# Favorite Verdi Opera?



## Queen of the Nerds (Dec 22, 2014)

Pick your favorite Verdi opera, and then tell me in the comments why you picked it, or if you picked "other", tell what opera is your favorite and why!
Happy polling!


----------



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Attila 
from this list? probably Nabucco


----------



## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

_La donna è mobile,
Qual piuma al vento,
Muta d'accento,
E di pensiero..._
Maybe it'll stop if I click Rigoletto. I like the aria but it's not too nice having it stuck in my head for an hour!


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

OP: None of those. My favorite is Simon Boccanegra.

Finally, an opera that celebrates male voices!

(Although Don Carlos ain't too bad either!)


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

MoonlightSonata said:


> _La donna è mobile,
> Qual piuma al vento,
> Muta d'accento,
> E di pensiero..._
> Maybe it'll stop if I click Rigoletto. I like the aria but it's not too nice having it stuck in my head for an hour!


Maybe try it in French?


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

hpowders said:


> My favorite is Simon Boccanegra.
> 
> Finally, an opera that celebrates male voices!


Well, there's always _Siegfried_, with male dwarves, dragons, gods, and strapping jocks wielding big weapons. Of course, when the person who is "kein Mann" wakes up from her nap, the stag party's over.


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Rigoletto and Un Giorno di Regno.
Because the melodies don't stop.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Well, there's always _Siegfried_, with male dwarves, dragons, gods, and strapping jocks wielding big weapons. Of course, when the person who is "kein Mann" wakes up from her nap, the stag party's over.


Yeah but we're talking Verdi here. If I ever hear another Violetta....well, I won't like it!!


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

La Forza di Destino easily for me.

I love it because there are different versions of the opera and it sums up Verdi's philosophy about destiny/fate and characters. Lots of complex melodies.

Macbeth or Otello would be close second for me.

I just wish that Sinopoli conducted Forza.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Did you really mean Don Carlos or did that also include Don Carlo which is actually my #1 choice? And the reason is the combination of fabulous music combined with one great aria after the other.
Next is the powerful Otello -- another Verdi masterpiece.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

One can't possibly pick just one.
So I pass on this one .


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

albertfallickwang said:


> La Forza di Destino easily for me.
> 
> I love it because there are different versions of the opera and it sums up Verdi's philosophy about destiny/fate and characters. Lots of complex melodies.
> 
> ...


He recorded it for DG


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Macbeth has some of Verdi's most thrilling music, plus I do love that it isn't a story centred around romance (not that in against it though).


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

hpowders said:


> OP: None of those. My favorite is Simon Boccanegra.
> 
> Finally, an opera that celebrates male voices!
> 
> (Although Don Carlos ain't too bad either!)


Haha! Well said!

My favourite is _Simon Boccanegra_ also. For the reasons hpowders says and also for the amazing music.


----------



## alan davis (Oct 16, 2013)

My favourite is Otello but let's face it, Verdi didn't write a bad opera. They're a bit like beer, only good ones and great ones.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

No contest with me. Falstaff!


----------



## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

DavidA said:


> No contest with me. Falstaff!


Big contest for me, and yet Falstaff by a whisker. True genius. Verdi, Boito, Shakespeare, humanity, light, joy, humour.


----------



## spokanedaniel (Dec 23, 2014)

So, the three most popular, in this mini-poll, are all horrible tragedies. But as an opera ignoramus, I don't know if all Verdi operas are tragedies, or if he just wrote his best music when the most sympathetic character is going to be murdered. Having just listened to the first part of Rigoletto on YouTube (with Dutch subtitles -- performance picked at random) I am definitely going to have to listen to more Verdi, preferably without subtitles, or with subtitles in a language I don't know, or just the audio, so I can enjoy the music without being bummed out by the story.


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

My list of Verdi favorites, as of December, 2014:

1. La Traviata
2. Otello
3. Aida
4. Simon Boccanegra
5. Il Trovatore
6. Falstaff
7. Rigoletto
8. Un ballo in maschera
9. Don Carlo
10. Luisa Miller
11. I due Foscari
12. Ernani
13. Nabucco
14. La forza del destino
15. Attila
16. Macbeth
17. I vespri siciliani
18. I Lombardi alla prima crociata
19. Stiffelio
20. Giovanna d'Arco
21. I masnadieri
22. Alzira
23. Il corsaro
24. La batagglia di Legnano
25. Oberto
26. Un giorno di regno


----------



## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

_Rigoletto_ is and will always be my top favorite.


