# Mozart vs Verdi



## tgtr0660 (Jan 29, 2010)

After the trashing that Beethoven received in a previous poll running his Fidelio against Mozart's operas, I decided to give the latter a more difficult oponent in the opera world. Who do you think prevails here?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Verdi by a zillion miles


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## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

Wolfie will kick Joey's *** too. You'll see.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

No, this one won't work. Two bodies of brilliant work in a completely different idiom. I love'em both equally.


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Works for me Madre Dolce...Joe Green every Time!


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

mamascarlatti said:


> No, this one won't work. Two bodies of brilliant work in a completely different idiom. I love'em both equally.


Yeah- that was my first thought, too. They seem so closely matched. How could I possibly choose?

Then, I reflected further. Perhaps Mozart carries the advantage through the first four (coming with Figaro, The Don, Magic Flute, and Cosi)-- but by the time we get to 5-6-7, Mozart trails off with Seraglio, Idomeneo, and Tito while Verdi hangs tough with Falstaff, Trovatore, and Simon Boccanegra. By the time we get round to Forza and Ballo, what's Mozart got left... the Fintas?

[Of course (to carry forward a point I made elsewhere), Mozart is handicapped considerably by having less than half the life-span of Verdi. I'll take any 5-year Mozart period over any 5-year Verdi period, equalizing for age... and it's not particularly close.]

But on the strength of the operas that endure, Verdi wins, with a late rally.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Verdi is my preference here, but not by much.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Mozart
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anyone else (Verdi is number one or two in the anyone else category)


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

Chi_townPhilly said:


> Mozart trails off with Seraglio, Idomeneo, and Tito while Verdi hangs tough with Falstaff, Trovatore, and Simon Boccanegra. By the time we get round to Forza and Ballo, what's Mozart got left... the Fintas?
> 
> [Of course (to carry forward a point I made elsewhere), Mozart is handicapped considerably by having less than half the life-span of Verdi. I'll take any 5-year Mozart period over any 5-year Verdi period, equalizing for age... and it's not particularly close.]
> 
> But on the strength of the operas that endure, Verdi wins, with a late rally.


Idomeneo, La Clemenza di Tito, and Seraglio isn't 'trailing off'...


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## eorrific (May 14, 2011)

Gasp! I thought this was going to be neck-to-neck, but my preferred is losing.


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

Mozart, no ... Verdi, ... no, make that Mozart, ... umm, no, it's Verdi ... this is a HORRIBLE question. :lol:


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Moira said:


> Mozart, no ... Verdi, ... no, make that Mozart, ... umm, no, it's Verdi ... this is a HORRIBLE question. :lol:


I think it's a very good question.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

Can't choose, both so awesome. <3


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

As I said before, for me, Mozart is God himself...so although Verdi is awesome, amazing, maybe the greatest opera composer, but still Mozart is somewhere beyond stratosphere. 
Mozart forever!


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## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

Verdi of course


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

Silly poll - the forum gets worse and worse.
But anyway - Mozart.
I rate only Otello on the level of the 3 Daponte operas/Zauberflote and I would rather have Seraglio/Tito/Idomeneo than Trovatore/Traviata/Forza/Bocanegra. As for the earlier Verdi stuff - nabucco etc etc - it's not even worth Zaide.
When I think about how delicate, sophisticated - intelligent - are Mozart's musical characterisations - I just don't think Verdi compares - even in Otello - where I admit the music is just awesome. Mozart has this knack of creating such musically individual characters - Despina for example, Susanah, Figaro - I could go on and on.
So Mozart wins - though I do like Verdi and he is my second favourite opera composer.
All the Mozart lovers I know like Verdi - but I know many Verdi people that can't stand Mozart and think he is a boring unemotional composer. Wonder if that says anything about Verdi or Mozart fans.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

stomanek said:


> Silly poll - the forum gets worse and worse.
> But anyway - Mozart.
> I rate only Otello on the level of the 3 Daponte operas/Zauberflote and I would rather have Seraglio/Tito/Idomeneo than Trovatore/Traviata/Forza/Bocanegra. As for the earlier Verdi stuff - nabucco etc etc - it's not even worth Zaide.
> When I think about how delicate, sophisticated - intelligent - are Mozart's musical characterisations - I just don't think Verdi compares - even in Otello - where I admit the music is just awesome. Mozart has this knack of creating such musically individual characters - Despina for example, Susanah, Figaro - I could go on and on.
> ...


I'd rate Don Carlos on a par with Otello. It's one of my favourite operas.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

tgtr0660 said:


> After the trashing that Beethoven received in a previous poll running his Fidelio against Mozart's operas, I decided to give the latter a more difficult oponent in the opera world. Who do you think prevails here?


Verdi? Don't make me laugh! Verdi is for opera what McDonald!s is for restauration! What about WAGNER!!!!! TCHAIKOVSKY!!!! RIMSKY-KORSAKOV!!! RICHARD STRAUSS!!! FRANZ SCHREKER, ALEXANDRE ZEMLINSKY!!! ERNST KRENEK!!!

Mozart is by far superior.

Traviata is my unfavourite opera ( I gess I made up this word). LOL

Martin


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