Alexandre Dumas fils in his La Dame aux Camélias describes a refined variant of personal love for a Parisian courtesan. Love, let us add, quite brief in duration and cut short by Alexandre Dumas père, and ultimately by his beloved’s death of consumption. It began with a novel, later a play appeared, followed by a migration of the tragic heroine to Verdi’s La traviata, for the story to finally become the theme of the famous ballet by the remarkable choreographer John Neumeier. He opted to use Chopin’s music (although initially he considered Verdi). I do not know if he knew at the time that Dumas fils ended up in Mysłowice in 1851 while searching for another paramour of his (a daughter-in-law of the Russian Chancellor), where he took up the case of a mysterious murder to while away the time. He never got to see his mistress, never found the murderer, but he did stumble upon George Sand’s letters to Frédéric Chopin instead. The paths of Dumas and Chopin crossed once in Silesia, and now they do yet again in Warsaw, in Neumeier’s exceptional La Dame aux Camélias. The power of modern classics on stage and historical flavours off stage.

The Lady Of The Camellias

Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera

The penniless and insecure Nemorino loves the rich and well-read Adina.

To win her over, he buys a love potion from the quack doctor Dulcamara - in reality a bottle of wine. But of course it is not the wine that ensures a happy ending, but his loving heart - and Adina's.

Jürgen Rose

Events

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14 - 22 Dec, 2024

The Lady Of The Camellias · Polish National Opera

17 - 21 Mar, 2025

L'elisir d'amore · Wiener Staatsoper

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