Verdi: Overtures & Arias – La traviata, Aïda, La forza del destino & Don Carlos
7/1/2016, 6 Tracks, 42:30
Featuring
Volker Hartung
Julia Souglakou
Junge Philharmonie Köln
Giuseppe Verdi
Did you know?
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Composer's Artistic Vision
Verdi, a pacifist and deeply religious man, infused 'La Forza del destino' with strong religious themes, making it his most Christian opera.
Composition History
The original overture to 'Aida' was composed in December 1871, shortly before its triumphant premiere in Cairo, but Verdi later decided to write a shorter prelude.
Critical Reception
The premiere of 'La Forza del destino' in St. Petersburg in 1862 was a great success, but its Roman premiere in early 1863 had little success.
Composer Biography
Verdi's interest in the subject of 'La Traviata' was linked to his own life, as he lived with singer Giuseppina Strepponi, who was considered a 'misfit' due to having illegitimate children.
Notable Performances
The expansive 'Aida Sinfonia' was deposited in bank vaults by Verdi with instructions never to be performed as an overture, but Arturo Toscanini obtained permission for a single performance in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra.
Composition History
Verdi received a commission in 1861 to compose an opera for the Imperial Russian Theatre in St. Petersburg, which resulted in 'La Forza del destino'.
Composition History
Verdi reworked 'La Forza del destino' in 1868 at the urging of his publisher Ricordi, and this revised version premiered in 1869 at the Mailänder Scala.
