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Verdi - I Vespri Siciliani |
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I Vespri Siciliani ("The Sicilian Vespers") dates from 1855, immediately after the composition of Verdi's three most popular operas, Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata. It marks a crucial stage in his artistic development but has not been very popular for various reasons: it was composed, in French, for a premiere in Paris, but is now usually sung in a slightly ill-fitting Italian translation; it is expensive to produce (including a lavish ballet, which was mandatory for Paris productions); and it marked a change to Verdi's later style, which has greater depth but less mass appeal. Its first video recording--visually lavish and generally well-sung--includes all the ballet music, which is often reduced or omitted, and (for reasons that are not entirely clear--maybe a preference for 19th-century costumes) updates the action from the 13th century to the Napoleonic era. Riccardo Muti conducts with his usual energy and polish, and he has a great orchestra and chorus. A production in French would be welcome, if (improbably) the right voices could be found. --Joe McLellan
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