----------



## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

spokanedaniel said:


> So, the three most popular, in this mini-poll, are all horrible tragedies. But as an opera ignoramus, I don't know if all Verdi operas are tragedies, or if he just wrote his best music when the most sympathetic character is going to be murdered. Having just listened to the first part of Rigoletto on YouTube (with Dutch subtitles -- performance picked at random) I am definitely going to have to listen to more Verdi, preferably without subtitles, or with subtitles in a language I don't know, or just the audio, so I can enjoy the music without being bummed out by the story.


Alas most operas are based on tragedies. Fortunately the singers don't actually die and can produce great and inspiring performances. There's nothing like a tear shed during an opera.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

One of my favorite Verdi recordings... with one of my fav all time conductors Sinopoli...


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Rigoletto was the opera that for me listening to opera at first. Got the Solti version which is very well sung even if Solti does nearly blow everyone away with his fast speeds. Not very subtle that man! I played the two LPs until they were nearly worn out. 
But now my favourite is Falstaff by a mile. Such a joyous celebration of life. 
If ever you're fed up put on the final chorus - we are all fools anyway! Fantastic!
Just seen the old Met version on DVD with Levine. Fantastic cast (Bonney, Freni et al) and a joyous Falstaff. Buy it and sing along!


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

spokanedaniel said:


> So, the three most popular, in this mini-poll, are all horrible tragedies. But as an opera ignoramus, I don't know if all Verdi operas are tragedies, or if he just wrote his best music when the most sympathetic character is going to be murdered. Having just listened to the first part of Rigoletto on YouTube (with Dutch subtitles -- performance picked at random) I am definitely going to have to listen to more Verdi, preferably without subtitles, or with subtitles in a language I don't know, or just the audio, so I can enjoy the music without being bummed out by the story.


I think that Falstaff is Verdi's only "comedy." I saw it at the Met many years with Bryn Terfel. He was singing poorly that day. I was bummed because I had traveled from Philly to NYC just to see that.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

albertfallickwang said:


> One of my favorite Verdi recordings... with one of my fav all time conductors Sinopoli...
> 
> View attachment 59427


I've got that version and I love it. The gunshot always makes me jump though!


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

albertfallickwang said:


> I think that Falstaff is Verdi's only "comedy." I saw it at the Met many years with Bryn Terfel. He was singing poorly that day. I was bummed because I had traveled from Philly to NYC just to see that.


Verdi wrote another comedy _Un giorno di regno_ which was his second opera and is a favourite of _Itullian's_ and mine. It has a tragic history though. Verdi was contracted to write operas for La Scala and his first opera _Oberto, conte di San Bonifacio_ was quite well received. La Scala asked him to compose a comedy but around this time, Verdi's baby daughter died, then his son and then his wife. Verdi reluctantly finished the opera and it wasn't well received and (so the story goes) such was his grief and depression, he vowed to never compose again. He did of course and the result was the glory which is _Nabucco_.


----------



## Speranza (Nov 22, 2014)

La Forza Del Destino

I have only seen it once at that was a while ago but the story and music had a strong impact on me. I hope one day to see it again. Then I will probably wonder why on earth I thought it was so great


----------



## Pip (Aug 16, 2013)

Don Carlo in the 1886 Modena edition which included the Fontainbleu act. In ITALIAN.

I just wish that Karajan had conducted the 5 Act version

Running joint second, a hair's breadth behind are Simone Boccanegra and Falstaff.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I prefer the late Verdi operas over his earlier efforts.

And La Traviata is all right to me. It's not my favorite because I prefer Verdi's more philosophical/psychological works which include Don Carlos and Forza and Otello and MacBeth.

Falstaff is pretty awesome. It's also unusual in his canon too.


----------



## spokanedaniel (Dec 23, 2014)

Bellinilover said:


> _Rigoletto_ is and will always be my top favorite.


