The Siren Subverted: The Role of Violetta Valery in

Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata (1853)

by Caroline Anne Ellsmore,

Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, University of New England,
Associate, Licentiate and Fellow of Trinity College, London

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master
of Music (Honours), University of New England

August 2010.

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Copyright 2010 Caroline Ellsmore
All rights reserved

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 ABSTRACT

This thesis addresses a two-fold proposition: that Giuseppe Verdi used the term
posizione as a concept for which he designed musical strategies and that, in relation to
Verdi’s La traviata, the term posizione can also be viewed within the broader context
of its social implications for the character of the courtesan, Violetta, and for the singer
of the role. Verdi’s musical strategies provide signifiers for the social space as well as
the emotional states and responses of Violetta as her posizione changes throughout the
opera. They also demand from the singer of the role a variety of vocal techniques as
these changes occur. The initial necessity of virtuosic coloratura control is
relinquished by degrees and replaced by the necessity for other tactics during the
course of the opera.

It is my argument that there is an historical correlation between the social space of the
courtesan and that of the female singer. The power of each has relied on the ability to
seduce client or audience through elements of display which have also involved vocal
virtuosity. This has assisted in causing a conflation of the identities of courtesan and
female singer to be made by audiences of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The narrative and musical strategies of La traviata as revealed by critical analysis
require novel tactical responses from both singer and audience as the expected
seductive qualities of the singer-as-courtesan have been overturned. The possibility
arises that Verdi’s use of these strategies functioned as a refutation of criticism and
suspicion regarding female singers in general and his mistress Giuseppina Strepponi
in particular.

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 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The evolution of this thesis has necessarily centred upon my experience as a singer
and the nineteenth century repertoire suitable to my own voice type. That my focus
should come to rest on the work of Giuseppe Verdi and the role of Violetta Valéry in
particular, is due both to the compelling power of Verdi’s composition and to the
unique narrative of La traviata. Without the support of the members of the
University’s Discipline of Music and their belief in my ability to return to
performance of such repertoire, the renewed experience which enabled this study
might not have been possible.

I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the patient and rigorous guidance and extensive
consultation provided by my Principal Supervisor, Dr Jason Stoessel. I also
acknowledge the insights on performance reception offered by his Co-supervisor, Dr
David Goldsworthy and by Dr Hugh de Ferranti. I am grateful for both the technical
and moral support of Mr Stephen Thorneycroft. I appreciate the genial and patient
role which Dr Andrew Alter has played in assessing and facilitating my studies. I also
acknowledge the painstaking preliminary groundwork and guidance afforded me by
Dr Rex Eakins.

The assistance of Mrs Antonia Feitz and of the staff at Dixson Library, University of
New England, Armidale, has been invaluable in my gathering of resources, as has that
of Ms Olga Lipsky at the Griffith University Conservatorium Library, Brisbane. I am
grateful for the patient advice and support in dealing with the exigencies of deadlines
and technical matters, which have been generously forthcoming from Ms Fiona
Pearson and Mrs Anna Kirk of Research Services and from the staff of the ITD
Service Desk at the University of New England.

Miss Joan Carden, A.O., O.B.E., has been extremely generous in sharing with me her
extensive experience of the operatic stage and her knowledge of the exacting role of
Violetta Valéry. Miss Cheryl Barker (Opera Australia) has also provided me with
valuable insights into her performance of the role and comparison with other roles in
her own repertoire. I wish to acknowledge the kindness of Mr Graham Pushee and Ms
Jennifer Eddy of Arts Management, Ms Joanne Goodman of Opera Australia and Mr
Anthony Breese of The Sydney Philharmonia in assisting me to liaise with
performers.

My thanks also go to Dr Jan Baldwin, Dr Joan Wardrop and Dr Anja Reid of Curtin
University of Technology Perth, for the opportunity to present my performances and
some of the emerging results of my research at the Humanities: Engaging Places/
Engaging Cultures Conference in November 2008 and to publish my contribution
electronically in the Conference Journal, with the technical assistance of Ms Cindy
Chen.
I am very grateful for the assistance of Ms Carmel Pass in proof-reading this thesis.

None of my performances or research would have been possible without my dear

husband and accompanist, Greg, whose own love of secular and sacred music has
inspired and informed my musical studies and teaching over many years.

