The piece
La traviata was first performed in Venice, at La Fenice, on 6 March 1853, to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave based on La Dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils. In the first act, at a party at Violetta's, Alfredo raises his glass and sings "Libiamo ne' lieti calici"; Violetta answers him, then all the guests take up the refrain. This solo piano transcription by N. Toledo appeared in Madrid in the Nueva Biblioteca Musical Económica, between 1857 and 1869.
The tune moves in three eighths to the bar, with one beat per bar: think of each phrase as a long curve rather than note by note. The right hand often sings in octaves; keep the wrist supple and let the fifth finger carry the melody. The many grace notes are played very quickly, just before the beat, without delaying it. The edition sets plain forte passages against ppp ones: at each change, prepare the gesture a bar early. In the sections marked con grazia, leggerissimo, lighten the left hand until only the pulse remains.