As an old fart, I can say that "never" and "always" are two words we are very likely to have to eat in this life, if we are fortunate enough to live long enough.

I have learned to love music I once hated, and I've grown bored with some music I once loved. Tastes change as time marches on, whether it be food, music, painting, women, men... whatever.

That said, as soon as I can get over thinking about Rigo's daughter, I'm going to have to watch/listen to the rest of the opera, because that is some wonderful music!


----------



## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

schigolch said:


> My list of Verdi favorites, as of December, 2014:
> 
> 1. La Traviata
> 2. Otello
> ...


*To add some context like Shigolch, 5 favorite and 5 least favorite Verdi operas........*

1. Trovatore (who is that other "smart" person that voted for this besides me......)
2. MacBeth
3. Traviata
4. Rigoletto
5. Aida (not the greatest arias, but a visual and dramatic story spectacle)

*********************************************

22. Batagglia di Legnano
23. Falstaff (not a single memorable aria)
24. Oberto (gotta start somewhere)
25. Alzira (even Verdi himself didn't like this, he was right....)
26. Stiffelio (did Verdi really compose this.....?????)


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> *To add some context like Shigolch, 5 favorite and 5 least favorite Verdi operas........*
> 
> 1. Trovatore (who is that other "smart" person that voted for this besides me......)
> 2. MacBeth
> ...


Glad Un Giorno isn't on that bottom list


----------



## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Itullian said:


> Glad Un Giorno isn't on that bottom list


A delightful opera with many great aria sequences and lively interplay, fortunately the video from recent Tutto Verdi series was in the top 1/3 including the always entertaining AC Antonacci.......

Shigolch does not seem to share this view.........

*How can one resist fun like this, I love it brava Anna!*


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> A delightful opera with many great aria sequences and lively interplay, fortunately the video from recent Tutto Verdi series was in the top 1/3 including the always entertaining AC Antonacci.......
> 
> Shigolch does not seem to share this view.........
> 
> *How can one resist fun like this, I love it brava Anna!*


It's one of my all time favorites. Tune after tune. I have watched it on youtube and listened to it more than any Verdi opera. What amazing cheerful melodies!!!


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

DarkAngel said:


> *To add some context like Shigolch, 5 favorite and 5 least favorite Verdi operas........*
> 
> 1. Trovatore (who is that other "smart" person that voted for this besides me......)
> 2. MacBeth
> ...


That was me who also voted for Trovatore- interesting to see if it gets any more votes. A sample size of 31 people doesn't tell us very much.

What's the matter with Aïda? Plenty of great tunes. 'Celeste Aïda' must be one of very few widely recorded arias which I never get tired of, no matter how many times I hear it!

With the exception of Falstaff, I've never heard any of your least favourite choices!


----------



## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Figleaf said:


> *That was me who also voted for Trovatore*- interesting to see if it gets any more votes. A sample size of 31 people doesn't tell us very much.
> 
> *What's the matter with Aïda*? Plenty of great tunes. 'Celeste Aïda' must be one of very few widely recorded arias which I never get tired of, no matter how many times I hear it!
> 
> With the exception of Falstaff, I've never heard any of your least favourite choices!


*Aida *- orchestral melodies are there in spades, the arias themselves are very good of course but not as thrilling overall as a group because using his mature late period composing style all cabalettas have been omitted removing a great dramatic vehicle for the individual singer to express their unique talents.......takes away the electricity some great singers could produce

*Trovatore *by contrast has so many great aria opportunities for 4 main singers it is hard to go 10-15 minutes without ovations from live audience, it is a non stop collection tour de force arias


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

And its still in your top 5.


----------



## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

I've only seen Attila, Macbeth and Il Trovatore.
Attila and Macbeth were ok. Il Trovatore was very boring, with one or two nice moments.
Overall I think I like Macbeth the best.


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Figleaf said:


> That was me who also voted for Trovatore- interesting to see if it gets any more votes. A sample size of 31 people doesn't tell us very much.
> 
> What's the matter with Aïda? Plenty of great tunes. 'Celeste Aïda' must be one of very few widely recorded arias which I never get tired of, no matter how many times I hear it!
> 
> With the exception of Falstaff, I've never heard any of your least favourite choices!


