By Shirley Apthorp [Financial Times, 24 November 2008]

This Violetta has her pimp with her, a well-built and violent young man. We know that he is violent because he has knives. We know that he is well-built because he is half naked. At Flora’s party, the assembled party guests hold him fast and cut out his heart. Alfred and Douphol take turns sticking skewers into the excised organ instead of playing cards. It spurts little gouts of blood. The pimp later reappears, heartless but otherwise whole.