# VERDI's top ten operas..........



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

rank from greatest on down.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Don Carlos
Otello
la Traviata
Rigoletto
Falstaff
Aida
Il Trovatore
Simon Boccanegra
Un Ballo in Maschera
Macbeth


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

1. Otello
2. Il Travatore
3. Aida
4. Rigoletto
5. Don Carlos
6. La Traviata
7. Macbeth 
8. Falstaff
9. Nabucco
10. La forza del destino


----------



## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

1. Don Carlo
2. Traviata
3. Trovatore
4. Otello
5. Rigoletto
6. MacBeth
7. Un Ballo Maschera
8. Aida
9. Simon Boccanegra
10. Luisa Miller

*Itullian.....
*you seem to have neglected to give us your considered top 10, inquiring minds need to know

*Macbeth
*Is earliest opera to make my list all the way up to #6, I have recently been buying many versions, there are so many great aria sequences and orchestral sections.....a real showcase for dramatic soprano to soar

I wish there was a studio Callas, her 1952 live has very compromised sound but her performance is so great


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I guess Annie's favorite list would be something like that 

1.Simon Boccanegra

2.Simon Boccanegra

3.Simon Boccanegra

....... 

and 10.Simon Boccanegra !!!


----------



## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

1. Rigoletto
2. Il Trovatore
3. Don Carlo(s)
4. La Traviata
5. Luisa Miller
6. Aida
7. Macbeth
8. Otello
9. La Forza del Destino
10. Attila

Note to self: need to get acquainted with more of his operas.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

MAuer said:


> Note to self: need to get acquainted with more of his operas.


Guaranteed countertenor-free, Mary


----------



## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

Viva Verdi! :trp:

1. Nabucco
2. Il Trovatore
3. Attila
4. La Traviata
5. Un Ballo in Maschera
6. Macbeth
7. Don Carlo
8. Aida
9. Simon Boccanegra
10. Otello


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Meistersinger , Rigoletto, Falstaff, Trovatore, Aida, Traviata, Otello, Carlos, Macbeth, SB


----------



## Yashin (Jul 22, 2011)

I put these down in the order of which i prefer to watch and listen (therefore my greatest!)

1. La Traviata
2. Aida
3. Rigoletto
4. Nabucco
5. Macbeth
6. Il Trovatore
7. Otello
8. Don Carlo
9. Simon Boccanegra
10. Il trovatore


----------



## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Itullian said:


> *Meistersinger* , Rigoletto, Falstaff, Trovatore, Aida, Traviata, Otello, Carlos, Macbeth, SB


Can't teach an old dog new tricks........


----------



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> Can't teach an old dog new tricks........


caught that huh? bow wow


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Desiree said:


> Viva Verdi! :trp:


Oh yes, Viva, Viva, Viva ... :trp::trp::trp:


----------



## Yashin (Jul 22, 2011)

oh and worst? Ummmm Oberto??


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Yashin said:


> oh and worst? Ummmm Oberto??


Why? I think all Verdi's operas are pretty good and worth watching/listening carefully once at least !


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Itullian said:


> Meistersinger , Rigoletto, Falstaff, Trovatore, Aida, Traviata, Otello, Carlos, Macbeth, SB


:lol:

Simon Boccanegra
Macbeth
Falstaff
Un giorno di regno
Attila
Luisa Miller
Il corsaro
La battaglia di Legnano
I due Foscari
I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata

VivaVerdi!!


----------



## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

sospiro said:


> :lol:
> 
> VivaVerdi!!


Yay! Love the pic!


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

In 2010 I went to Milan for a holiday & while I was there I went to the musician's home which Verdi founded & where he's buried. A very special place.



_Casa Verdi_



_Benefactors (including Arrigo Boito)_



_Musicians' home & entrance to the crypt_



_Verdi's crypt_


----------



## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

sospiro said:


> In 2010 I went to Milan for a holiday & while I was there I went to the musician's home which Verdi founded & where he's buried. A very special place.


Wow! This is an experience I must add to my bucket list!


