Audience Responses
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After watching a
production of “La Traviata” an invited audience shared their responses
to it on camera as part of the Traviata Story.
Here
are some excerpts from those responses :
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“The
whole experience of Traviata
was prolonged for me even after
the opera ended. I reflected
on my life and on society and
my position in society. I asked
myself if I also had the emptiness
of Violetta. And then I met
my sister and thought about
the relationship with her and
my family. It brought our deep
thoughts about life in this
materialistic world. Emptiness
cannot be filled with riches.
After watching Violetta I changed
the way I interact with others.”
-
Ming
Li, Fabrication
Engineer
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“We
live in a busy city, everyone
is working independently with
little interaction but with
this opera we can understand
that love can be selfless. I
am reminded to give more love
and tolerance to others. The
language doesn’t matter because
you can feel the story through
the music. You can feel her
happiness and her sadness. It
relates to my experience with
my parents always wanted to
know who I was dating. The music
strongly influenced my emotions
in a very deep way. I can feel
Violetta’s love in her singing,
a great feeling for me.”
-
Miranda
Suen, Company
Director
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“Violetta’s
sacrifice is higher than her
social status, in fact she had
a spirit and courage that the
upper class may not have. The
opera resonated with me. People
in Hong Kong are materialist,
living only for the moment.
The opera has a message for
us all, what is spiritual support?
Can riches fill the hole? Hong
Kong people need to think that
love is what we need. In fact
all over the world the need
is the same. Violetta sacrifices
herself because of love; this
is the beauty of tragedy.”
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“I
was really moved by the opera.
I had read the story “The Lady
of the Camelias” but when I
saw the opera I could feel the
inner struggle of the characters;
I could plunge myself into the
world of Violetta and let the
music move me. People from all
countries could receive the
message of Traviata, to make
a higher order of choice. People
in Hong Kong are so materialistic
and rarely think that they could
make this higher choice and
think how they could face society.
What is the path to achieve
their dreams?”
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“I
had always thought of opera
as something expensive and high
art but this DVD presentation
has changed my mind. I saw parents
bringing their children! It is
good entertainment, just another
choice. As Violetta wakes up
to love she realizes that going
to party every night and sinking
herself in the material world
is not all. It’s the same in
Hong Kong but are people really
happy? Can they find the true
value in their life? I think
it’s a good wake up call for
the people of Hong Kong to think
whether or not money is the
most important thing in life.”
-
Jenny
Chan, Newspaper
Reporter
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“This
opera reflects human nature.
Arts can play the role of bringing
up discussion, recognizing what
is the most important value
in life. Everyone in Hong Kong
speaks of core values but what
is that actual value? Seeing
opera and this opera in particular,
can encourage people to reflect.”
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