Chords for Diana Damrau on La Traviata

_ Diana, this was so emotional.
I'm not, you know, surprised at all that Michael Merritt called you Merrill's trip of opera world.
Tell us about the emotional rollercoaster of this role.
It's just incredible.
The journey of Violetta throughout the whole piece, it's breathtaking.
It's something probably people don't experience in their lives, only few.
And it's amazing, it's so touching and it's such a great, great gift Verdi gave to us.
And we all feel that.
What about all the nuance and details of Violetta's music?
Well, it's a universe.
And as you know, this opera was very dear to Giuseppe Verdi, because it's a little bit private as well.
And so you feel his heart in every note he wrote, in every note for everybody, especially for Violetta, who he really loved.
So it's just a treasure.
Your Violetta seems to be a tragic victim of circumstances.
That's how you see it also?
Yes, of her time and circumstances.
She fights like a lion to be a woman, to live the life she wants to live.
And she finds redemption and peace in love and death at the end.
And it's beautifully.
The last you played Traviata on this stage in Willy Decker's production, Violetta seemed to defy her fate.
What's the difference about these two productions?
Well, the Willy Decker production did have a different approach.
So we saw the whole illness, which was not the real illness of Violetta.
We saw the opera from a different level.
The time is there and she has to finish her things.
And she doesn't want to accept her fate, since finally she found love.
And it was a lot of movement.
It was physically different.
It's a different approach.
I loved it.
_ This is Traviata.
I dreamt it off always.
I hope we can transport the dream to everywhere.
And actually I know that this opera was something that influenced you very much.
And even before you were an opera singer.
Why?
Tell me about that.
I was 12 years old and I saw the movie by Franco Zeffirelli on TV.
And it was my first opera.
I didn't know what it was.
And then I heard the first music, I saw the first pictures.
I saw Teresa Stratas, who is my hero for opera forever.
She put the fire into my soul.
And I just adored what I saw.
And I thought this is the most beautiful thing people can create and give to other people.
And to be able to show this through centuries now and touch people is the most [Em] amazing.
So it started all for me.
That was the wish if I could one day_
And I'm happy because you touch our hearts.
Toy, toy, toy for your third act.
And thank you so much for speaking with me.
Toy, toy, toy.
Love you all.
Thank you for being here.
[N] _