Let me add the great Danish singer Helge Rosvaenge, singing in German, but with the pp _morendo_, as requested by Verdi in the original score (Verdi also provided an alternative way of singing the end of the romanza for the tenor Giuseppe Capponi):






There are recent recordings in youtube from singers like Kaufmann and Beczala that also sing the "Verdi" way.

About "Aida" and cabalettas, there is a big amount of correspondence between Verdi and Ghislanzoni, with Verdi telling his librettist that he was planning to stop using cabalettas except 'when the drama will require it'. Ghislanzoni, a more traditional man than Verdi, was objecting but of course Verdi got the upper hand. But even so, we can find cabalettas in "Aida". Even if Verdi was totally opposed to introduce a cabaletta after the duet between Aida and his father, because 'the emotional state of Aida is totally incompatible with singing a cabaletta', for the duet of Act 3 between Radames and Aida, he said to Ghislanzoni that they were 'entering the path of the cantabile and the cabaletta'. Because, what else is 'Si, fuggiam da queste mura', than a cabaletta?.


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

schigolch said:


> Let me add the great Danish singer Helge Rosvaenge, singing in German, but with the pp _morendo_, as requested by Verdi in the original score (Verdi also provided an alternative way of singing the end of the romanza for the tenor Giuseppe Capponi):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for that link, Schigolch. That final note sung softly by Rosvaenge is beautiful, and his is certainly a great voice. What has always stopped me from enjoying his singing is that wide vibrato which makes the tone sound unsteady, and which seems to be shared by all tenors active now. Verdi auf Deutsch is no problem for me though.

I read somewhere that the alternative ending sung by Franz and Affre is in the French version of the score, which would make sense. (I wish I were clever enough to read scores.  Likewise Verdi's correspondence, which he rather inconsiderately wrote in Italian!)

The context you provide in your post is impressive and fascinating as always. :tiphat:


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I think there are English translations of Verdi's letters available. I don't know if they are complete, but at least I'm pretty certain the core of the correspondence can be read in English.

Well, certainly Verdi was involved in the first staging of "Aida" in Paris, with a French text by French writers, and probably some minor revision was done to accommodate French prosody in some verses, but I don't think this was affecting at all the end of the romanza. 

You can find another beautiful example of this in the duet 'Pur ti riveggo', where Aida, and a piercing oboe, are just about to convince Radames to leave Egypt, but he is resisting, and in the sentence 'l ciel de' nostri amo*ri*' needs to sing also a high B-flat marked as "dolce". Watch this youtube and see how different it sounds, depending on the singer and how closely he is following the score:


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I have 'only' eight Verdi operas (all of the original poll options apart from Nab, Un Ballo and La Forza) so I can't claim to be an ardent fan, but I've always favoured Macbeth, Othello and Rigoletto over the others. Falstaff is the one I've never been able to crack - I'm not saying that comedy was beyond Verdi (the opera's popularity obviously proves otherwise), but much of this work just fails to engage me for some reason. Maybe the scales will fall from my eyes one day.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> ... Falstaff is the one I've never been able to crack - I'm not saying that comedy was beyond Verdi (the opera's popularity obviously proves otherwise), but much of this work just fails to engage me for some reason. Maybe the scales will fall from my eyes one day.


It's not an easy work to crack and I only 'got it' after seeing it live. If you get the chance to go, I can recommend the production on at ROH next year. Ambrogio Maestri is currently the best _Falstaff_ around.


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

schigolch said:


> I think there are English translations of Verdi's letters available. I don't know if they are complete, but at least I'm pretty certain the core of the correspondence can be read in English.
> 
> Well, certainly Verdi was involved in the first staging of "Aida" in Paris, with a French text by French writers, and probably some minor revision was done to accommodate French prosody in some verses, but I don't think this was affecting at all the end of the romanza.
> 
> You can find another beautiful example of this in the duet 'Pur ti riveggo', where Aida, and a piercing oboe, are just about to convince Radames to leave Egypt, but he is resisting, and in the sentence 'l ciel de' nostri amo*ri*' needs to sing also a high B-flat marked as "dolce". Watch this youtube and see how different it sounds, depending on the singer and how closely he is following the score:


That video is very interesting and tantalising too, all those little audio clips but with no information about the artists! (Unless it's somewhere but I just can't see it? They just updated youtube so I'm still a bit disoriented.) #3 sounds like Lauri-Volpi, though it's very dimly recorded. #6 sounds a lot like Gigli, but singing very well, so maybe it's somebody else.  #8, the guy singing in German, was easily the best of them all: I wonder who it is? He sounds like Björling, but on a really good day!

