Paris in the 19th century, extravagant parties and champagne: Marie Duplessis is the queen of the Parisian demi-monde, and the only flowers she accepts are camellias – as Marguerite Gautier in Alexandre Dumas' "The Lady of the Camellias," she became immortal. Upon its release in 1848, this novel full of tragedy and passion caused a great scandal and became a bestseller. Verdi's adaptation "La Traviata" remains one of the most performed operas to this day; Sarah Bernhardt and Greta Garbo celebrated their greatest successes in the role of the noble courtesan who renounces love. Gustaf Gründgens directed the stage version in Berlin, and choreographer John Neumeier took on the material in a highly acclaimed ballet production. "The Lady of the Camellias" is now available in a splendid complete new translation that presents the novel in all its modernity.