Caroline Ellsmore
[7 August 2010]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1:................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................1
A Subject for Our Time.............................................................................................1
Social space of the courtesan ....................................................................................8
Performing Violetta.................................................................................................11
Overview of Remaining Chapters...........................................................................27

CHAPTER 2 ...............................................................................................................31
METHODOLOGY................................................................................................31
Overview of the proposition....................................................................................31
Statement of Methodology......................................................................................31
Methodological Rationale .......................................................................................34
Approaches to Analysis...........................................................................................55
Recapitulation .........................................................................................................65

CHAPTER 3 ...............................................................................................................67
FROM LIFE TO LIBRETTO..............................................................................67
The Play and the Novel ...........................................................................................67
From Play to Libretto ..............................................................................................76
Verdi’s Posizione and La traviata...........................................................................97
The Social Space of the Singer-as-Courtesan .......................................................114

CHAPTER 4 .............................................................................................................119
VERDI’S MUSICAL STRATEGIES................................................................119
Overview ...............................................................................................................119
Act I.......................................................................................................................124
Act II .....................................................................................................................145
Act III ....................................................................................................................172

CHAPTER 5 .............................................................................................................192
EPILOGUE..........................................................................................................192

GLOSSARY..............................................................................................................202

BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................207

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TABLE OF SCORE EXAMPLES

Chapter 4

Example 1. Act I. Violetta’s entry in Introduzione (pp. 12 – 13) ........................... 124

Example 2. Act I. Excerpt from Introduzione with Violetta, principals

and chorus (p. 14) ................................................................................ 125

Example 3. Act I. Excerpt from Introduzione. Violetta and ensemble

(p. 27)................................................................................................... 126

Example 4. Act I. Opening bars of the Brindisi. Woodwind section

(p. 31)................................................................................................... 127

Example 5. Act I. Brindisi. Libiamo, libiamo, ne’ lieti calici.

Alfredo’s entry (p. 32) ......................................................................... 127

Example 6. Act I. Brindisi. Excerpt from Violetta’s vocal line with

orchestration (p. 37) ............................................................................. 128

Example 7. Act I. Brindisi. Violetta and Alfredo (p. 42)........................................ 128

Example 8. Act I. Brindisi. Excerpt from Violetta’s relentless vocal

line (p. 38)............................................................................................ 129

Example 9. Act I. Brindisi. Final bars. Violetta and ensemble (p. 47) ................... 129

Example 10. Act I. Valzer-Duetto. Che è ciò? Violetta’s exclamation

with off-stage band (p.50).................................................................... 130

Example 11. Act I Scena III. Alfredo’s arioso Un dì felice which

becomes the Di quell’amor paean to love (pp. 55 – 56) ...................... 131

Example 12. Act I. Excerpt from Valzer-Duetto. Violetta (p. 57) ............................ 131

Example 13. Act I. Excerpt from Valzer-Duetto. Violetta and Alfredo

(p. 60)................................................................................................... 132

Example 14. Act I. Excerpt from Valzer-Duetto. Violetta and Alfredo

(p. 60)................................................................................................... 132

Example 15. Act I. Excerpt from Gastone’s interruption of Valzer-

Duetto (p. 60) ....................................................................................... 132

Example 16. Act I. Valzer-Duetto. Violetta and Alfredo bid farewell

(p. 64)................................................................................................... 133

Example 17. Act I. Finale. Excerpt from Violetta’s recitative. È

strano. (p. 81)....................................................................................... 134

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Example 18. Act I Finale. Excerpt from Violetta’s cantabile, Ah,
fors’e lui (p. 82) ................................................................................... 134

Example 19. Act I. Finale. Excerpt of cantabile showing woodwinds

and first violin part (p. 83). .................................................................. 135

Example 20. Act I. Finale. Violetta echoes Alfredo’s theme (p. 84). ...................... 135

Example 21. Act I. Finale. Excerpt from cantabile before returning to

Alfredo’s theme (p. 87)........................................................................ 136

Example 22. Act I Finale. Excerpt from cantabile (p. 88) ....................................... 136

Example 23. Act I. Finale. Cadenza to cavatina (p. 89). ......................................... 136