The piece does sound different, as you say, according to whether that 'dolce' marking is obeyed or not, but for me it wasn't the most noticeable aspect of those different clips. I was so disturbed by the sobs of Mystery Tenor #2 and the rough unmusical singing and ugly vibrato of Mystery Tenor #5 that I didn't even notice the thing you asked me to notice though I played the video three times! If I find out who those guys are and they are still in the land of the living, a bucket of rotten tomatoes awaits both of them! :devil:

Great fun, comparing different singers in the same piece!


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Tenor #8 is none other than Max Lorenz, attacking the high B-flat in 'voice mixte', a very round and uniform sound. However, he also sang the ending of "Celeste Aida" in full voice:


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

schigolch said:


> Tenor #8 is none other than Max Lorenz, attacking the high B-flat in 'voice mixte', a very round and uniform sound. However, he also sang the ending of "Celeste Aida" in full voice:


He's very good. How did I miss the bit where it tells you who the singer is- or is your knowledge so encyclopaedic that you just recognise all the voices without needing to be told who they are?!


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

There is nothing in the youtube that identifies the name of the singers. This was just an example used a few years ago, to illustrate the different ways tenors were singing "Aida", and of course all the tenors were previously selected, and known, even if by the sake of the example, they were not named.


----------



## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

_Falstaff_ it's like Wagner with a well written libretto.


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> *To add some context like Shigolch, 5 favorite and 5 least favorite Verdi operas........*
> 
> 1. Trovatore (who is that other "smart" person that voted for this besides me......)
> 2. MacBeth
> ...


True..................


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

The nose said:


> _Falstaff_ it's like Wagner with a well written libretto.


Harrrrumph! Doesn't sound like Wagner to me. And why aren't Wagner's librettos well-written?


----------



## Queen of the Nerds (Dec 22, 2014)

MoonlightSonata:
That was one of the first pieces that got me into classical music!


----------



## Queen of the Nerds (Dec 22, 2014)

Nina Foresti:
Oops! I just realized after reading your comment that I meant _Don Carlo_, not _Don Carlos_. Aggggh! Typos! Why won't you leave me alone! It's too late now! *slaps self across face*. I'm sorry.


----------



## PeterJ (Jan 1, 2015)

I love almost all his office for very different reasons – For Nabucco, it's the excitement and the beauty of much of the music. The only problem with Nabucco is that if the lead is not of the same caliber of Ghena Dimitrova, the opera just doesn't work. For MacBeth, it is hands-down Lady Macbeth' sleepwalking scene. For Rigoletto, which is not my favorite Verdi opera, it's the quartet and the Storm Trio which I find to be some most exciting operatic music ever composed. Ballo is a lot of fun, especially Oscar's part, but it is a devilishly difficult to sing, Reri Grist being my non plus ultra when it comes to Oscar's (after Birgit Nilsson, of course) 😉


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

The only opera without any votes so far, after 39 answers, is "Un ballo in maschera".

This is not surprising to me. It's my experience of many years that, for some reason, even if "Ballo" is very well considered by many of us, Verdi's fans, it's normally behind at least half a dozen operas in our preferences.

However, what a great opera it is!. Just think of other works based on the same material, like Auber's _Gustave III_ or Mercadante's _Il Reggente_... The vocal lines of the three principals (Riccardo, Renato, Amelia) are really masterful, with some great individual and ensemble pieces. The intervention of Ulrica is also a powerful thing. I have never been convinced, however, about Oscar, a role almost French in character, and not fully belonging in this drama, in my personal view.

