The sincerity of his passion finally influences her to turn aside from her life of voluptuous pleasure and to cherish a similar sentiment for him.  In the next act we find her living in seclusion with her lover in a country-house in the environs of Paris, to support which she has sold her property in the city.  When Alfred discovers this he refuses to be the recipient of her bounty, and sets out for Paris to recover the property.  During his absence his father, who has discovered his retreat, visits Violetta, and pleads with her to forsake Alfred, not only on his own account, but to save his family from disgrace.  Touched by the father’s grief, she consents, and secretly returns to Paris, where she once more resumes her old life.  At a ball given by Flora Belvoix, one of Violetta’s associates, Alfred meets her again, overwhelms her with reproaches, and insults her by flinging her miniature at her feet in presence of the whole company.  Stung by her degradation, Violetta goes home to die, and too late Alfred learns the real sacrifice she has made.  He hastens to comfort her, but she dies forgiving and blessing him.

After a short prelude the first act opens with a vivacious chorus of the guests at Violetta’s supper, leading to a drinking-song ("Libiamo, libiamo”) in waltz time, sung first by Alfred and then by Violetta, the chorus echoing each couplet with very pretty effect.  After a long dialogue between the two, closing with chorus, Violetta has a grand scena which is always a favorite show-piece with concert artists.  It begins with an andante movement ("Ah! fors e lui"), expressive of the suddenly awakened love which she feels for Alfred, with a refrain of half a dozen measures in the finale which might be called the Violetta motive, and then suddenly develops into a brisk and sparkling allegro ("Sempre libera”) full of the most florid and brilliant ornamentation, in which she again resolves to shut out every feeling of love and plunge into the whirl of dissipation.  This number, unlike most of Verdi’s finales which are concerted, closes the act.

The second act opens in the country-house with an effective tenor aria ("De’ miei bollenti”) sung by Alfred.  In the next scene Germont enters, and after a brief dialogue with Violetta sings a short cantabile ("Pura siccome un angelo"), leading to a duet ("Dite alia giovine”) with Violetta which is full of tenderness.  In the interview which immediately follows between Germont and Alfred, the father appeals to his son with memories of home in an andante ("Di Provenza il mar”) which in form and simplicity and simple pathos of expression might almost be called a ballad.  It is always a favorite, and is usually considered the best number in the opera, notwithstanding its simple melody.  The next scene changes to the ball-room of Flora, and is introduced with a peculiar chorus effect.  A masked chorus of gypsies, accompanying their measures with tambourines, is followed by a second chorus of matadors, also in mask, who accent the time with the pikes they carry, the double number ending with a gay bolero.  The act closes with a long duet between Violetta and Alfred, developing in the finale, by the entrance of Germont, to a very strong and dramatic trio.