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The Gentleman Farmer

Donald Macleod discusses Verdi's agreement to supply a new work for the Paris Opera, based on Friedrich Schiller's Don Carlos.

Donald Macleod explores Giuseppe Verdi's "middle period". Verdi often said that he felt he was without honour in his native Italy. Perhaps that's why he accepted another commission abroad. Despite his previous very negative experiences writing for the Paris Opera, it was for the "Grand Boutique" that he agreed to supply a new work. The subject agreed on was Friedrich Schiller's Don Carlos. A German play on a Spanish subject - that makes very free with history - prepared for the opera stage by a pair of Frenchmen, and set to music by an Italian, doesn't sound like a recipe for success, but Verdi created from those ingredients one of the great operatic dramas of all time: Verdi's Don Carlos.

Adagio for Trumpet and Orchestra
Gianluigi Petrarulo (trumpet)
Symphony Orchestra of Milan
Riccardo Chailly (Conductor)

Don Carlos, Act II, Sc 2 (Nel Giardin del bello)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera
Alberto Hold-Garrido, Conductor

Don Carlos, Act III (Il Grand Inquisitor!/ Nell'ispano suol mai)
Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Robin Leggate, Tenor (Count of Lerma).
Robert Lloyd, Tenor (The Grand Inquisitor)
Roberto Scandiuzzi, Bass (Filippo)
Bernard Haitink, Conductor

Don Carlos, Act III (Ballet of the Queen)
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Claudio Abbado (Conductor)

Don Carlo, Act IV (Tu che le vanita / E dessa... Si, per sempre)
Wiener Phiharmonic
Sena Jurinac, Soprano (Elisabetta)
Eugenio Fernandi, Tenor (Carlo)
Herbert von Karajan, Conductor.

1 hour

Music Played

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Adagio for trumpet and orchestra

    Performer: Gianluigi Petrarulo. Orchestra: MILAN GIUSEPPE VERDI S O. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • DECCA : 473-767 2.
    • Decca.
    • 4.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Don Carlos - Nel Giardin del bello

    Orchestra: Swedish Royal Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Alberto Hold-Garrido. Choir: Swedish Royal Opera Chorus.
    • Naxos 8.557894.
    • Naxos.
    • 5.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Don Carlos - Il Grand Inquisitor! / Nell’ispano suol mai

    Conductor: Bernard Haitink. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Singer: Robin Leggate. Singer: Robert Lloyd. Choir: The Rome Opera Chorus. Singer: Roberto Scandiuzzi.
    • Philips: 454463-2.
    • Philips.
    • 2.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Don Carlos - Ballet of the Queen

    Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 419-487-2.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 7.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Don Carlos - Tu che la venita / E dessa... / Si, per sempre

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Singer: Eugenio Fernandi. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Singer: Sena Jurinac. Choir: Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor.
    • DG: 447655-2.
    • DG.
    • 13.

Broadcasts

  • Wed 25 Feb 2015 12:00
  • Wed 25 Feb 2015 18:30

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