This recording of Verdi's Stiffelio was captured live at the Teatro Regio di Parma on April 18 and 24, 2012.
Notable Performances
After its premiere, Stiffelio was only revived once in 1852 in Venice before its score was rediscovered in the 20th century, having been thought lost.
Compositional Technique
Verdi's use of contrasting elements in the final scene, such as the C major harmony with a funeral march rhythm, reflects Victor Hugo's concept of 'mixture of genres' in modern Romantic drama.
Historical Context
In 19th-century law, a husband was expressly exonerated for killing his wife or her lover if he caught them in flagrante delicto.
Critical Reception
Verdi miscalculated the censor's tolerance for the opera's realistic and 'unattractive' story, leading to significant changes before its 1850 premiere in Trieste.
Compositional Technique
The final scene of Stiffelio, confined to a few dramatic gestures and set as recitative, is considered one of Verdi's most radical ideas.
Composition History
Verdi's opera Stiffelio is based on a contemporary piece of boulevard theatre from Paris, titled 'Le Pasteur, ou l'Évangile et le foyer'.
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