La Traviata in a Venetian Palazzo

Tonight we walked across town to see an opera in a Palazzo on the Grand Canal.

We arrived and took our seats for the first act in a glamorous reception room. 

The Palazzo was very grand and the whole thing was very unusual because the audience was small and each act took place in a different room.

The opera singers were superb and the first act of La Traviata is very cheerful with the famous drinking song, and the happy couple making plans for the future. 

Afterwards we all had a glass of prosecco, and a chance to stand on the balcony and look out over the Grand Canal.

It was a very small balcony and very cold, so just a quick photo then back inside and on to the next room and the second act.

This time we sat right next to the stage and we could have reached out and touched the performers.

Things didn't go so well for them though, because they wanted to get married but the boyfriend's father didn't approve. He went secretly to see the girlfriend and told her that she must call it all off.

At the end she collapsed in tears on the floor right in front of our feet.

Then the final act in a very grand boudoir style room with plaster cherubs on the ceiling.

This time things got very dramatic as the boyfriend and girlfriend got back together after all, and the father apologised for keeping them apart.

All would have been well if it had ended there, but no, she was very ill and then died in his arms.

An excellent evening, and on the way back to our hotel we felt very sophisticated to be out at 11pm and crossing the Rialto Bridge.