Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave based on the novel La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas
Director: Andrejs Žagars
Set designer: Reinis Suhanovs
Costume designer: Kristīne Pasternaka
Choreography and staging: People’s Artist of Belarus Kanstantsin Kuzniatsou, Honoured Artist of the Republic of Belarus Yuliya Dziatko
Chorus master: People’s Artist of Belarus, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Nina Lomanovich
Lighting designer: Kevin Wyn Jones
Conductors: People's Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Artem Makarov, Vitali Hryshchanka
Assistant directors: Dace Volfarte, Natalia Kuzmenkova
Assistant costume designer: Ekaterina Bulgakova
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes with three intervals
Sung in Italian with Russian surtitles
Premiere: 8 September 2017

Present days. Paris and its outskirts

ACT ONE
A salon in the house of Violetta
••
A famous Parisian courtesan, Violetta Valerie by name, arranges a ball. There is a young man, Alfredo Germont by name, a person from a respectable family, among the guests. It is the first time when he turned out to be among the people of the brilliant and vicious society of Paris. The love towards the beautiful Violetta drove him here. A new guest drinks a toast. The celebration begins.
Violetta starts to feel unwell and leaves her guests. Alfredo finds her and says how much he loves her. Violetta asks him out on a date and gives a camellia flower. The guests thank the hostess for the merry evening and say goodbye.
After the guests leave, Violetta recalls Alfredo’s declaration of love vividly. Violetta wonders if she has fallen in love. Has this shy boy made her reciprocate his feelings? No, it is impossible. Being free and carefree, being radiant with youth and beauty at balls, turning men’s heads, giving her love and receiving any earthly blessings in return is the real, unbiased happiness! Suddenly Alfredo appears in front of her: the young man has returned to her salon. Violetta tries to resist the love charms, but she cannot do this...

ACT TWO
A house in the suburbs of Paris
••
Three months has passed. Violetta and Alfredo are in love and they live in the peaceful suburbs of Paris, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. They are happy.
Having learned from the maid that Violetta has to sell her possessions because of financial difficulties, Alfredo decides to go to the capital and settle the financial matters. Meanwhile, Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont by name, comes to their house unexpectedly. He demands that she break off her relationship with his son for the sake of his family, since he reveals that Violetta's relationship with Alfredo has threatened his daughter's marriage. Violetta tries in vain to convince the respectable father of the sincerity of her feelings. Suppressing her feelings, the girl desperately agrees to break off the relationship with Alfredo. She writes him a farewell letter and leaves the house.
Alfredo returns. He learns from Violetta's letter that she is bored by the country life and she returns to Paris. Violetta has left him! The father tries to comfort his son, but Alfredo won’t listen to him. The young man finds Violetta’s invitation to Flora Bervoix’s ball in Paris. Alfredo is furious! He hurries to this place to take revenge ...
ACT THREE
Paris. Flora Bervoix’s house
••
Everybody is having a good time in the house of Flora Bervoix. Violetta appears, accompanied by Baron Douphol. Flora warns her about Alfredo's presence. The men start to play cards. There is a foreboding of evil. Alfredo deliberately wants to argue with the Baron, he is impudent and angry. Today he is in luck, he has won the game of cards, as for love, he is out of luck. Violetta tries to prevent the conflict, but makes Alfredo more furious and jealous. In the presence of many guests he throws the money he has won in Violetta’s face, that's the price for her corrupt love. The event turns into a public scandal. Violetta's honor is in danger. The Baron is trying to have it out with Alfredo ...

ACT FOUR
Violetta’s room
••
Infirm Violetta is in bed in her room. Dr. Grenvil tells the maid that there is no hope of recovery. Violetta rereads the letter of Giorgio Germont, in which he writes that his son and he will visit her soon. Violetta's eyes are sparkling; the heart is filled with bright memories. But they are in the past. Violetta's farewell aria is filled with the anticipation of the coming death. The noise of the mocking street fun breaks the silence of her room. Inspired Alfredo runs into the room. He has been living abroad for a long time after the quarrel with Baron Douphol. Now, in spite of the prejudice, he hurries to Violetta to be with her forever. But alas! It is too late. She manages to give her locket and her forgiveness to her beloved man. A moment
later, Violetta dies in Alfredo's arms.