Maltese soprano Gillian Zammit brings to life the tribulations of Violetta Valéry in two highly contrasting scenes from one of the most romantic and tragic operatic scores.
The Scena and Aria from Act 1 (“È strano…Sempre libera”) is set in the early hours of the morning, in the aftermath of a party Violetta has thrown. Alfredo Germont has declared his love, awakening new, strange feelings within her. Faced with the prospect of giving up her decadent life and sacrificing everything in the name of love, she allows herself to dream briefly of a future with Alfredo. Ultimately however, already knowing she is ill, she chooses to reject this path singing almost feverishly of pursuing a hedonistic, superficial life – despite Alfredo’s serenading (tenor: Luis Aguilar) from the streets below.
The very reflective and pathetic Prelude to Act 3 leads directly into a most moving scene. Violetta is now terminally ill and alone. She has by now lost not only most of her possessions but hope itself. She reads a letter from Alfredo’s father informing her that her former lover will be returning to ask her forgiveness, but Violetta exclaims that it is now too late. She desperately reminiscences on a foregone past (“È tardi…Addio, del passato”), sharing her fears about her imminent death.
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra | Conductor: Colin Attard
Director: Denise Mulholland | Director of photography: Matthew Muscat Drago
Set Artist: Andrew Borg Wirth | Costume Designer: Luke Azzopardi
(Photo credits: Betty Bugeja)
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