'Viva Verdi!'
Donald Macleod investigates the role of Verdi's operas in Italy's fight for independence and the challenges he faced in his battle with the Austrian censors.
Donald Macleod investigates the challenges facing Verdi, while Italy was under Austrian rule, as he tried to cope with the strict censorship applied to operas such as Rigoletto and Un ballo in maschera, and the role played by Nabucco and La battaglia di Legnano in the movement for the unification of Italy. In the turbulent years of the 19th century, when Italy was struggling to gain independence from its Austrian rulers, Verdi's patriotic choruses seemed to embody the spirit of the movement for the unification of Italy, and an entire mythology has grown up around Verdi as hero of the Risorgimento. Donald Macleod investigates the role Verdi's music was thought to have played in Italy's fight for freedom, and the challenges he faced in his own battle with the Austrian censors.
Questa o quella' (Rigoletto)
Duke ..... Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Conductor, Riccardo Muti
'Va pensiero' (Nabucco)
Chorus and Orchestra of Deutsche Oper, Berlin
Conductor, Giuseppe Sinopoli
La battaglia di Legnano (extract from Act I)
Arrigo ..... José Carreras (tenor)
Rolando ..... Matteo Manuguerra (baritone)
ORF Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Vienna
Conductor, Lamberto Gardelli
È il sol dell'anima (Rigoletto)
Duke ..... Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Gilda ..... Andrea Rost (soprano)
Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Conductor, Riccardo Muti
Rigoletto (extract from Act II)
Rigoletto ..... Renato Bruson (baritone)
Gilda ..... Andrea Rost (soprano)
Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Conductor, Riccardo Muti
Un ballo in maschera (extract from Act II)
Amelia ..... Margaret Price (soprano)
Riccardo ..... Luciano Pavarotti (tenor)
Renato ..... Renato Bruson (baritone)
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor, George Solti.
Last on
Music Played
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Giuseppe Verdi
Rigoletto Act I: Questa o quella
Conductor: Riccardo MUTI Performer: Roberto ALAGNA - Tenor (Duke) Performer: La Scala Chorus Performer: La Scala Orchestra
- SONY CLASSICAL.
- S2K-66314.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Nabucco - Part 3, Scene 2: 'Va pensiero'
Conductor: Giuseppe SINOPOLI Performer: Berlin State Opera Chorus Performer: Berlin State Opera Orchestra
- DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
- 413321-2.
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Giuseppe Verdi
La battaglia di Legnano - Act I: opening ('Viva Italia!' to the Giuramento)
Conductor: Lamberto GARDELLI Performer: Jose CARRERAS - Tenor (Arrigo) Performer: Matteo MANUGUERRA - Baritone (Rolando) Performer: Austrian R S O Performer: Austrian Radio Chorus
- PHILIPS.
- 422-436.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Rigoletto: Act I No.5 - 'È il sol dell'anima, la vita è amore'
Conductor: Riccardo MUTI Performer: Andrea ROST - Soprano (Gilda) Performer: Antonio de GOBBI - Bass Performer: Roberto ALAGNA - Tenor (Duke) Performer: La Scala Chorus Performer: La Scala Orchestra
- SONY CLASSICAL.
- S2K-66314.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Rigoletto: end of Act II - No.10 Scene and Duet
Conductor: Riccardo MUTI Performer: Andrea ROST - Soprano (Rigoletto) Performer: Renato BRUSON - Baritone (Gilda) Performer: La Scala Chorus Performer: La Scala Orchestra
- SONY CLASSICAL.
- S2K-66314.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Ballo in Maschera: Act II - from 'Ahime! S'appressa alcun!'
Conductor: Georg SOLTI Performer: Luciano PAVAROTTI - Tenor (Riccardo) Performer: Margaret PRICE - Soprano (Amelia) Performer: Renato BRUSON - Baritone (Renato) Performer: National Philharmonic Orchestra
- DECCA.
- 425-529.
Broadcasts
- Tue 3 Apr 201212:00BBC Radio 3
- Tue 3 Apr 201218:30BBC Radio 3
- Tue 6 Sep 201612:00BBC Radio 3
- Tue 6 Sep 201618:30BBC Radio 3
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