E strano! E strano! Ah fors' e lui... Follie! Sempre libera

Violetta, a glamorous courtesan who is the toast of Paris, meets a young man at a party whose sincerity and openness surprise her profoundly. His obvious affection for her melts the careful reserve she has always placed on her relationships with men. All alone, she reflects on the possibility of a lasting relationship based on mutual love. But her customary resolve to be the protector of her own freedom returns vigorously, and she dismisses thoughts of real love as foolishness.