Verona – city of art, love and music

23^rd to 24^th of July 2013

It has been a long lived dream of mom’s to see an opera performed at the Verona Arena and rightly so, as how can one not indulge in the proud cultural heritage of opera in Italy, when in the country.

Verona, a city of art, love and music

After saying our goodbyes to our family in Bassano del Grappa and Marostica, we departed for Verona, en route to Monterosso al Mare. We arrived at Verona in the sweltering heat of the afternoon but gratefully could relax and refresh at Ad Centrum B&B, a very comfortable and highly recommended bed and breakfast a short stroll from the Arena.

Exiting the B&B that evening, as smartly dressed as travelling tourists can be, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a typical restaurant called Trattoria Colonna, followed by a short stroll through the heart of Verona, indulging in an ice-cream before the start of the opera.

Dinner and dessert before the opera

We had booked tickets for La Traviata, a three act opera set in Paris at the beginning of the 18^th century.

Waiting excitedly for the opera to start

La Traviata was spectacular. The stage was decorated with large baroque style picture frames that at first were placed at an angle on the stage but during the show were raised for dramatic effect. The opera was performed within these picture frames which made me feel as if I was viewing scenes from an art gallery exhibiting 18^th century paintings that have come alive.

When the sun had set and the darkness started enveloping the arena, a smartly dressed lady in a black suit and top hat, walked onto the stage and chimed a large cymbal. The loud, solitary sound singled everyone to take their seats as the opera was about to begin. The people sitting on the stone slabs above had lit candles giving a romantic atmosphere in which this amorous opera would begin.

La Traviata at the Verona Arena

Act 1 begun with a lavish party hosted by Violetta, a famed courtesan. As people danced across the stage in merriment, Alfredo, who has admired Violetta, declares his love to her. At first she dismisses his love; however, when Alfredo leaves the stage, singing about love as he walks down the street, Violetta wonders if he actually could be the one.

The cheerfulness experienced in Act 1 and at the start of Act 2 as Alfredo and Violetta are happily living together in a country house outside Paris, is soon shattered. Alfredo’s father begs and eventually convinces Violetta to abandon Alfredo for the sake of his family since their relationship threatens his daughter’s engagement.

Violetta leaves for Paris to attend the Baron’s party who was her former lover. A devastated Alfredo follows Violetta to Paris to confront her. Everyone is enjoying the party, Spanish dancing and gambling but the drama increases as Alfredo’s anger increases. Fearing that the Baron’s anger may lead him to challenge Alfredo to a duel, Violetta asks Alfredo to leave. However, he will not leave unless Violetta admits that she loves the Baron. Reluctantly she does and a humiliated Alfredo denounces Violetta, throwing his winnings at her feet in payment for her services.

As Act 2 was ending with Violetta singing ‘Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core non puoi comprendere tutto l’amore’… ‘Alfredo, Alfredo, you can’t understand all the love in this heart…’ the full moon was rising above the stage and extravagantly decorated pots exploded with gold glitter and came twinkling down, disappearing into the night, just like Violetta and Alfredo’s love.

Scenes from La Traviata at the Verona Arena

The last act of La Traviata unfortunately holds a tragic ending. The doctor has informed Violetta that she does not have long to live as her tuberculosis has worsened. As Violetta receives this tragic news, people are walking across the stage, scattering sheets of paper.

Violetta then receives a letter from Alfredo’s father informing her that the Baron was only harmed in his duel with Alfredo, that he has informed Alfredo of the sacrifice she had made for his family, and that he is sending Alfredo immediately to ask for her forgiveness.

Violetta reads the letter alone in her bedroom and as if perfectly timed, as she sang ‘Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti…’, ‘Farewell, beautiful dreams of the past…’ a light wind started to blow the sheets of paper gently across the stage, enhancing the feeling of Violetta’s solitude and sadness. I got goose bumps.

Heartbreakingly, Alfredo arrives and even though the reunited lovers would like to escape from Paris together, they know it is too late, ‘Gran Dio! Morir sì giovine…’, ‘Great God! To die so young…’

Alfredo’s father arrives full of regret about what he has done and even though, after amends have been made and Violetta revives, exclaiming that the pain has left her, she dies in Alfredo’s arms a moment later.

La Traviata had come to an end and the crowd erupted into a loud applause of praise for the singers, musicians and conductor.
 

Juliette’s balcony filled with tourists. It is said that touching Juliette’s breast, will bring you good fortune in finding your true love.

With tragic love fresh in our minds, we could not leave Verona without a visit to Juliette’s balcony and therefore the next morning, before departing, we took a quick stroll around the heart of the old city of Verona.

Walking the streets of Verona

We wandered around the arena and Piazza Bra, lingering by the fountain to catch a refreshing spray of water before we started our journey.

Piazza Bra

With art, love and music deep in our hearts, we departed dear Verona, passing Mantua (of course we had to follow the troubled Romeo’s route of exile) and many other quaint agriculture towns before catching the autostrada to Monterosso al Mare.