Attila (opera)
Encyclopedia
Attila is an opera
in a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi
to an Italian libretto
by Temistocle Solera
, based on the play
Attila, König der Hunnen ("Attila, King of the Huns") by Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner
. Initially, Verdi had enlisted Francesco Maria Piave
to prepare the libretto, after Verdi's own scenario. After finding Piave's work unsatisfactory, Verdi then turned to Solera, but finally returned to Piave for Act III. The opera received its first performance at La Fenice
, Venice
, on 17 March 1846.
Ezio's aria of heroic resolution "E gettata la mia sorte" is a fine example of a characteristic Verdian genre, and achieved fame in its own time with audiences in the context of the adoption of a liberal constitution by Ferdinand II. Other contemporary comment praised the work as suitable for the "political education of the people", and in contrast criticised the opera as "Teutonic" in nature.
at Her Majesty's Theatre
in 1848, with Sophie Cruvelli
, Italo Gardoni
, Velletti, Cruzzoni and in New York City
in 1850. In the 20th century, it was revived in concert performance during Venice Festival of 1951 with Mancini, Penno, Giangiacomo, Guelfi, and Italo Tajo
, under the conductor Carlo Maria Giulini
; and at Sadler's Wells in London in 1963 (with an English libretto), with Rae Woodland
, Donald Smith, Mossfield, and Donald McIntyre
, with Muir Mathieson
conducting. There was a Rome
revival a year later, then productions in Trieste
in (1965), in Buenos Aires
in (1966), in Berlin
in (1971), and in 1972 Attila was performed at the Edinburgh Festival
and in Florence
.
On 21 December 1980, the Vienna State Opera
presented a new production conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli
, and staged by Giulio Chazalettes
. The cast included Nicolai Ghiaurov
as Attila, Piero Cappuccilli
as Ezio, Mara Zampieri
as Odabella, and Piero Visconti as Foresto. From 1981 onwards the role of Atilla was taken up by the American bass, Samuel Ramey
, who made his first appearances at the New York City Opera
in March 1981 in the opera which had not been seen in the city for one hundred and fifty years.. Throughout that decade Ramey
"unquestionably rack[ed] up more performances in the role than any bass since its creator" in houses such as La Fenice
and San Francisco, finally making an audio recording in 1989 and a video recording in 1991, both under Riccardo Muti
.
The Royal Opera House
premiered it on 13 October 1990, with Ruggero Raimondi
in the title role, Josephine Barstow
as Odabella, Giorgio Zancanaro
as Ezio, Dennis O'Neill
as Foresto, with Edward Downes
conducting.
In 1997 it was included as part of the Sarasota Opera
's "Verdi Cycle" of all of the composer's operas to be performed before 2013, while in 1998 the Samuel Ramey again appeared in the title role in a production staged by La Scala
and filmed for DVD release. In February 2000 a performance was presented by the Opera Orchestra of New York
, again featuring Ramey as Attila.
Attila received a concert performance on 8 September 2007 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam
, with Ildar Abdrazakov, Hasmik Papian
, Paolo Gavanelli, and Massimiliano Pisapia. Jaap van Zweden
conducted; a recording and broadcast ensued..
The Metropolitan Opera
mounted its first production directed by Pierre Audi
on 23 February 2010 conducted by Riccardo Muti
, who was making his house debut. Ildar Abdrazakov sang the title role, with Violeta Urmana
as Odabella, Ramón Vargas
as Foresto, Giovanni Meoni as Ezio, and Samuel Ramey
as Leone. Miuccia Prada
and the architects Herzog & de Meuron
collaborated on costumes and sets. It will be staged in September 2011 as part of the Washington Concert Opera's 2011-12 season.
Attila
and his victorious horde are surprised to see a group of women spared as prisoners of war. Their leader, Odabella, asks why the Huns
' women remain at home (Allor che i forti corrono / "While your warriors rush to their swords like lions"). Attila, impressed by her courage, offers a boon and she asks for her sword to avenge the death of her father at Attila's own hand (Da te questo or m'è concesso / "O sublime, divine justice by thee is this now granted"). The Roman envoy Ezio asks for an audience and proposes a division of the empire: Avrai tu l'universo, Resti l'Italia a me / "You may have the universe, but let Italy remain mine". Attila denounces him as a traitor to his country.