----------



## slowjazz (Aug 29, 2011)

Macbeth
Rigoletto ( not all)
Aida (almost all)
Un ballo in maschera
La forza del destino with
Don CArlos
Otello
Falstaff
Lucia Miller


----------



## jfmurray (Dec 3, 2011)

1. Simon Boccanegra
2. Don Carlo 
3. La Traviata
4. Aida
5. Otello
6. Rigoletto
7. Falstaff
8. Macbeth
9. Il Trovatore
10. La Forza


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

jfmurray said:


> 1. Simon Boccanegra
> 2. Don Carlo
> 3. La Traviata
> 4. Aida
> ...




You're the first person I've know to also have _Simon Boccanegra_ as your favourite! I'd love to hear your reasons why.


----------



## CameraEye (Nov 18, 2011)

1. Rigoletto
2. Il Trovatore
3. Otello
4. La Traviata
5. Don Carlo
6. Falstaff
7. Simon Boccanegra
8. Aida
9. La Forza
10. Macbeth


----------



## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

1. Rigoletto
2. La Traviata
3. Aida
4. Macbeth
5. Otello
....

and there I have to stop. While I've listened to and enjoyed them all alot, I've not gotten round to any of the others yet (apart from his Requiem, which I also love)

I do have Il Trovatore, Un Ballo in Marschera, anc La Forza del Destino in my pile to listen to (they were in the complete Callas studio recordings set I bought)


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

AndyS said:


> 1. Rigoletto
> 2. La Traviata
> 3. Aida
> 4. Macbeth
> ...


Please give Don Carlos a whirl one day. It's not to be missed.


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Please give *Don Carlos* a whirl one day. It's not to be missed.


Maybe the most -dramatically- effective among all Verdi's operas; you could never find such a strong beginning like act 4 and Filippo's aria (Dormirò sol nel manto mio regal). This is the aria Verdi himself adored and often sung at the piano in his later years.


----------



## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

Thanks - can you guys recommend a recording of it?


----------



## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

sospiro said:


> In 2010 I went to Milan for a holiday & while I was there I went to the musician's home which Verdi founded & where he's buried. A very special place.
> 
> [/I]


'Tosca's Kiss' is a documentary about retired musicans living in Casa Verdi. A very moving film, highly recomended


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

La traviata
Il trovatore
Rigoletto
Don Carlo
Otello
Un ballo in maschera
Aida
Falstaff
Nabucco 
Luisa Miller


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

AndyS said:


> Thanks - can you guys recommend a recording of it?


I have this :










The one Natalie recommended, probably because of Placido Domingo in the principle role...!  I'm just kidding, it's really an awsome recording of the original french version, which I'm quite satisfied with (Thanks again, Natalie)

I have also the famous 1960 Salzburg festival recording of the revised Italian version in 4 acts, extremely good, featuring legendary singers like Sena Jurinac, Giulietta Simionato, Ettore Bastianini and Boris Christoff.

and the DVD from La Scala, 1992, conducted by Ricardo Muti directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Italian version with Luciano Pavarotti) :










I don't have this Dominog/Freni/Ghiaurov Met DVD, but it must be also terrific :










Because of various versions in French and Italian, it's actually impossible to find a definite Don Carlos, I think.

You can read more about, here in Wiki :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Carlos

See also here for more recordings :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Carlos_discography


----------



## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

Thanks!

I have been planning on buying more Verdi (I just got the Tebaldi/Karajan Aida) so will make Don Carlos my next purchase. Typical that the Domingo/Abbado set is the most expensive one to buy! Are there any that I should avoid?


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

AndyS said:


> Thanks - can you guys recommend a recording of it?


Maestro Giulini.

View attachment 3572


----------



## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

AndyS said:


> I have been planning on buying more Verdi...


Verdi made me poor... Ate my allowance in college, eating my meager salary now... But what the hell! Viva Verdi! :trp:


----------



## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

fALSTAFF.
OTELLO.
AIDA.
DON CARLOS.
RIGOLETTO.
BALLO IN MASCHERA.
NABUCCO.
TRAVIATA.
MACBETH.
TROVATORE.


