# Riccardo Muti defends Verdi and Italian Opera



## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Enough said


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Such a wise man and beyond that, he's right.


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## Rossiniano (Jul 28, 2017)

After listening to what Muti had to say about the phrase in "A te o caro" involving the C-sharp I listened to his recording with Alfredo Kraus. He allows Kraus to linger on that note and for much longer than the 16th note value of that C-sharp. Kraus also seems to catch a bit a breath afterward as well as the phrase decends. 

So you can't take Muti literally here. He was obviously referencing an exaggerated interpretation of that passage. Indeed the C-sharp is the climax of the passage and to sing it literally would be insane. One would want to cap the apex of the phrase with a bit of lingering. Likewise one would not play it litetally if it were a Chopin nocturn. My score says "col canto" meaning the there sould be a bit of rubato associated with that passage. It is not clear if it was only meant to be after the C-sharp or to include it. 

Incidentally a couple of other singers including Pavarotti live and especially Camerena recently at the MET really hold on to that note! 

Still, Muti is right, there have been quite a bit of bad traditions that have not done Italian opera any favors over the years. However, one must find a balance between "come scritto" and "musical sense" that is in line with the period of composition. What you might do in a Chopin nocturne is not something you would do in a Haydn sonata. Still even Chopin has been overly romanticized to sound like Rachmaninov! We should not make Bellini sound like something he is not as well!

Other than that clarification Muti is right on!


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## Rossiniano (Jul 28, 2017)

One more thought... I like the way the subtitles translated the Italian verb incazzarsi!


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Rossiniano said:


> One more thought... I like the way the subtitles translated the Italian verb incazzarsi!


because there is no accurate way to faithfully translate it anyway :lol: 
If you speak Italian I'm sure you would enjoy this too: 



 (Bonus: Vittorio Sgarbi shows up)


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## Rossiniano (Jul 28, 2017)

Tuoksu said:


> because there is no accurate way to faithfully translate it anyway :lol:
> If you speak Italian I'm sure you would enjoy this too:
> 
> 
> ...


Grazie mille! Non ho saputo che il gran maestro è un commediante davvero! Sto ridendo a crepapelle!
Translation: LOL!


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Here is a very underrated Manrico singing _come scritto _ under Muti. This performance translates into music everything he said in the original post: 



A fiery, poised and powerful _Di quella pira_ without even a high C.


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