LA TRAVIATA.

"La Traviata," an opera in three acts, words by Piave, is founded upon
Dumas's "Dame aux Camelias," familiar to the English stage as
"Camille." The original play is supposed to represent phases of modern
French life; but the Italian libretto changes the period to the year
1700, in the days of Louis XIV.; and there are also some material
changes of characters,--Marguerite Gauthier of the original appearing
as Violetta Valery, and Olympia as Flora Belvoix, at whose house the
ball scene takes place. The opera was first produced at Venice, March
6, 1853, with the following cast of the principal parts:--

VIOLETTA Mme. DONATELLI.
ALFREDO M. GRAZIANI.
GERMONT M. VARESI.

The opera at its first production was a complete failure, though this
was due more to the singers than to the music. It is said that when
the doctor announced in the third act that Mme. Donatelli, who
impersonated the consumptive heroine, and who was one of the stoutest
ladies ever seen on the stage, had but a few days to live, the whole
audience broke out into roars of laughter. Time has brought its
consolations to the composer, however, for "Traviata" is now one of
the most popular operas in the modern repertory. When it was first
produced in Paris, Oct. 27, 1864, Christine Nilsson made her début in
it. In London, the charming little singer Mme. Piccolomini made her
début in the same opera, May 24, 1856. Adelina Patti, since that time,
has not only made Violetta the strongest character in her repertory,
but is without question the most finished representative of the
fragile heroine the stage has seen.