Example 24. Act I. Finale. Opening of recitative Follie! Follie!

between cantabile and cabaletta, Sempre libera (p. 89) ................... 137

Example 25. Act I. Finale. Lower string accompaniment to recitative

(p. 90)................................................................................................... 137

Example 26. Act I. Finale. Excerpt from recitative (p. 90) ...................................... 138

Example. 27. Act I. Finale. Opening cadenza to recitative (p. 91) ........................... 139

Example 28. Act I. Finale. Conclusion of cadenza to recitative (p. 92)................... 139

Example 29. Act I. Finale. Opening section. Woodwinds (p. 92) ............................ 140

Example 30. Act I Finale. Excerpt from cabaletta (p. 93) ....................................... 141

Example 31. Act I. Finale. Excerpt from cabaletta and opening of

repeated melody (p. 94) ...................................................................... 141

Example 32. Act I. Finale. Conclusion of the cadenza (p. 96)................................. 141

Example 33. Act I. Finale. Violetta’s interruption of Alfredo’s

serenade (p. 97).................................................................................... 143

Example 34. Act I. Finale. Further variations of passagi on ‘dee volar’

(p. 105)................................................................................................. 143

Example 35. Act I. Finale. Cadence often varied with f 1, g1 to e flat2

and a1 in final two bars of vocal part (pp. 106 – 107).......................... 144

Example 36. Act II. Excerpt from Alfredo’s aria, De miei bollenti (p.
111) ...................................................................................................... 146

Example 37. Act II. Recitative with first violin part (p. 134) ................................... 146

Example 38. Act II. Excerpt from Violetta’s recitative exchange with
Germont (p. 136).................................................................................. 147

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Example 39. Act II. Violetta’s ornamented recitative (p. 137) ................................. 148

Example 40. Act II. Excerpt from parlante. Violetta with first violin
part (p. 142).......................................................................................... 148

Example 41. Act II. Violetta refuses to agree with Germont’s demands
(pp. 143 – 144)..................................................................................... 149

Example 42. Act II. Opening bars of Violetta’s Non sapete quale
affetto (p. 144)...................................................................................... 149

Example 43. Act II. Textural intensification of Non sapete (p. 145)........................ 150

Example 44. Act II. Violetta pleads her case with more force (p. 146).................... 150

Example 45. Act II. Violetta with orchestral tutti (p. 147) ....................................... 152

Example 46. Act II. Germont envisages Violetta’s future (pp. 151 –
152) ...................................................................................................... 153

Example 47. Act II. Violetta’s response to Germont (doubled by flutes

and solo oboe) (p. 155) ........................................................................ 155

Example 48. Act II. Violetta sees herself as the unforgivable fallen
woman (p. 157) .................................................................................... 155

Example 49. Act II. Violetta’s message to Germont’s daughter (p. 158)................. 156

Example 50. Act II. Violetta’s final submission (p. 164) ......................................... 156

Example 51. Act II. Excerpt from recitative of Violetta and Germont
with first violins (p. 164) ..................................................................... 157

Example 52. Act II. Excerpt from Violetta’s parlante amidst intense
chromaticism (p. 165) ........................................................................ 158

Example 53. Act II. Modal change as Violetta fears that Alfredo may
curse her memory (p. 169) ................................................................... 158

Example 54. Act II. Violetta wishes Alfredo to know of her life’s
sacrifice for him (pp. 170 – 171) ......................................................... 159

Example 55. Act II. Germont and Violetta consolidate their agreement
(p. 172)................................................................................................. 159

Example 56. Act II. Violetta and Germont conclude in unison. She
bids him to leave (p. 177) .................................................................... 160

Example 57. Act II. Violetta’s leave-taking echoes that from Alfredo
(p. 180)................................................................................................. 160

Example 58. Act II. Excerpt from Violetta’s recitative with Annina (p.
182) ...................................................................................................... 161

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Example 59. Act II. Excerpt from Violetta’s agitated parlante with
Alfredo (p. 186) ................................................................................... 162

Example 60. Act II. Violetta seeks to reassure Alfredo (p. 189) .............................. 162

Example 61. Act II. Violetta commands Alfredo to love her, before she
flees (pp. 190 – 191) ............................................................................ 163