Once of the staples of the opera is "Eri tu", the great aria of Renato. Let's hear to the Italian baritone Giuseppe Danise:






There is one very well known, but wonderful piece, that I can't resist to link here. The masterclass given by Maria Callas on this aria, where we can get a glimpse of the extraordinary dramatic skill of the Greek diva in action:


----------



## Kashania (Jan 1, 2015)

_Otello_ used to be my favourite Verdi but now it is my second favourite. My favourite is _Don Carlo(s)_. It is flawed compared to _Otello _but it has such humanity and such interesting characters. And the music gets under my skin more with each listening.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The nose said:


> _Falstaff_ it's like Wagner with a well written libretto.


Actually Verdi's methods are completely different even in Falstaff


----------



## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

^^^^^^

Sure i'm not saying that it's pure Wagner but in the late works Verdi became less "Italian" if we can say so as he approaches to certain ideas of the german avant-garde. Probably also because of the influence of Arrigo Boito.


----------



## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> And why aren't Wagner's librettos well-written?


In fact i think that if Wagner were a little bit less self centred it could use a little help in the writing of librettos but i admit that my german isn't so good for really understand the complete value of his librettos.


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Otello! That's all!


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Queen of the Nerds said:


> Nina Foresti:
> Oops! I just realized after reading your comment that I meant _Don Carlo_, not _Don Carlos_. Aggggh! Typos! Why won't you leave me alone! It's too late now! *slaps self across face*. I'm sorry.


It's really not a problem Queenie.
It's the same music.
)


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> It's really not a problem Queenie.
> It's the same music.
> )


In some languages is also the Italian version called Don Carlos.


----------



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I can't choose, either Macbeth, La Forza del Destino, or some opera I haven't heard in awhile.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

My favorite scene,


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

For me Don Carlo*s* was the right choice. 5 act version, including the woodcutters' chorus, in French. Wonderful music, complex characters and psychological insights (OK, have to say the ending is daft).


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Pugg said:


> He recorded it for DG


Though its not that recommendable, even if it did get a Gramophone Award. Carreras is overparted, Plowright out of sorts and Burchaldze out of his depth. The best singing comes from Baltsa, but one hardly buys a *Forza* for the Preziosilla.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

My favourite Verdi opera tends to be the one I'm watching or listening to at the time, so I didn't vote.


----------



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

alan davis said:


> My favourite is Otello but let's face it, Verdi didn't write a bad opera. They're a bit like beer, only good ones and great ones.


Well, I don't like beer, but I agree with you on Verdi nonetheless!


----------



## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

I'm starting to think of Falstaff as his masterpiece. It's bubbly as champagne...the old fellow must have been on steroids.


----------



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

So far I have listened to: La Traviata, Aida, La Forza, Rigoletto, Macbeth and Un Ballo. 

Of those, my favorites would be La Forza and Rigoletto with Aida close behind. I have a long way to go, but I'm excited to continue the journey. I really get caught up in the drama of his operas, moreso than most others that I enjoy listening to, that I may actually go ahead and learn the libretti afterall


----------



## Lt.Belle (Jan 19, 2014)

Omg i have to take issue here...



DarkAngel said:


> 25. Alzira (even Verdi himself didn't like this, he was right....)


We dont know for certain that Verdi didnt like this piece. You state that this is a fact but thats not for certain. You might agree on this but i do not, i think its Verdi's best piece. Its an opera dedicated purely for the singing its beautifull in all its simplicity. Verdi probably didnt heard its full capability cause it has te be sung by really good singers.

For those interested i included a soundfile of the opera with Cristina Deutekom as Alzira i hope others we'll learn to appriciate this Masterpiece!


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

OperaJelle said:


> Omg i have to take issue here...
> 
> We dont know for certain that Verdi didnt like this piece. You state that this is a fact but thats not for certain. You might agree on this but i do not, i think its Verdi's best piece. Its an opera dedicated purely for the singing its beautifull in all its simplicity. Verdi probably didnt heard its full capability cause it has te be sung by really good singers.
> 
> For those interested i included a soundfile of the opera with Cristina Deutekom as Alzira i hope others we'll learn to appriciate this Masterpiece!