----------



## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

In a Don Carlos mood I revisited the three Don Carlos videos in my collection. the following is my observation

The one I least like is the 4 acts La Scala 1992 production. Unless someone is familiar with the original story, he will find it confusing as to why Elisabeth became Philip''s wife in the first place (this was how I felt when I watch the video the first time). Although it was explained in Carlos the opening aria, the fact was not sufficiantly made clear that Elisabeth had to agree to the marriage for the peace treaty between France and Spain. The staging was sumptuos, as in all Zeffirelli's production, but the acting was not quite up to it. Pavarotti was far too fat for performance on the opera stage at that stage of his career. He could not lie down and get up easily. So him reclined against the fountain in his meeting with Elisabeth, likewise against the furniture in the prison. And Ramey's Philip did not look like an old man either. But there is one really nice touch by the director in the scence where Philip met the Grand Inquisitor. As the Inquisitor was leaving the room, his giant bat like shadow was thrown against the wall. It was quite errie.

The one I like best is the unabridged 5 act 1983 Met production. The story line was expanded properly so that the audience understand the motive of Elisabeth from the start. The set was less sumptuos but not in the minimal fashion. All the principle singers did a great job, both vocally and acting wise. But it is a very long opera, I found it best to watch it in two parts.

The 2008 Royal Opera production 1886 version slots in between these two. It has the advantage of explaining away the reason of Elisabeth's marriage and is not so long that the audience might lose concentration. Personally I found the stage a little too bare, but Ferruccio Furlanetto alone is worth the price of the video.


----------



## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

Same list, different order. 

1. Otello
2. Don Carlo
3. Simon Bocanegra
4. Un Ballo in Maschera
5. Rigoletto
6. Falstaff
7. Aida
8. Il Trovatore
9. Macbeth
10. La Traviata



mamascarlatti said:


> Don Carlos
> Otello
> la Traviata
> Rigoletto
> ...


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Dster said:


> The 2008 Royal Opera production 1886 version slots in between these two. It has the advantage of explaining away the reason of Elisabeth's marriage and is not so long that the audience might lose concentration. Personally I found the stage a little too bare, but Ferruccio Furlanetto alone is worth the price of the video.


I love this version but for me it's Simon Keenlyside which makes the price worthwhile!!


----------



## MarthaD (Nov 4, 2010)

I love all the Verdi operas but Falstaff is my favorite.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

MarthaD said:


> I love all the Verdi operas but Falstaff is my favorite.


Hello MarthaD & welcome to the forum. Verdi is my favourite composer & I look forward to reading your comments & thoughts.


----------



## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

MarthaD said:


> I love all the Verdi operas but Falstaff is my favorite.


Welcome to the forum, MarthaD !

I love Falstaff :tiphat: (and I love Mistress Quickly !  )


----------



## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

sospiro said:


> Verdi is my favourite composer


Amen! :clap:

Hi MarthaD! Verdi is also my favorite and I like the ones with the bombastic orchestrations and the demented vocalizations.


----------



## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

I ordered Simon Boccanegra (Abbado), Nabucco (Gardelli) and Don Carlo (Solti)

I realise I'm ignoring the advice on Don Carlo that everyone gave me (I was going to plump for the Giulini recording), but I'm going through a bit of a Tebaldi phase just now... as much as I love all the main cast on the Giulini... Which I will be picking up next haha)


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

AndyS said:


> I ordered Simon Boccanegra (Abbado), Nabucco (Gardelli) and Don Carlo (Solti)
> 
> I realise I'm ignoring the advice on Don Carlo that everyone gave me (I was going to plump for the Giulini recording), but I'm going through a bit of a Tebaldi phase just now... as much as I love all the main cast on the Giulini... Which I will be picking up next haha)


:clap:

Great choice!! I hope you enjoy them all as much as I do!


----------



## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

AndyS said:


> I ordered Simon Boccanegra (Abbado), Nabucco (Gardelli) and Don Carlo (Solti)
> 
> I realise I'm ignoring the advice on Don Carlo that everyone gave me (I was going to plump for the Giulini recording), but I'm going through a bit of a Tebaldi phase just now... as much as I love all the main cast on the Giulini... Which I will be picking up next haha)


If you like Tebaldi, try the 1958 La Forza del Destino with Corelli. Forget about the set, just enjoy the glorious singing. Capecchi is the finest and most funny Fra Melitone I have seen.