Example 62. Act II. Excerpt from prelude to Violetta’s entrance to the
gambling party at Flora’s (p. 280) ....................................................... 165

Example 63. Act II. Violetta’s refrain of distress at the impending

confrontation (p. 283) .......................................................................... 166

Example 64. Act II. Violetta converses with Alfredo (p. 298) ................................. 166

Example 65. Act II. Violetta is aware of Alfredo’s hatred (p. 300).......................... 167

Example 66. Act II. Violetta urges Alfredo to leave (p. 306)................................... 167

Example 67. Act II. Violetta’s false admission of love for the Baron,
prompting Alfredo to insult her in the presence of the
other guests (p. 308)............................................................................. 167

Example 68. Act II. Chorus and principals with orchestral tutti
denounce Alfredo (p. 313) ................................................................... 169

Example 69. Act II. Excerpt from ensemble as they sympathize with
Violetta (p. 324) ................................................................................... 170

Example 70. Act II. Excerpt from Largo del Finale. Violetta and
ensemble (p. 338)................................................................................. 171

Example 71. Act III. Excerpt from orchestral opening as Annina

attends to Violetta (p. 342).................................................................. 172

Example 72. Act II. String accompaniment to Violetta’s spoken

reading of the letter (p. 352) ................................................................ 174

Example 73. Act III. Excerpt from recitative preceding aria (pp. 352 –
353) ...................................................................................................... 175

Example 74. Act III. Violetta begins the aria Addio del passato (p.
353) ...................................................................................................... 176

Example 75. Act III. Modal change for refrain of aria (p. 355) ............................... 177

Example 76. Act III. Reversion to A minor in aria as Violetta sings of

all being finished (p. 356) .................................................................... 178

Example 77. Act III. Rhythm intensifies as Violetta expects Alfredo’s

arrival (p. 368) ..................................................................................... 179

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Example 78. Act III. Violetta and Alfredo are reunited (p. 369) .............................. 179

Example 79. Act III. Violetta and Alfredo pledge that nothing will part
them (p. 372)........................................................................................ 180

Example 80. Act III. Violetta’s reassertion of physical power (p. 373) ................... 180

Example 81. Act III. Change of metre and key. Duet between Violetta
and Alfredo (p. 374)............................................................................ 180

Example 82. Act III. Recompense for past sufferings. Duet between
Violetta and Alfredo (p. 377)............................................................... 181

Example 83. Act III. Violetta and Alfredo hope for healing (p. 386)....................... 182

Example 84. Act III. Violetta attempts to reassure Alfredo of her

recovery (p. 388).................................................................................. 182

Example 85. Act III. Violetta is physically defeated (p. 390)................................... 183

Example 86. Act III. Brass emphasis of the situation’s gravity (p. 392) .................. 184

Example 87. Act III. Violetta desperately attempts to rise (p. 393).......................... 184

Example 88. Act III. Violetta’s attitude becomes more fatalistic (p.
393) ...................................................................................................... 185

Example 89. Act III. Violetta attempts to assert her strength (p. 394) ..................... 185

Example 90. Act III. Violetta and Alfredo reflect each other’s thoughts
(p. 397)................................................................................................. 185

Example 91. Act III. Violetta and Alfredo’s voices form V7 – I

cadence with double bass (p. 399) ....................................................... 186

Example 92. Act III. Violetta collapses after a sustained effort to

remain in control (p. 403) .................................................................. 186

Example 93. Act III. Germont is overcome with remorse (p. 407) .......................... 187

Example 94. Act III. Violetta presents the miniature portrait. Excerpt
shows woodwinds, brass and percussion (p. 409) ............................... 188

Example 95. Act III. Violetta’s high note now defines her as aspiring
to a new space outside the world (p. 420)............................................ 189

Example 96. Act III. Violetta believes she is reviving and Alfredo’s
theme is heard (p. 421)........................................................................ 189

Example 97. Act III. Violetta dies (p. 422)............................................................... 190

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Abbreviations used in this thesis:

1. C three octaves below Middle C = C2

2. C two octaves below Middle C = C1

3. C below Middle C = C

4. Middle C = c

5. C above Middle C = c1

6. C two octaves above Middle C = c2

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