| Violetta's first act aria "Ah, fors'e lui...Sempre libera" from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata is considered one of the most challenging pieces of vocal music in the soprano repertoire. Demanding sustained singing, dramatic declamation, and coloratura over a large range, the aria combines elements of both the bel canto tradition and the declamatory style of singing. Due to its musical structure and its place in history, the vocal, musical and interpretive possibilities in the piece are numerous. Since 1903, numerous artists have recorded "Ah, fors'e lui...Sempre libera," providing listeners with a view of the performance practices and traditions of the piece over the last one hundred years.;This study aims at examining the performance traditions of Violetta's aria in the era of recording. In addition, the compositional style of Giuseppe Verdi, conventions of mid-nineteenth-century opera, and the place of La Traviata in opera history are discussed. The bulk of this study explores the vocal and musical choices heard in twenty-five recordings by some of the most important interpreters of this role, including Marcella Sembrich, Amelita Galli-Curci, Rosa Ponselle, Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Anna Netrebko, and others.;The changes in the approach to the aria over time are vast and encompass shifting attitudes in vocal casting, ornamentation, expressivity, and adherence to Verdi's written score. Eventually, a standardized performance practice was developed that still affects current interpretations of the aria and of the role. With the information gleaned from these recordings, it is the goal of the author to provide additional insights and possibilities for modern performance. |
