Among Teatro alla Scala’s most unforgettable productions, this La forza del destino is a performance of striking musical energy, with Riccardo Chailly conducting an exceptional cast of opera stars. Anna Netrebko (Leonora), confirms her absolute dominance of the Verdian repertoire, showcasing “beautiful floating high notes and enviable fiato” (OperaWire). Brian Jagde (Don Alvaro) and Ludovic Tézier (Don Carlo), give impeccable performances of great emotional depth and timbral richness. Joining forces, Stage Director Leo Muscato and Set Designer Federica Parolini deliver a reinterpretation of Verdi’s classic in a modern key. On a set that impresses for both beauty and functionality, the scenes are set across different eras, reminding us that war is always part of humans’ fate. “The undisputed star of the evening is Anna Netrebko. She elevates Donna Leonora with her distinctive, dark, velvety timbre, impeccable high notes, and acting presence.” (Orpheus Magazine)
Falstaff
“The whole world is a jest, man was born a great jester…” So goes the brilliant conclusion to Verdi’s Falstaff, an opera inspired by Shakespeare’s beloved comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor. The virtuosic score requires a particularly talented cast, not to mention a truly exceptional conductor. Herbert von Karajan perfectly fits the bill, and this performance featuring the Wiener Philharmoniker and an all-star group of singers is clearly worthy of Verdi’s powerful work, a masterpiece whose comic facade thinly veils the complex and sometimes even tragic characters’ struggles.
La Traviata
Pier Luigi Pizzi’s much acclaimed 1992 production of La Traviata was recorded at what was one of Venice’s most exquisite 18th-century opera houses, La Fenice, tragically destroyed by fire in 1996, and now rebuilt. This glorious house is where La Traviata was premiered in 1853. In this memorable performance, Slovak soprano Edita Gruberova takes the leading role of Violetta, the tragic heroine, persuaded by Alfredo’s father, Giorgio, to sacrifice her happiness with Alfredo for the sake of family honour.
Aida
Any performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida at La Scala, Milan, is guaranteed to be an experience – but, when it’s a new production, it becomes a major event, especially given the theatre’s notoriously critical audience. Legendary stage director Peter Stein succeeds in delivering a lucid production acclaimed in equal measure by the press and public: “a perfect coup de théâtre” (Giornale della musica). A “stellar cast” (La Stampa) contributes to the production’s success under the musical direction of Verdi specialist Zubin Mehta, who leads the orchestra in a “gorgeously colourful performance”, while “the entire ensemble is brilliant in ist portrayal of the characters” (Die Presse).
Verdi, Otello
As highlight of the “The Spirit of Music in Venice” festival 2013, Venice’s venerated opera house, La Fenice, presents Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello performed against the backdrop of the Courtyard of the Doge’s Palace, as the perfect setting for its fifteenth-century plot. The Korean maestro Myung-Whun Chung conducts La Fenice Orchestra and Choir and a prestigious international cast, including American tenor Gregory Kunde as Otello. Also starring: Lucio Gallo, Carmela Remigio and Francesco Marsiglia.
Falstaff
“Falstaff”, Verdi’s last opera, blends comedy and melancholy in a manner rarely found in an opera before or after it. With the complex interplay of many characters, it presents a challenge to every director. In this production from the Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated film director Luca Guadagnino (“I am Love”) finds an ideal solution by bringing out the individuality of each figure through unmistakable traits. The performance features a strong cast of chiefly young Italian musicians, with the Orchestra dell’Arena di Verona under the spirited direction of Daniele Rustioni.
La Traviata
A live performance recording held together with incredible skill by Riccardo Muti, and wonderfully sung by high-class cast. Highly acclaimed both by audience and critics: Tiziana Fabbricini as Violetta.
Macbeth
From the Deutsche Oper Berlin 1987: This live recording stars the great baritone Renato Bruson and soprano Mara Zampieri as the murderous couple in Verdi’s opera, based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. Luca Ronconi’s production won huge critical acclaim at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, in particular for the conductor, Giuseppe Sinopoli, whose individual virtuosity brought fresh colour to the dramatic score. The cast also features David Griffith as Malcolm, James Morris as Banquo and Dennis O’Neill as Macduff. (Sung in Italian)