Verdi
In his early operas, Verdi demonstrated a sympathy with the Risorgimento movement which sought the unification of Italy. He also participated briefly as an elected politician. The chorus "Va, pensiero" from his early opera Nabucco (1842), and similar choruses in later operas, were much in the spirit of the unification movement, and the composer himself became esteemed as a representative of these ideals. An intensely private person, Verdi, however, did not seek to ingratiate himself with popular movements and as he became professionally successful was able to reduce his operatic workload and sought to establish himself as a landowner in his native region. He surprised the musical world by returning, after his success with the opera Aida (1871), with three late masterpieces: his Requiem (1874), and the operas Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893).
His operas remain extremely popular, especially the three peaks of his 'middle period': Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata, and the 2013 bicentenary of his birth was widely celebrated in broadcasts and performances.
Verdi
In his early ope...
VERDI Aïda (r. 1955)
VERDI Il trovatore (r. 1956)
VERDI La forza del destino (r. 1954)
VERDI La traviata (r. 1953)
VERDI Rigoletto (r. 1955)
VERDI Un ballo in maschera (r. 1956)
Six studio opera recordings in Ambient Stereo XR remasters
Get 13 discs for the price of 12 when you purchase the full set.
VERDI Aïda
Live broadcast recording, 1953
Total duration: 2hr 24:33
Aida - Zinka Milanov
Radamès - Mario Del Monaco
Amneris - Blanche Thebom
Amonasro - George London
Ramfis - Jerome Hines
King - Luben Vichey
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera
conducted by Fausto Cleva
VERDI Aïda
Recorded in Milan, 1928
Total duration: 2hr 17:19
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
Maria Capuana
Tancredi Pasero
Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Milan Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Lorenzo Molajoli
VERDI Il Trovatore
Studio recording, 1930
Total duration: 1hr 54:09
Manrico - Aureliano Pertile
Azucena - Irene Minghini-Cattaneo
Leonora - Maria Carena
Conte di Luna - Apollo Granforte
Ferrando - Bruno Carmassi
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
conducted by Gino Nastrucci
VERDI Rigoletto
Studio recording 1930
Total duration: 1hr 49:17
Riccardo Stracciari - Rigoletto
Mercedes Capsir - Gilda
Dino Borgioli - Duke of Mantua
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
conducted by Lorenzo Molajoli
VERDI Aïda
Studio recording, 1928
Total duration: 2hr 21:01
Aïda – Dusolina Giannini
Amneris – Irene Minghini-Cattaneo
Radamès – Aureliano Pertile
Amonasro – Giovanni Inghilleri
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
conducted by Carlo Sabajno