Scene 2: A swamp, the future site of Venice
A boat bearing Foresto and other survivors arrives; he thinks of the captive Odabella (Ella in poter del barbaro / "She is in the barbarian's power!") but then rouses himself and the others to begin building a new city (Cara patria già madre e reina / "Dear homeland, at once mother and queen of powerful, generous sons").
Odabela laments her father and Foresto (Oh! Nel fuggente nuvolo / "O father, is your image not imprinted on the fleeting clouds?...") believing the latter to be dead. When he appears, she is put on the defensive, denying any infidelity and reminding him of the biblical Judith. The couple is reunited: Oh, t'inebria nell'amplesso / "O vast joy without measure")
Scene 2: Attila's tent
Attila awakes and tells Uldino of a dream in which an old man stopped him at the gates of Rome and warned him to turn back (Mentre gonfiarsi l'anima parea / "As my soul seemed to swell"). In the daylight, his courage returns and he orders a march (Oltre quel limite, t'attendo, o spettro / "Beyond that boundary I await you, O ghost!"). However, when a procession of maidens clad in white approaches, singing a Christian hymn, he recognizes the Roman bishop Leo
as the old man of his dream, and collapses in terror.
Ezio has been recalled, after a peace has been concluded. He contrasts Rome's past glory with the child emperor Valentine (Dagl'immortali vertici / "From the splendid immortal peaks of former glory"). Recognizing the incognito Foresto among the bearers of an invitation to a banquet with Attila, he agrees to join forces (E' gettata la mia sorte / "My lot is cast, I am prepared for any warfare" ). At the banquet, Foresto's plot to have Uldino poison Attila is foiled by Odabella, jealous of her own revenge. A grateful (and unsuspecting) Attila declares she shall be his wife, and places the unmasked Foresto in her custody.
Uldino informs Foresto about the plans for the wedding of Odabella and Attila; Foresto laments Odabella's apparent betrayal (Che non avrebbe il misero / "What would that wretched man not have offered for Odabella). Ezio arrives with a plan to ambush the Huns; when Odabella comes Foresto accuses her of treachery, but she pleads for his trust. Attila finds the three and recognizes their betrayal. As Roman soldiers approach, Odabella stabs him with the sword he had given her. The three conspirators cry that the people have been avenged.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
to an Italian libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Temistocle Solera
Temistocle Solera
Temistocle Solera was an Italian opera composer and librettist.He was born at Ferrara. He received his education at the Imperial College in Vienna and at the University of Pavia. Throughout his life he actively participated in anti-Austrian resistance. At one point, he was incarcerated for his...
, based on the play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
Attila, König der Hunnen ("Attila, King of the Huns") by Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner
Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner
Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner was a German poet, dramatist, and preacher. As a dramatist, he is known mainly for inaugurating the era of the so-called “tragedies of fate.”-Biography:...
. Initially, Verdi had enlisted Francesco Maria Piave
Francesco Maria Piave
Francesco Maria Piave was an Italian opera librettist who was born in Murano in the lagoon of Venice, during the brief Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. His career spanned over twenty years working with many of the significant composers of his day...
to prepare the libretto, after Verdi's own scenario. After finding Piave's work unsatisfactory, Verdi then turned to Solera, but finally returned to Piave for Act III. The opera received its first performance at La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, on 17 March 1846.
Ezio's aria of heroic resolution "E gettata la mia sorte" is a fine example of a characteristic Verdian genre, and achieved fame in its own time with audiences in the context of the adoption of a liberal constitution by Ferdinand II. Other contemporary comment praised the work as suitable for the "political education of the people", and in contrast criticised the opera as "Teutonic" in nature.
