⋙ Download La Dame aux Camelias Oxford World Classics Alexandre Dumas David Coward Books

La Dame aux Camelias Oxford World Classics Alexandre Dumas David Coward Books

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La Dame aux Camelias Oxford World Classics Alexandre Dumas David Coward Books

Having bought tickets to see La Traviata at the New York Metropolitan Opera House over the holidays I figured I should read the book that the play and then the opera were based on. Very good decision on several fronts. First of course is that the book is good and an enjoyable read. Dumas Junior is not the great writer that his father was but he's good enough. The book is well written and the story, somewhat autobiographical buy most accounts, was interesting. I fell in love with Marguerite along with Armand. I found the books method of closing Marguerite's story through her letters to Armand to be more moving than just the use of dialog would have been. And knowing that this tragic love story was based in part or whole on a real woman and relationship added to my enjoyment of the book.

Of course my reason for reading it was to have some idea of the story line before I watched an opera sung in Italian. Also a very good idea. The Met has optional LED subtitles on the seat back in front of you. I enjoyed knowing what was going on on stage without having to glance at the subtitles more than a couple of times during the performance. Oh and my review of La Traviata is raves also. If you liked the book see the opera sometime. I personally hate Broadway musicals, sitting through one is a form of torture for me although I do it to make my wife happy. La Traviata was my first opera, going was my suggestion actually as I figured it couldn't be much worse than a musical, and I loved it. I think I will easily fall in love with any dark haired soprano I ever hear singing in Italian again.


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La Dame aux Camelias Oxford World Classics Alexandre Dumas David Coward Books Reviews

I don't know whose story is the sadest, Alexandre Dumas' La Dame aux Camelias (1848), or Abbe Prevost's Manon Lescaut (1731)....Manon Lescaut (Penguin Classics).... They are very close in their subject matter; men with good family connections and upbringing falling in love with women of ill-repute. They are so similar that one might suggest one was copied from the other, but that is very unlikely, since they were written 117 years apart, and the Dumas novel is said to be a true account of Alexandre Dumas (fils) love affair with Marie Duplessis. It is not at all hard for me to believe that a man can fall in love with a woman as deeply as these two men did, whether the story be fiction (Manon) or true (La Dame aux Camelias), because I believe I was that deeply in love with my own dear late wife. She caused me heartache, but nothing to compare with what these two men went through, for love.

You may wonder what made me want to read these stories. Ballet is the answer. About three years ago I fell in love with ballet, and THE LADY OF THE CAMELIAS, and MANON were the ballets that piqued my curiosity to read both novels. Do you like ballet? Give it a try. You, too, may fall in love with the artform.

Some people have declared that La Dame aux Camelias is not a very good book. In fact, the translator of the version I have, said just that. I say that any book having over sixteen broadway shows, and over 20 movies, plus 4 ballets and one of the most popular of all the operas based in it, should be considered good. I have not seen any of the movies based on the book, but the opera and the ballet have scenes with the hero present when Marie/Margerite/Violetta dies, but in fact he was out of the country when she died with only her maid to comfort her. No money was ever thrown in her face to embarrass her, but in a fit of anger Armond (his name in the novel) wrote her a letter telling her that the money included therein was in payment for her services, an act meant to embarrass her. The letter in fact, did not embarrass her. It saddened her, to be sure, but it would have been more of an embarrassment to Armond, when it was established how little money he had enclosed. The amount he enclosed was not enough to pay her for even one night of bliss, much less for the three or four months he was able to enjoy her for practically nothing, and as it turned out, at HER considerable expense. Marie kept the letter and it still exists today. If you are a sentimental type (like myself) this story is bound to bring tears to your eyes. I tear up every time I watch the ballet or the opera (La Traviata), or read the book. I consider this to be one of the most tender and moving love stories of all time, but it will never replace Romeo and Juliet, another love story which has had innumerable plays, movies and ballets based on it.....Verdi La Traviata Special Edition Blu-Ray - Exclusive Bonus Feature.....AND....Chopin La Dame aux Camelias [Blu-ray]
The story is based on the affair of Alexander Dumas (fils) with Marie Duplessis a Paris courtesan who lived from 1824 to 1847 and died of tuberculosis, she is interred in Montmartre Cemetery, in the book Marie becomes Marguerite Gautier and in the opera La Traviata she is Violetta Valery, also in the book Dumas becomes Armand Duval and in the opera he is Alfredo Germont. The story is very interesting in that the action is in Paris and courtesans were very popular among the rich who could afford them, Dumas uses different names as to a point he and Marie become characters in a book but move the happenings away from themselves.
The book is extremely well written, what else would you expect from Dumas, and he does not intentionally hide any of the actual facts so the reader can easily understand the types of characters, it is exciting and is very interesting as a work of French living in the 19th century, it keeps the readers undivided attention throughout the story, and in it's honesty. The reason that Armand's father gives Marguerite for having to leave Armand seems to be ridiculous to us in the 21st century but rules of good conduct were very different in the 19th century. A very good, interesting and tragic story that will keep you interested right to the very last page. The other characters in the story are all real people and like the two main characters their names have been changed.
I loved the long introduction and the frequent notes, so easily accessed with a click. Have seen La Traviata more than once, but had never read the "back story" until my daughter told me she was reading it just days before we would see the opera at The Met (yes!). I began with a different edition but could not tolerate the poorly written English, so searched for an alternative and bought this one. Despite its occasional typo, it was a joy to read, the antiquated register only rarely impeding the efficient processing of the message. Such a poignant story! If you love the romantic period, even if you are not an opera buff, you will enjoy this read.
Having bought tickets to see La Traviata at the New York Metropolitan Opera House over the holidays I figured I should read the book that the play and then the opera were based on. Very good decision on several fronts. First of course is that the book is good and an enjoyable read. Dumas Junior is not the great writer that his father was but he's good enough. The book is well written and the story, somewhat autobiographical buy most accounts, was interesting. I fell in love with Marguerite along with Armand. I found the books method of closing Marguerite's story through her letters to Armand to be more moving than just the use of dialog would have been. And knowing that this tragic love story was based in part or whole on a real woman and relationship added to my enjoyment of the book.

Of course my reason for reading it was to have some idea of the story line before I watched an opera sung in Italian. Also a very good idea. The Met has optional LED subtitles on the seat back in front of you. I enjoyed knowing what was going on on stage without having to glance at the subtitles more than a couple of times during the performance. Oh and my review of La Traviata is raves also. If you liked the book see the opera sometime. I personally hate Broadway musicals, sitting through one is a form of torture for me although I do it to make my wife happy. La Traviata was my first opera, going was my suggestion actually as I figured it couldn't be much worse than a musical, and I loved it. I think I will easily fall in love with any dark haired soprano I ever hear singing in Italian again.