It was wonderful to hear the roar of the crowd at the end of the opening performance of Simon Boccanegra, and to be backstage afterwards to share in everyone's happiness. This is the effect that Verdi can have.
When opera was evolving in late 16th-century Italy, it was originally intended to recreate Greek tragedy. At the time the belief was that Greek tragedy had been sung, like a sort of recitative. You can see this reflected in early operas, which were like composed recitatives, with the other elements, that reflect more the opera we know now, added as the artform evolved.
Simon Boccanegra is not just a story about a 15th-century pirate; it's about reconciliation between two groups of people but also between individuals. You can certainly find cities where this is still true today: the endless quest for leadership that can unite a community.
Posted by Alexander Neef / in Productions / comments (0) / permalink
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