Performance history
After its world premiere in 1846 at La Fenice in Venice, the opera was first produced in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
in 1848, with Sophie Cruvelli
Sophie Cruvelli
Sophie Johanne Charlotte Crüwell, vicountess Vigier, stage name Sophie Cruvelli was a German opera singer. She was a dramatic soprano who had a brief but stellar public career especially in London and Paris in the middle years of the 19th century. She was admired for her vocal powers and as a...
, Italo Gardoni
Italo Gardoni
Italo Gardoni was a leading operatic tenore di grazia singer from Italy who enjoyed a major international career during the middle decades of the 19th century...
, Velletti, Cruzzoni and in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1850. In the 20th century, it was revived in concert performance during Venice Festival of 1951 with Mancini, Penno, Giangiacomo, Guelfi, and Italo Tajo
Italo Tajo
Italo Tajo was an Italian operatic bass, particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.Tajo was born in Pinerolo, Piedmont, and studied violin and voice at the Music Conservatory of Turin with Nilde Stichi-Bertozzi. He made his stage debut in 1935, as Fafner , under Fritz Busch...
, under the conductor Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria...
; and at Sadler's Wells in London in 1963 (with an English libretto), with Rae Woodland
Rae Woodland
Rae Woodland is a British soprano who studied with Roy Henderson. Her debut was as Queen of the Night at Sadlers Wells. She sang in many European festivals, and debuted at Covent Garden in La sonnambula with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti...
, Donald Smith, Mossfield, and Donald McIntyre
Donald McIntyre
This page is about the singer. For others of similar name see Donald MacIntyreSir Donald McIntyre, CBE is a celebrated operatic bass-baritone. He made his formal debut as Zaccaria in Nabucco, at the Welsh National Opera, in 1959...
, with Muir Mathieson
Muir Mathieson
James Muir Mathieson was a Scottish conductor and composer. Mathieson was almost always described as a "Musical Director" on a large number of British films.-Career:...
conducting. There was a Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
revival a year later, then productions in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
in (1965), in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in (1966), in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in (1971), and in 1972 Attila was performed at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
and in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
On 21 December 1980, the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
presented a new production conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli
Giuseppe Sinopoli
-Biography:Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy, and later studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice under Ernesto Rubin de Cervin and at Darmstadt, including being mentored in composition with Karlheinz Stockhausen...
, and staged by Giulio Chazalettes
Giulio Chazalettes
Giulio Chazalettes is an Italian opera director and former actor.-Biography:He was born in Verona . He was taught in music by his mother, a German pianist. After having settled in Milan, he was accepted by the Piccolo Teatro's acting school...
. The cast included Nicolai Ghiaurov
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Nicolai Ghiaurov was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most famous bass singers of the postwar period. He was admired for his powerful, sumptuous voice, and was particularly associated with roles of Verdi.Ghiaurov married the Italian soprano Mirella Freni in 1978...
as Attila, Piero Cappuccilli
Piero Cappuccilli
Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th...
as Ezio, Mara Zampieri
Mara Zampieri
Mara Zampieri is an operatic soprano. She trained at Padua Conservatory.She has performed in the opera houses of Europe, including London, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Zurich, Madrid, Barcelona and Vienna; also in San Francisco, New York, Buenos Aires, and Tokyo...
as Odabella, and Piero Visconti as Foresto. From 1981 onwards the role of Atilla was taken up by the American bass, Samuel Ramey
Samuel Ramey
Samuel Edward Ramey is an American operatic bass with a long, distinguished career.During his best years, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, yet power...
, who made his first appearances at the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
in March 1981 in the opera which had not been seen in the city for one hundred and fifty years.. Throughout that decade Ramey
"unquestionably rack[ed] up more performances in the role than any bass since its creator" in houses such as La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
and San Francisco, finally making an audio recording in 1989 and a video recording in 1991, both under Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
.
The Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
premiered it on 13 October 1990, with Ruggero Raimondi
Ruggero Raimondi
Ruggero Raimondi is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer who has also appeared in motion pictures.-Early training and career:Ruggero Raimondi was born in Bologna, Italy, during World War II...
in the title role, Josephine Barstow
Josephine Barstow
Dame Josephine Clare Barstow DBE is an English soprano.-Education and early career:Josephine Barstow was born in Sheffield and educated at the University of Birmingham. She made her professional debut with the touring company Opera for All in 1964...
as Odabella, Giorgio Zancanaro
Giorgio Zancanaro
Giorgio Zancanaro is an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi.He studied in his native Verona with Maria Palanda, and was revealed at the Verdi Competition in Busseto in 1969. He made his official operatic debut the following year in Mantua, as...
as Ezio, Dennis O'Neill
Dennis O'Neill
Dennis O'Neill CBE is a Welsh operatic tenor and recording artist.-Early career:Born of Welsh and Irish parents, he studied privately with Professor Frederic Cox in Manchester and then in London...
as Foresto, with Edward Downes
Edward Downes
Sir Edward Thomas "Ted" Downes, CBE was an English conductor, specialising in opera.He was associated with the Royal Opera House from 1952, and with Opera Australia from 1970. He was also well known for his long working relationship with the BBC Philharmonic and for working with the Netherlands...
conducting.
In 1997 it was included as part of the Sarasota Opera
Sarasota Opera
Sarasota Opera is a professional opera company in Sarasota, Florida, USA, which owns and performs in the now-renovated 1,119-seat Sarasota Opera House. The 2011-2012 season is currently featuring Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in the fall...
's "Verdi Cycle" of all of the composer's operas to be performed before 2013, while in 1998 the Samuel Ramey again appeared in the title role in a production staged by La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
and filmed for DVD release. In February 2000 a performance was presented by the Opera Orchestra of New York
Opera Orchestra of New York
The Opera Orchestra of New York specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory...
, again featuring Ramey as Attila.
Attila received a concert performance on 8 September 2007 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, with Ildar Abdrazakov, Hasmik Papian
Hasmik Papian
- Biography :Hasmik Papian graduated from High Academy in Yerevan first as a violinist, then as a singer. After her debut at the Armenian National Opera, she was invited as a soloist among others by Opera Bonn and Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf, Germany...
, Paolo Gavanelli, and Massimiliano Pisapia. Jaap van Zweden
Jaap van Zweden
Jaap van Zweden is a Dutch conductor and violinist.-Biography:Van Zweden's father, a pianist, encouraged him to begin violin studies at age five, and he studied music in Amsterdam...
conducted; a recording and broadcast ensued..
The Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
mounted its first production directed by Pierre Audi
Pierre Audi
Pierre Audi is a French-Lebanese theatre director and artistic director.Pierre Audi is the son of the Lebanese banker Raymond Audi and Andrée Michel Fattal, the eldest of three children. Audi's family were originally from originally from Saida, but he attended the French Lycée in Beirut...
on 23 February 2010 conducted by Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
, who was making his house debut. Ildar Abdrazakov sang the title role, with Violeta Urmana
Violeta Urmana
Violeta Urmana, born Violeta Urmanavičiūtė is a diva who began her career as a mezzo-soprano but has transitioned successfully into soprano roles....
as Odabella, Ramón Vargas
Ramón Vargas
Ramón Vargas is an award-winning Mexican operatic tenor. Since his debut in the early '90s, he has developed to become one of the most acclaimed tenors of the 21st century. Known for his most expressive and agile lyric tenor voice, he is especially successful in the bel canto...
as Foresto, Giovanni Meoni as Ezio, and Samuel Ramey
Samuel Ramey
Samuel Edward Ramey is an American operatic bass with a long, distinguished career.During his best years, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, yet power...
as Leone. Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She also has a Ph.D. in Political Science.Prada was born in Milan, the youngest granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the company. According to: Forbes.com's The World's Richest People 2001: "She and her husband, Patrizio Bertelli,...
and the architects Herzog & de Meuron
Herzog & de Meuron
Herzog & de Meuron Architekten, BSA/SIA/ETH is a Swiss architecture firm, founded and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland in 1978. The careers of founders and senior partners Jacques Herzog , and Pierre de Meuron , closely paralleled one another, with both attending the Swiss Federal Institute of...
