“Arguably one of the most well-known operas by the master of the genre, La Traviata was a bit of a game-changer when first performed at Venice’s La Fenice in 1853. The title itself means fallen woman, and the libretto is based on a play by Alexander Dumas about said women, Violetta, a courtesan, and her shot at redemption with her lover Alfredo. Obviously things aren’t quite that simple in the world of opera, and after several stunning arias and wonderfully dramatic music, she dies just before she and Alfredo can be reunited. . It’s an opera that has a strong personal connection for me. I was lucky enough to see it performed at La Fenice a few years ago when my wife took me there for a birthday present. It was a freezing cold February towards the end of Carnevale, but Venice is always at its best out of season. Perhaps because of this, or because if you have an Italian wife who can actually sing along to opera as if it’s a pop song from childhood, then what better to incorporate it into something as important as your wedding. So we chose Libiamo ne’ lieti calici, which is sung by Alfredo early in Act 1, for the exit music post-ceremony at our wedding. It’s a brindisi, a drinking song that is designed simply to encourage the drinking of wine. What better choice to serenade wedding guests on the way to the reception...” . FOR FULL REVIEW & PLAYLIST CLICK LINK IN PROFILE: https://randomrecordreview.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/1455-giuseppi-verdi-la-traviata/ . #latraviata #giuseppiverdi #verdiopera #italianopera #opera #riccardomutti #libiamoneilieticalici #weddingmusic #boxsetvinyl #hismastersvoice #emirecords #recordcollection #vinyl #vinylcollection #nowplaying #nowlistening #randomrecordreview https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhF7VEgYXf/?igshid=19h0u3ff300tr
