I assume this biographical survey of Verdi’s life is re-issued
as part of the Verdi’s bicentenary. Even before his passing he had
been titled:
The Glory of Italy. From birth in a war-ravaged Po
valley, and an upbringing by parents trading in the small village of La
Roncole, he rose to world renown, showered with honours, as well as being a
member of Italy’s first national parliament. His funeral in Milan
filled the streets with three hundred thousand people with Arturo Toscanini
conducting an eight hundred and twenty-voiced choir singing the famous
chorus
Va pensiero from
Nabucco. It’s the title of this
disc.
The American lyric baritone Thomas Hampson tells the story of
Verdi’s life. His spoken voice is easy on the ear. His singing voice,
whilst being beautiful is not ideal for Verdi’s great dramatic roles,
such as
Rigoletto, even
Macbeth (CH.4) or Di Luna from
Il
Trovatore (CH.6). His best Verdi role as Germont père from
La
Traviata is heard, regrettably without the cabaletta (CH.8). He has also
been notable as Rodrigo in
Don Carlo and I unexpectedly admired his
assumption of the eponymous role in
Simon Boccanegra in a recording
from Florence in 2005. The latter is a role he is singing at Covent Garden
in the summer of 2013.
Verdi’s life, its early triumphs and family tragedies (CH.3)
and what he called his
Anni di Galera (Years in Galleys, CH.5), when
the pressure of work brought strain on his physique and psyche are told
succinctly. Perhaps the most appealing facet of Verdi’s sometimes
irascible character is covered in the Epilogue (CH.9). This recounts what
the man himself called his most beautiful work, the
Casa di Riposos di
musica, the retirement home for musicians in Milan. Completed in 1900,
it is still in use today. Verdi bequeathed his estate to its upkeep and
maintenance - a worthy memorial to
The Glory of Italy. Certainly it
can stand alongside the stage works that continue to form the backbone of
opera house repertoires around the world.
There is a direct alternative, or complement, to this issue in a DVD
entitled:
Verdi, The Pursuit of success and the Burden of Success
narrated by Sir Mark Elder (Kultur DVD D4226). Lasting twice as long, it
features more music and singers, mainly from English National Opera. A more
extensive account of Verdi’s life, operas and recordings can be found
in
my own four-part conspectus on this site as detailed below.
Part 1: Verdi's background, getting established and first
five operas from
Oberto (1839) to
Ernani (1844)
Part 2: Verdi’s
Anni di Galera. The ten operas
from
I due Foscari (1844) to
Luisa Miller (1849)
Part 3: Verdi’s middle period. The eight
operas from
Stiffelio (1850) to
Un ballo in Maschera (1859)
Part 4: Verdi’s great final operas from
La Forza
del Destino (1862) to
Falstaff (1893) and including the revisions
of
Macbeth and
Simon Boccanegra as well as appendices covering
the
Requiem, collections of arias, overtures and choruses.
Since the publication of this conspectus, and particularly in this anniversary
year, a number of other recordings have appeared of the composer’s
works. However, Verdi’s life and activities surrounding the compositions
remain the same.
Robert J Farr
Sections
A Gifted Student. [10.55]
I due Foscari -
O vecchio cor [2.35]
Success and Tragedy [3.37]
Macbeth -
Pieta, rispetto, amore [10.20]
The Galley Slave
II Trovatore -
Son regard [4.15]
Crowned with Laurels [14.08]
La Traviata -
Di Provenza il mar [4.27]
Epilogue [4.14]
[58:00]