collaborated on costumes and sets. It will be staged in September 2011 as part of the Washington Concert Opera's 2011-12 season.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 17 March 1846 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Attila, King of the Huns | bass | Ignazio Marini Ignazio Marini Ignazio Marini was a celebrated Italian operatic bass. He sang in the world premieres of several operas by Gaetano Donizetti, Saverio Mercadante, and Giuseppe Verdi and appeared as a guest artist in major opera houses throughout Europe and in New York City and Cairo.-Biography:Ignazio Marini was... |
| Uldino, a Breton Breton people The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The... slave of Attila's |
tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Ettore Profili |
| Odabella, daughter of the Lord of Aquileia | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Sophie Loewe |
| Ezio, a Roman General | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Natale Costantini |
| Foresto, a Knight of Aquileia | tenor | Carlo Guasco Carlo Guasco Carlo Guasco was a celebrated Italian operatic tenor who sang in Italian and other European opera houses from 1837 to 1853... |
| Leone (Pope Leo I Pope Leo I Pope Leo I was pope from September 29, 440 to his death.He was an Italian aristocrat, and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to have been called "the Great". He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452, persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy... ) |
bass | Giuseppe Romanelli |
| Captains, Kings and Soldiers of the Huns, Priestesses, Aquileians, Roman Soldiers and populace of Rome | ||
Prologue
Scene 1: The ruined city of AquileiaAquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
Attila
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
and his victorious horde are surprised to see a group of women spared as prisoners of war. Their leader, Odabella, asks why the Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
' women remain at home (Allor che i forti corrono / "While your warriors rush to their swords like lions"). Attila, impressed by her courage, offers a boon and she asks for her sword to avenge the death of her father at Attila's own hand (Da te questo or m'è concesso / "O sublime, divine justice by thee is this now granted"). The Roman envoy Ezio asks for an audience and proposes a division of the empire: Avrai tu l'universo, Resti l'Italia a me / "You may have the universe, but let Italy remain mine". Attila denounces him as a traitor to his country.
Scene 2: A swamp, the future site of Venice
A boat bearing Foresto and other survivors arrives; he thinks of the captive Odabella (Ella in poter del barbaro / "She is in the barbarian's power!") but then rouses himself and the others to begin building a new city (Cara patria già madre e reina / "Dear homeland, at once mother and queen of powerful, generous sons").
Act 1
Scene 1: A wood near Attila's campOdabela laments her father and Foresto (Oh! Nel fuggente nuvolo / "O father, is your image not imprinted on the fleeting clouds?...") believing the latter to be dead. When he appears, she is put on the defensive, denying any infidelity and reminding him of the biblical Judith. The couple is reunited: Oh, t'inebria nell'amplesso / "O vast joy without measure")
Scene 2: Attila's tent
Attila awakes and tells Uldino of a dream in which an old man stopped him at the gates of Rome and warned him to turn back (Mentre gonfiarsi l'anima parea / "As my soul seemed to swell"). In the daylight, his courage returns and he orders a march (Oltre quel limite, t'attendo, o spettro / "Beyond that boundary I await you, O ghost!"). However, when a procession of maidens clad in white approaches, singing a Christian hymn, he recognizes the Roman bishop Leo
Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I was pope from September 29, 440 to his death.He was an Italian aristocrat, and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to have been called "the Great". He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452, persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy...
as the old man of his dream, and collapses in terror.
Act 2
Ezio's campEzio has been recalled, after a peace has been concluded. He contrasts Rome's past glory with the child emperor Valentine (Dagl'immortali vertici / "From the splendid immortal peaks of former glory"). Recognizing the incognito Foresto among the bearers of an invitation to a banquet with Attila, he agrees to join forces (E' gettata la mia sorte / "My lot is cast, I am prepared for any warfare" ). At the banquet, Foresto's plot to have Uldino poison Attila is foiled by Odabella, jealous of her own revenge. A grateful (and unsuspecting) Attila declares she shall be his wife, and places the unmasked Foresto in her custody.
