The Paris Opéra had a strict convention requiring an extensive dance interlude, called a divertissement, to be included in the third act of a grand opéra.
Composer Biography
Giuseppe Verdi composed the most opera ballets for the Paris Opéra, creating seven divertissements between 1847 and 1894 for works like Jérusalem, Les vêpres siciliennes, and Aida.
Historical Context
In 19th-century Italian opera, ballets were typically separate works performed between acts or after the opera, often with little connection to the main operatic plot.
Performer Biography
Ivan Repušić, the conductor on this album, is the chief conductor of the Münchner Rundfunkorchester and has received the Vladimir Nazor Award, one of Croatia's most important cultural prizes.
Recording & Production
The Münchner Rundfunkorchester, founded in 1952, is known for bringing unjustly neglected works to light and for its numerous CD recordings.
Compositional Technique
Giuseppe Verdi gave new impetus to contemporary ballet music through catchy melodies, lively rhythms, chromatic effects, vivid gestures, and incredibly colorful orchestration in his dance compositions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Italian opera composers, including Giuseppe Verdi, often reluctantly submitted to the French preference for extensive dance interludes, finding it difficult to create ballet music that lacked a close dramatic relationship to the opera's action.
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