----------



## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

Been slowly working my way through Don Carlo. What a corker


----------



## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

1. Aïda
2. La Traviata
(one and two sometimes reverse, to my perspective)
3. Rigoletto
4. Falstaff
5. Il Trovatore
6. La Forza del Destino
7. Otello
8. Un Ballo in Maschera
9. Nabucco
10. Simon Boccanegra...

_Too bad for opera-house schedulers that Verdi & Wagner were born in the same year. It'll likely mean that next year, when both have a bicentennial year, neither one will get the focus normally shown for such an anniversary----_


----------



## FranzKroger (Apr 6, 2012)

I'm a big fan of Shakespeare, so I would choose Otello and Macbeth as one of the most beloved, the rest was acctually written from others, so I think I don't have to repeat


----------



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Bump the thread.

Recently italian state television aired Falstaff at the Maggio Fiorentino in Florence so I watched it for the first time:





I've found it very boring.
The idea that women would trick men to their will is nice but the music was uninteresting.
Also it was nice the fairy mood change at the end. 
First and last time I will listen it probably.

Also yesterday on Rai 5 there was live the staging of Un ballo in maschera from Teatro Regio in Turin.





Sadly for work related reasons I could only watch the last third (last hour or so).
Again first time I witnessed this Verdi opera.
In this case however I was utterly impressed by the music and setting (I liked the masquerade theme). 
I liked it so much that I think it could become my favorite Verdi opera with Aida, Il Trovatore and La Traviata as soon I trace down the complete opera.


----------



## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

1. Rigoletto
2. Aida
3. Macbeth
4. I Lombardi- Jerusalem
5. Nabucco
6. Il trovatore
7. La traviata
8. Attila
9. Giovanna d'Arco
10. Ernani


----------



## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Falstaff
Simon Boccanegra
La traviata
Un ballo in maschera
Don Carlos
Les vepres siciliennes
Stiffelio
La forza del destino
Ernani
Nabucco

we should do a bottom 10 too, no?


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

guythegreg said:


> Falstaff
> Simon Boccanegra
> La traviata
> Un ballo in maschera
> ...


:tiphat:



guythegreg said:


> we should do a bottom 10 too, no?


or better still 

*Giuseppe Verdi: 1813 - 1901*

01. Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio (17th November, 1839; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Piazza, Merelli, Solera

02. Un giorno di Regno (5th September 1840; Teatro alla Scala, Milan) 
Libretto: Romani

03. Nabucco (9th March 1842; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Solera

04. I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata (11th February 1843; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Solera

