Soprano Teresa Stratas, tenor Plácido Domingo, and baritone Cornell MacNeil starred in the movie, in addition to singing their roles.

The film opens in the Paris home of courtesan Violetta Valéry, where sheets cover the furniture in dimly lit rooms.

As she gazes down the long hallway, her delirious mind drifts back to a happier time, and via flashback we are transported to a lavish party she is hosting to celebrate her recovery from an illness.

One of her guests, Count Gastone, has brought with him his friend, the young nobleman Alfredo Germont, who has long adored Violetta from afar.

Back in Violetta's home, Dr. Grenvil advises Annina her mistress' tuberculosis has worsened and she doesn't have long to live.

Violetta presents Alfredo with a locket with her picture and asks him to remember her, while at the same time urging him to marry if he falls in love again.

Among the voices of these secondary characters (portrayed by actors in the film) are Ariel Bybee, Geraldine Decker, Charles Anthony, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Russell Christopher.

[4] In his review in The New York Times, Vincent Canby called the film a "triumph" and "dazzling" and added, "[It] never has the manner of something scaled down or souped up for a mass audience, though I suspect it will be immensely popular anyway.

Verdi's genius will out, especially when presented with the talent, intelligence and style that have gone into this production [...] Miss Stratas not only sings magnificently but she also looks the role [...] [she] is a screen presence as riveting to watch as to listen to.

It's an acting performance of breathtaking intensity [...] La Traviata benefits from Mr. Zeffirelli's talents as a designer as much as from his gifts as a director.

This possibly is because at key moments we are always aware of details that, however realistic, remind us that what we are witnessing is not life but a grand theatrical experience.