STORIES

Few composers have explored the most chaotic conflicts of the human soul as powerfully as Giuseppe Verdi. Rigoletto, which premiered on March 11, 1851, at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, is not merely a story about court intrigues. It is also a musical meditation on one of humanity’s deepest struggles: the clash between revenge and forgiveness.

According to the eminent opera critic Joseph Gregor, Friedrich Schiller’s extraordinary ability to express deep emotions and intense passions resonates most strongly with Giuseppe Verdi’s musical language. In terms of emotion and fervor, Schiller is closer to Verdi than any other poet. The artistic connection between Schiller and Verdi represents an exceptional synthesis, serving as a valuable source of inspiration.

“Dio, che nell’alma infondere,” the duet from Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo, brilliantly blends the human soul’s yearning for unity and freedom with melodic mastery. This vow of unity, sworn before God by Don Carlo and Rodrigo, reflects not only the loyalty between two friends but also the universal dimension of human solidarity and the struggles fought in the name of freedom.

In Verdi’s Otello, music becomes a painter’s brush, turning roaring thunder and flashing lightning into vivid images we can almost see with our ears. All you need to do is surrender yourself to this hypnotic opening scene!

At the age of twenty-six, Giuseppe Verdi composed his first opera, titled Oberto, which was accepted by Teatro alla Scala and premiered...