Act 3
The forestUldino informs Foresto about the plans for the wedding of Odabella and Attila; Foresto laments Odabella's apparent betrayal (Che non avrebbe il misero / "What would that wretched man not have offered for Odabella). Ezio arrives with a plan to ambush the Huns; when Odabella comes Foresto accuses her of treachery, but she pleads for his trust. Attila finds the three and recognizes their betrayal. As Roman soldiers approach, Odabella stabs him with the sword he had given her. The three conspirators cry that the people have been avenged.
Recordings
| Year | Cast (Attila, Foresto, Odabella, Ezio) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Italo Tajo Italo Tajo Italo Tajo was an Italian operatic bass, particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.Tajo was born in Pinerolo, Piedmont, and studied violin and voice at the Music Conservatory of Turin with Nilde Stichi-Bertozzi. He made his stage debut in 1935, as Fafner , under Fritz Busch... , Gino Penno Gino Penno Gino Penno was an Italian tenor, who enjoyed a short but brilliant career in opera in the 1950s.Penno was born in Felizzano, Italy, and studied with Ettore Campogaliano. After winning a singing competition, he entered the Scuola di Canto of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan... , Caterina Mancini Caterina Mancini Caterina Mancini is an Italian dramatic coloratura soprano, primarily active in Italy in the 1950s.Mancini was born at Genzano di Roma. She made her debut in 1948, as Giselda in I Lombardi, in Florence... , Giangiacomo Guelfi Giangiacomo Guelfi Giangiacomo Guelfi is an operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi and Puccini. Born in Rome, he studied law before turning to vocal studies, in Florence, with the great baritone Titta Ruffo. Giangiacomo made his stage debut in Spoleto, as Rigoletto in 1950... |
Carlo Maria Giulini Carlo Maria Giulini Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria... , Coro e Orchestra della RAI Milano (radio broadcast) |
Audio CD: Great Opera Performances Cat: G.O.P.66306 |
| 1962 | Boris Christoff Boris Christoff Boris Christoff was a Bulgarian opera singer... , Gastone Limarilli, Margherita Roberti Margherita Roberti Dame Margherita Roberti is an American operatic soprano who had an active international career that spanned from 1948 to 1988. Although she performed throughout the world, Roberti achieved her greatest success and popularity in Italy. A dramatic soprano, Roberti drew particular acclaim for her... , Giangiacomo Guelfi Giangiacomo Guelfi Giangiacomo Guelfi is an operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi and Puccini. Born in Rome, he studied law before turning to vocal studies, in Florence, with the great baritone Titta Ruffo. Giangiacomo made his stage debut in Spoleto, as Rigoletto in 1950... |
Bruno Bartoletti Bruno Bartoletti Bruno Bartoletti is an Italian operatic conductor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory and contemporary works.... , Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early... Orchestra and Chorus (Live recording of 1 December performance at the Teatro Communale) |
Audio CD: Opera D'Oro, Cat: OPD 1267 |
| 1972 | Ruggero Raimondi Ruggero Raimondi Ruggero Raimondi is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer who has also appeared in motion pictures.-Early training and career:Ruggero Raimondi was born in Bologna, Italy, during World War II... , Carlo Bergonzi, Christina Deutekom, Sherill Milnes |
Lamberto Gardelli Lamberto Gardelli Lamberto Gardelli was an Italian conductor, particularly associated with the Italian opera repertory, especially the works of Giuseppe Verdi.... , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"... , Ambrosian Singers and Finchley Children's Music Group Finchley Children's Music Group Finchley Children’s Music Group is a UK youth choir based in North London for children aged 4 to 18.Finchley Children’s Music Group was founded in 1958 after a group of singers came together to give the first amateur performance of Benjamin Britten’s Noye's Fludde... |
Audio CD: Philips Philips Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company.... Cat: 412-875-2 |