Even if Verdi did not like it we have no reason to agree with Verdi only because of that. It is a good opera.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

OperaJelle said:


> Omg i have to take issue here...
> 
> We dont know for certain that Verdi didnt like this piece. You state that this is a fact but thats not for certain. You might agree on this but i do not, i think its Verdi's best piece. Its an opera dedicated purely for the singing its beautifull in all its simplicity. Verdi probably didnt heard its full capability cause it has te be sung by really good singers.
> 
> For those interested i included a soundfile of the opera with Cristina Deutekom as Alzira i hope others we'll learn to appriciate this Masterpiece!


Nothing Verdi wrote is without merit, not even *Alzira*, which was written in haste, and suffers from some formulaic writing for that reason. However both finales are splendid.

Verdi himself referred to *Alzira* as "downright bad", not surprisingly as it earned him some of the worst reviews of his career, but composers have been wrong about their own work before.

Incidentally it premiered in Naples and was revived at La Scala the following year, so I don't think you could say he didn't hear it to its full capacity.


----------



## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I voted for *Don Carlo* of course, but here is a disturbing thought that manifests itself all the time (especially after I saw the poll results, read some of the thread messages and looked at http://www.talkclassical.com/31527-rank-your-10-favorite.html):

most underrated Verdi opera: Aida
most overrated Verdi opera: Falstaff

/discuss


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Azol said:


> most underrated Verdi opera: Aida
> most overrated Verdi opera: Falstaff
> 
> /discuss


I'd probably switch those two round


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Azol said:


> I voted for *Don Carlo* of course, but here is a disturbing thought that manifests itself all the time (especially after I saw the poll results, read some of the thread messages and looked at http://www.talkclassical.com/31527-rank-your-10-favorite.html):
> 
> most underrated Verdi opera: Aida
> most overrated Verdi opera: Falstaff
> ...





GregMitchell said:


> I'd probably switch those two round


I agree with GregMitchell!


----------



## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

sospiro said:


> I agree with GregMitchell!


I treble that by agreeing with sospiro agreeing with Greg Mitchell.


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I treble that by agreeing with sospiro agreeing with Greg Mitchell.


I quadruple that by agreeing with Marschallin Blair agreeing with sospiro agreeing with GregMitchell.

Is this enough to get the next desperately undercast performance of _Aida_ cancelled?


----------



## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> I quadruple that by agreeing with Marschallin Blair agreeing with sospiro agreeing with GregMitchell.
> 
> Is this enough to get the next desperately undercast performance of _Aida_ cancelled?


No, but I sextuple, septuple, octuple, nonuple, decuple, hendecuple, undecuple, duodecuple , centuple, and even n-tuple that motion. . . to the tuple power- hoping that it will have some sway.


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Marschallin Blair said:


> No, but I sextuple, septuple, octuple, nonuple, decuple, hendecuple, undecuple, duodecuple , centuple, and even n-tuple that motion. . . to the tuple power- hoping that it will have some sway.


The question was: How do you get the next undercast production of _Aida_ shut down?

Congratulations! Your answer is correct! You are the winner of this week's Metropolitan Opera Quiz!

The prize is that Marcello Giordani will never sing at this house again!


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Woodduck said:


> The question was: How do you get the next undercast production of _Aida_ shut down?
> 
> Congratulations! Your answer is correct! You are the winner of this week's Metropolitan Opera Quiz!
> 
> *The prize is that Marcello Giordani will never sing at this house again!*




:lol:..................


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Marschallin Blair said:


> No, but I sextuple, septuple, octuple, nonuple, decuple, hendecuple, undecuple, duodecuple , centuple, and even n-tuple that motion. . . to the tuple power- hoping that it will have some sway.


:lol:

Love _Falstaff_.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

sospiro said:


> :lol:
> 
> Love _Falstaff_.


I do love Bernstein's recording of Falstaff. Overstuffed! Just like Sir John himself in fact!


----------



## OperaMaven (May 5, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> The question was: How do you get the next undercast production of _Aida_ shut down?
> 
> Congratulations! Your answer is correct! You are the winner of this week's Metropolitan Opera Quiz!
> 
> The prize is that Marcello Giordani will never sing at this house again!


I had the misfortune of trying to listen to that...ay yi yi yi yi yi yi!!!!! Between a thoroughly inadequate Radames, a weak Aida and an Amneris whose wobble was so extreme that she seemed forever off-pitch, it was just agony.


----------

