Synopsis
Violetta Valery, a high-class courtesan, holds luxurious parties in her apartment in Paris, and at one such party she is made aware of Alfredo Germont, a young man of some means, who professes to be in love with her. Many have desired her, but none have ever loved her, so she is initially unsure whether to believe him, and even when convinced, she tells him that he is foolish to love her. After Alfredo has left, however, Violetta reflects on whether or not she could ever have a serious love in her life. She has recently been ill, and decides that she wishes to spend all the time she can living in pleasure and decadence. Alfredo's voice interrupts her thoughts from the street outside, singing of love being the heartbeat of the universe, and though she tries to drown him out, he enters her heart and she realises she loves him too.
A few months later, Alfredo and Violetta have moved out of Paris and are living an idyllic life of leisure in the country. However, Alfredo discovers that all is not quite as it seems, as it transpires that Violetta has secretly been paying for their new life by selling off everything she owned in Paris. He is deeply ashamed of himself, and without telling anyone he leaves for Paris to go and rectify the situation. In his absence, Violetta is surprised by a visit from Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, whom she has never met. He reveals to her that he has two children: Alfredo has a sister, who is engaged to be married. However, her marriage cannot go ahead with her brother connected to a loose woman such as Violetta. Germont has thus come to ask her to break things off with his son, for the sake of his daughter. Violetta refuses: she can't give up the greatest happiness she's ever known. Germont, though, convinces her that one day her looks will fade, Alfredo will lose interest in her, and she will be left alone in any case. She reluctantly agrees to leave, and accepts an invitation from a friend to return to Paris for a party that evening, before tearfully writing Alfredo a letter to give him later, so that he will never know what she has done. Alfredo returns from Paris , and is concerned for Violetta's welfare, but a messenger brings her letter to him from the coach she has taken to Paris. He is distraught when his father arrives to comfort him and try to take him home. convinced that she has left him for someone else. In a rage, he leaves for Paris to confront her.
Violetta arrives at Flora's party with a new man, Baron Dauphol, just before Alfredo enters. She is terrified at the scene that he might create, and sure enough, when the other guests go in to supper, he confronts her, and in order not to tell him what she and Germont agreed she tells Alfredo that she is in love with the Baron. In a rage, he calls the guests back in, and throws money at Violetta's feet, saying that he has thus paid her back what he owes for the months they lived in the country. She is mortified, and both Alfredo's father and the assembled guests berate him for his ungallant behaviour. Alfredo is suddenly ashamed of himself, and leaves the party in confusion with his father.
A few weeks later, Violetta's health has taken a turn for the worse, and the doctor who comes to visit her in her sickroom tells her servant Annina that she has but a few hours to live. Left alone, Violetta takes out a letter she has had from Alfredo, saying that he knows now why she had to leave: his father has told him everything, and both of them wish to beg her forgiveness in person. Suddenly, he arrives in her room, and they are joyously reunited. He tells her that she will get better and that they will once more leave Paris, though she is visibly weakening. Germont, too, arrives to ask her for forgiveness, and they all daydream about when she will be well enough to live life to the full once more. At this, Violetta professes to feel suddenly better, before suddenly falling back onto her pillow, dead.
A few months later, Alfredo and Violetta have moved out of Paris and are living an idyllic life of leisure in the country. However, Alfredo discovers that all is not quite as it seems, as it transpires that Violetta has secretly been paying for their new life by selling off everything she owned in Paris. He is deeply ashamed of himself, and without telling anyone he leaves for Paris to go and rectify the situation. In his absence, Violetta is surprised by a visit from Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, whom she has never met. He reveals to her that he has two children: Alfredo has a sister, who is engaged to be married. However, her marriage cannot go ahead with her brother connected to a loose woman such as Violetta. Germont has thus come to ask her to break things off with his son, for the sake of his daughter. Violetta refuses: she can't give up the greatest happiness she's ever known. Germont, though, convinces her that one day her looks will fade, Alfredo will lose interest in her, and she will be left alone in any case. She reluctantly agrees to leave, and accepts an invitation from a friend to return to Paris for a party that evening, before tearfully writing Alfredo a letter to give him later, so that he will never know what she has done. Alfredo returns from Paris , and is concerned for Violetta's welfare, but a messenger brings her letter to him from the coach she has taken to Paris. He is distraught when his father arrives to comfort him and try to take him home. convinced that she has left him for someone else. In a rage, he leaves for Paris to confront her.
Violetta arrives at Flora's party with a new man, Baron Dauphol, just before Alfredo enters. She is terrified at the scene that he might create, and sure enough, when the other guests go in to supper, he confronts her, and in order not to tell him what she and Germont agreed she tells Alfredo that she is in love with the Baron. In a rage, he calls the guests back in, and throws money at Violetta's feet, saying that he has thus paid her back what he owes for the months they lived in the country. She is mortified, and both Alfredo's father and the assembled guests berate him for his ungallant behaviour. Alfredo is suddenly ashamed of himself, and leaves the party in confusion with his father.
A few weeks later, Violetta's health has taken a turn for the worse, and the doctor who comes to visit her in her sickroom tells her servant Annina that she has but a few hours to live. Left alone, Violetta takes out a letter she has had from Alfredo, saying that he knows now why she had to leave: his father has told him everything, and both of them wish to beg her forgiveness in person. Suddenly, he arrives in her room, and they are joyously reunited. He tells her that she will get better and that they will once more leave Paris, though she is visibly weakening. Germont, too, arrives to ask her for forgiveness, and they all daydream about when she will be well enough to live life to the full once more. At this, Violetta professes to feel suddenly better, before suddenly falling back onto her pillow, dead.
