The Operas of Verdi: Volume 2: From Il Trovatore to La Forza del Destino

The Operas of Verdi #2

by Julian Budden

Volume Two covers those works written during the decadence of the post-Rossini period. During this time, Verdi, having exhausted the vein of simple lyricism to be found in Il Trovatore and La Traviata , achieved self-renewal in direct confrontation with the masters of the Paris Opera with his Les Vêpres Siciliennes . A new scale and variety of musical thought can be sensed in the Italian operas that follow, culminating in La Forza del Destino .

Genres: Music, Reference

542 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1978

About the author

Julian Medforth Budden, BA, BMus, was a British opera scholar, radio producer and broadcaster. He is particularly known for his three volumes on the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, a single volume biography in 1982 and a single volume work on Giacomo Puccini and his operas in 2002.

Reviews

[Massimo Penazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imprescindibile per chiunque ami Verdi e, in generale, l'opera lirica e la sua storia.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monumental. Budden's first volume was interesting almost more from a historical standpoint, for operas that are less often performed and less foundational to the framework of what we think of as mature opera. This second volume really hits its stride with dense, lengthy chapters on each of Verdi's operas from his middle period.

One caveat: it's worth listening to and preferably viewing online a production of each opera before you begin. Budden doesn't tend to start with the plot and then work his way through; instead he prioritises history and the many changes made before giving us a thorough run-down of how the music and text combine on stage.

[Aaron]

Haven't read this one yet, but I will. It looks like I have more to learn about music before I can read and comprehend what this one will teach me.