05. Ernani (9th March 1844; Teatro la Fenice, Venice)
Libretto: Piave

06. I due Foscari (3rd November 1844; Teatro Argentina, Rome)
Libretto: Piave

07. Giovanna d'Arco (15th February 1845; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Solera

08. Alzira (12th August 1845; Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
Libretto: Cammarano

09. Attila (17th March 1846; Teatro la Fenice, Venice)
Libretto: Solera

10. Macbeth (14th March 1847; Teatro della Pergola, Florence)
Libretto: Piave, Maffei

11. I masnadieri (22nd July 1847; Her Majesty's Theatre, London)
Libretto: Maffei

12. Jérusalem (26th November 1847; Académie Royale de Musique, Paris)
Libretto: Royer, Vaëz

13. Il corsaro (25th October 1848; Teatro Grande, Trieste)
Libretto: Piave

14. La battaglia di Legnano (27th January 1849; Teatro Argentina, Rome)
Libretto: Cammarano

15. Luisa Miller (8th December 1849; Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
Libretto: Cammarano

16. Stiffelio (16th November 1850; Teatro Grande, Trieste)
Libretto: Piave

17. Rigoletto (11th March 1850; Teatro la Fenice, Venice)
Libretto: Piave

18. Il trovatore (19th January 1853; Teatro Apollo, Rome)
Libretto: Cammarano, Bardare

19. La traviata (6th March 1853; Teatro la Fenice, Venice. 6th May 1854; Teatro San Benedetto, Venice)
Libretto: Piave

20. Les Vêpres Siciliennes (13th June 1855; Académie Impériale de Musique, Paris)
Libretto: Scribe, Duveyrier

21. I Vespri siciliani (26th December 1855; Parma under the name of Giovanna di Guzman)
Libretto: Scribe, Duveyrier

22. Simon Boccanegra (12th March 1857; Teatro la Fenice, Venice)
Libretto: Piave

23. Aroldo (16th August 1857; Teatro Nuovo, Rimini)
Libretto: Piave

24. Un ballo in maschera (17th February 1859; Teatro Apollo, Rome)
Libretto: Somma

25. La forza del destino (10th November 1862; Bolshoi Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Libretto: Piave

26. Macbeth revised (21st April 1865; Théâtre Lyrique, Paris)
Libretto: Nuitter, Beaumont

27. Don Carlos (11th March 1867; Académie Impériale de Musique, Paris)
Libretto: Méry, Du Locle

28. La forza del destino revised (27th February 1869; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Ghislanzoni

29. Aïda (24th December 1871; Opera House, Cairo. 8th February 1872; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Ghislanzoni

30. Simon Boccanegra revised (24th March 1881; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Boito

31. Don Carlo translated into Italian and revised (10th January 1884; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Boito

32. Otello (5th February 1887; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Boito

33. Falstaff (9th February 1893; Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Libretto: Boito


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

The people of Trieste were the first to have a statue of Giuseppe in 1906, after Verdi died in 1901


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

TxllxT said:


> The people of Trieste were the first to have a statue of Giuseppe in 1906, after Verdi died in 1901


:tiphat:

Thank you TxllxT, I didn't know that.


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

sospiro said:


> :tiphat:
> 
> Thank you TxllxT, I didn't know that.


Verdi was politically suspect during his life and making statues did mean: making a political statement. I guess we live in different times....


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

TxllxT said:


> Verdi was politically suspect during his life and making statues did mean: making a political statement. I guess we live in different times....


You mean if a group of people agreed with his political point of view they'd put up a statue to proclaim their agreement?


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

sospiro said:


> You mean if a group of people agreed with his political point of view they'd put up a statue to proclaim their agreement?


Verdi embodied a united Italy, Trieste belonged to the Habsburg Crown Jewels, so the Austrians didn't like Verdi Statues. It's interesting to see the names of all Italian Opera Composers in the citycentre-streets of Trieste.


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

on Piazza Giuseppe Verdi stands Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi 1801 where Il Corsaro (1848) & Stiffelio (1850) were premiered. The Opera House is La Fenice inside and La Scala outside.


----------



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

TxllxT said:


> Verdi was politically suspect during his life and making statues did mean: making a political statement. I guess we live in different times....


W Verdi
Viva Vittorio Emanuele Re d'Italia
Viva Vittorio Emanuele King of Italy (Vittorio Emanuele was the king of Piedmont and Sardinia that unified most Italy during Risorgimento)

http://www.rodoni.ch/corsaro/patriot.html


----------



## Fintan (Jun 9, 2012)

1 Aida
2La Forza del Destino
3 Un Ballo in Maschera
4 Il Trovatore
5 Luisa Miller
6 Ernani
7 Rigoletto
8 I Due Foscari
9 Macbeth
10 Attila


----------



## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

It might vary from week to week, but here we go:

1. Otello
2. Don Carlos (a better opera than the four-act Don Carlo)
3. Rigoletto
4. Aida
5. Simon Boccanegra
6. Un Ballo in Maschera
7. La Traviata
8. La Forza del Destino
9. Il Trovatore
10. I Vespri Siciliani


----------



## eorrific (May 14, 2011)

Hesoos said:


> 1. Rigoletto
> 2. Aida
> 3. Macbeth
> 4. I Lombardi- Jerusalem
> ...


Interesting list!

Mine : 
1.Don Carlo/s (5-act version)
2.Rigoletto
3.Falstaff
4.Otello
5.Simon Boccanegra
6.Il Trovatore
7.La Traviata
8.Un Ballo di Maschera
9.Ernani

Haven't seen the others. Any suggestions for Aida? Help out a newbie to the world of opera by sending your answer to my inbox. Thanks


----------

