse containing his winnings from the gaming table. |
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| Germont arrives to witness the scene, but can do nothing except rebuke his son for his shameless behaviour. |
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| Act III |
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It is set in Violetta's bedroom, she is seriously ill with tuberculosis. The doctor arrives and tries to cheer her with hope of a speedy recovery. But to Annina he reveals that Violetta is dying. Left alone, Violetta reads again a letter from Germont telling her that Alfredo now knows of her sacrifice. He has been sent for to come as quickly as possible. Violetta, however, realises she is near death. |
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Returning from the carnival in the street below, Annina excitedly tells Violetta that she has seen Alfredo. He arrives and they sing of a happy future together. Violetta is once again in the arms of her lover - but it is too late; death has come to La Traviata ("the fallen woman"). |
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Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong
Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong was founded by a group of dedicated and enthusiastic singers. They come from all walks of life and share the common interest in promoting western opera and musical theatre to the general public.
They performed in the 1992 and 93 productions of Verdi?s Otello and Rigoletto under the supervision of chorusmaster and chairman Raymond Fu. They aspire to attain the highest standards of performance comparable with the best western choruses around the world.
Chorusmaster : Raymond Fu
Rehearsal Pianists: Faith Fung / James Milar / Grace Yue
Magician: Mr Magic / Albert Tam / Tami
SOPRANO
Simfonia Chan
Wini Chiu
Beatrice Kung
Winnie Lee
Noel Leung
Amanda Liu
Sandra Partridge
Linda Peach
Sue Wilkinson
Shirley Yeung
Maureen Chan
Alison Cripps
Fanny Ho
Katherine Kwong
Sandy Lee
Leung Sze-wai
Sung Mei-kwan
ALTO
Amanda Chan
Vivian Ko
Lai Ka-man
Ursula Matthews
Maggie Siu
Sze Siu-wan
Gloria Chan
Lam Yuen-yee
Rita Leung
Tilda Wat
TENOR
Cheung Chun-wa
Ho Man-cho
Stephen Ng
Herbert Tam
Tam Yu-leung
Wong chi-chuen
Kenny Lui
Albert Tsang
Chak Ho-yin
Orlando Mang
Suen Chung-yin
BASS
Lam Ho-chi
Timothy Lam
Lee Ka-kit
Leung Tsun-kai
Ian Yeung
Anton Luiten
Colin Lau
Law Ching-kwok
Brian Leung
Albert Lim
Wilson So
Eric Tang
Matthew Wong
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Date: 20-24 September 1994