Violetta, a courtesan much wooed by Parisian society, organizes a grand party that is attended, amongst others, by the young Alfredo Germont. He confesses his feelings to Violetta, who is already suffering from consumption. She vacillates between genuine affection and a realistic assessment of her situation as a “fallen woman”, which precludes any lasting relationship with a man. The Willy Decker production of La Traviata, recorded live at the Salzburger Festspiele in August, 2005. Anna Netrebko stars as Violetta Valéry, with Rolando Villazón as Alfredo Germont and Thomas Hampson as Giorgio Germont. Carlo Rizzi conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker.

This “Traviata” became one of the most succesful of all opera films, especially in France, where 800,000 Parisian cinemagoers flocked to it in the first six week. It was nominated for two Oscars (for production and costume design) and won BAFTAs in those two categories, as well as receiving BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations as 1983’s Best Foreign-Language Film.

How can emotion come to light on the opera set? Does it come from singing, acting or music? How can someone become the incarnation of Verdi’s masterpiece? Following world famous French soprano Natalie Dessay from the first repetitions until the premiere under the direction of Jean-François Sivadier, we meet a very special woman, a piece of art, a myth: LA TRAVIATA.

La Traviata, My Brothers and I tells the story of 14-year-old Nour (Maël Rouin-Berrandou), growing up in a housing project in the South of France, with his older brothers, who take turns caring for their ailing mother, who is in a coma. Nour dreams of becoming the new Luciano Pavarotti, inspired by La Traviata, an opera he knows well because his Italian father wooed his North African mother by singing its arias to her. Between his work in the community and rising tensions at home, Nour dreams of escaping to a faraway place. When he crosses paths with Sarah (Judith Chemla, A Woman’s Life, AF FFF17), an Opera singer teaching summer classes, he finally finds the opportunity to come out of his shell and explore new horizons.