 |
| Guiseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) |
Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar) is the opera which brought the composer fame and the opera in which he "gave expression to his countrymen's aspirations towards the liberty of self-government which had never yet been theirs.
"No Italian who heard 'Va, pensiero' could fail to identify himself with the exiles . . . " (Kobe's Opera Book edited by the Earl of Harewood).
Yesterday evening's performance in the Vienna State Opera was conducted by Maestro Paolo Carignani with Luc Salsi in the title role and Liudmyla Monastyrska as Abigaille. 'Va pensiero' featured the Chor der Wienerstaatsoper.
The above rendition of 'Va, pensiero' conducted Maestro Ricardo Mutti before an Italian audience in Milan is quite remarkable as you will see if you watch it all the way to the end . . .
Enjoy on YouTube.
Itis about the only thing I know of his Gwil, but I love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat. He wrote it after the deaths of his two children and his wife. Amazing work.
DeleteA bit of culture on a Thursday afternoon. Hope they sang God save the queen at the end of the performance?
ReplyDeleteYou have an idea what nationalities people might be by the language they choose on the text monitor. On my right was a guy with Italian. In front of me was a woman with Russian and next to her a woman with Japanese (I think it was that) and on my left German. You can choose from 10 languages so you can follow the storyline and the words of the songs. If we all started singing our national anthems at the end it would be quite an experience!
DeleteNaturally if Bryn Terfel was there he'd be singing Land of my Fathers in Welsh. And that's not on the screen! But he's a great guy and a great baritone so we'd all be quiet and listen to him. First time I saw him was at a Caernarfon Castle Open Air Concert under the stars 20 years ago. A night to remember.
DeleteIt sounds a great night Gwil. I was only joking. I saw Jethro Tull at Tutbury Castle many moons ago. That was a day and a night to remember too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave. Don't forget to give Domino his gong in your new year honors list. Don't pin it on his chest though. He wouldn't like that.
DeleteI thought it said Van Persie when I first looked.
ReplyDeleteIt's that time of year. Probably you'd seen a Robin.
Delete