Verdi, Messa da Requiem

Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his choice of Henri-Georges Clouzot as director. Clouzot was the creator of classic "films noirs" such as "Quai des Orfèvres" and "Wages of Fear".