What the Unknown Opera "La Traviata" Taught Me About the Depth of Love and Life Friday, July 17, 2026 (Reiwa 8)

I am not someone who knows a great deal about classical music.

However, when I listen to the music played in the dining hall at Matsuyama Eden no Sono, there are sometimes melodies that stay in my mind, making me wonder, "What piece is this?"

The same thing happened when I encountered "The Jewels of the Madonna" and "Invitation to the Dance."

This time, the piece that caught my attention was related to the opera "La Traviata."

Until now, I did not really know much about opera.  
I thought it was simply a type of music where people sang beautiful songs. However, when I looked into it, I learned that opera is "a drama through music," a form of art that expresses human emotions and lives through singing.

The main character of "La Traviata," Violetta, was a courtesan living in 19th-century Paris.  
Although society looked at her with prejudice, she met a man named Alfredo and discovered true love.

However, their love was torn apart by the barriers of society.  
For the sake of the future of the person she loved, Violetta decided to step away from him.

After learning this story, I found myself thinking about what it means to love someone and what it means to build a life together.

At first, people are often attracted to someone's expression, atmosphere, or appearance.  
However, as we spend more time with someone, perhaps what truly touches our hearts is that person's way of living and their character.

When I was teaching high school students, I also saw this many times. At first, someone might say, "That person is handsome" or "That person is cute." But as they saw someone working hard in sports clubs or caring for their friends, they often came to admire that person even more.

Perhaps love is not simply admiration. It may be about touching and sharing another person's life.

"La Traviata" is a story set in Paris more than 150 years ago.  
However, the themes it portrays — loving someone, caring for another person, and the difficulties of living within society — still resonate with us today.

The melody I happened to hear in the dining hall first reached my heart as simply a beautiful piece of music.

But when I learned the story behind it, I realized that music is not just sound. It can become a reflection of the human heart and of life itself.

By learning a little about a world I did not know before, I feel that another window through which to view life has opened for me.

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