| 1980 | Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most famous bass singers of the postwar period. He was admired for his powerful, sumptuous voice, and was particularly associated with roles of Verdi.Ghiaurov married the Italian soprano Mirella Freni in 1978... , Piero Visconti, Mara Zampieri Mara Zampieri Mara Zampieri is an operatic soprano. She trained at Padua Conservatory.She has performed in the opera houses of Europe, including London, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Zurich, Madrid, Barcelona and Vienna; also in San Francisco, New York, Buenos Aires, and Tokyo... , Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... |
Giuseppe Sinopoli Giuseppe Sinopoli -Biography:Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy, and later studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice under Ernesto Rubin de Cervin and at Darmstadt, including being mentored in composition with Karlheinz Stockhausen... , Vienna State Opera Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian... Orchestra and Chorus (Live recording of 28 December performance) |
Audio CD: Orfeo Cat: C 601 032 I |
| 1986 | Yevgeny Nesterenko, János B. Nagy, Sylvia Sass Sylvia Sass Sylvia Sass is a Hungarian operatic soprano who has sung leading roles both in her native country and internationally.-Life and career:... , Lajos Miller |
Lamberto Gardelli Lamberto Gardelli Lamberto Gardelli was an Italian conductor, particularly associated with the Italian opera repertory, especially the works of Giuseppe Verdi.... , Hungarian State Orchestra Hungarian Radio and Television Chorus |
Audio CD: Hungaroton Hungaroton Hungaroton was the one and only record and music publisher company in Hungary for about 40 years.Hungaroton was founded in 1951, since then, its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna from other socialist countries. Previously called... Cat: HCD 12934-12935 |
| 1989 | Samuel Ramey Samuel Ramey Samuel Edward Ramey is an American operatic bass with a long, distinguished career.During his best years, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, yet power... , Neil Shicoff Neil Shicoff Neil Shicoff is an American Jewish opera singer and cantor known for his lyric tenor singing and his dramatic, emotional acting.- Beginnings :... , Cheryl Studer Cheryl Studer Cheryl Studer is a Grammy Award winning American dramatic soprano who has sung at many of the world's major opera houses. A singer with unusual versatility, Studer has performed more than eighty roles ranging from the dramatic repertoire to roles more commonly associated with lyric sopranos and... , Giorgio Zancanaro Giorgio Zancanaro Giorgio Zancanaro is an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi.He studied in his native Verona with Maria Palanda, and was revealed at the Verdi Competition in Busseto in 1969. He made his official operatic debut the following year in Mantua, as... |
Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:... , Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus |
Audio CD: EMI EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... Cat: CDS 7 49952-2 |
| 1991 | Samuel Ramey Samuel Ramey Samuel Edward Ramey is an American operatic bass with a long, distinguished career.During his best years, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, yet power... , Kaludi Kaludov, Cheryl Studer Cheryl Studer Cheryl Studer is a Grammy Award winning American dramatic soprano who has sung at many of the world's major opera houses. A singer with unusual versatility, Studer has performed more than eighty roles ranging from the dramatic repertoire to roles more commonly associated with lyric sopranos and... , Giorgio Zancanaro Giorgio Zancanaro Giorgio Zancanaro is an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi.He studied in his native Verona with Maria Palanda, and was revealed at the Verdi Competition in Busseto in 1969. He made his official operatic debut the following year in Mantua, as... |
Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:... , Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus |
DVD: Image Entertainment Image Entertainment Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450... Cat: 4360PUDVD |
| 2001 | Ferruccio Furlanetto Ferruccio Furlanetto Ferruccio Furlanetto is an Italian bass. His professional debut was in 1979 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, in a production of Verdi's Macbeth, conducted by Claudio Abbado... , Carlo Ventre, Dimitra Theodossiou, Alberto Gazale |
Donato Renzetti, Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, Trieste Trieste Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city... Orchestra and Chorus |
Audio CD: Dynamic Cat: CDS 372/1-2 |
External links
- Libretto
- Aria database
- Attila - 1951 - Carlo Maria Giulini - Creative Commons Edition