Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi · Italian opera composer (1813–1901) · 1813–1901

Appears in 16 videos · 20 passages, 7 of them in depth.

What Dominique Pagani says

Dominique Pagani almost always discusses Verdi alongside Wagner: born the same year, 1813, he is tied to Italian unification as Wagner is to German unification, and his name forms the initials of Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy1 2. He claims that the two composers watch each other while pretending to ignore each other: the prelude to La Traviata comes before that of Lohengrin, and the love duet in Otello equals the one in Tristan3. He often comes back to Falstaff, the work of an old man that ends in a burst of laughter after tragic works. He sees it as Verdi's Meistersinger, the work where he goes furthest musically4 5. On Il Trovatore, he judges the librettos dreadful but the tragedy wholesome and popular, carried by a frenzy for living: pleasure and gaiety, without happiness6. He also notes that Verdi is popular in Italy, while in France he remains reserved for those who can pay. He further remarks that his characters burst onto the stage like a pistol shot.

Summary produced automatically from 20 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.

Who is this?

Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( VAIR-dee; Italian:; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the modern province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the help of a local patron named Antonio Barezzi. […]

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Text: Wikipédia, CC BY-SA 4.0, excerpt · Portrait: Disegnatore: A. Cairoli - Incisore: Ernesto Mancastroppa, Public domain

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Season 9.2 · 3 Apr 20219 #18 Twilight of the Gods, or from repetition to liberation

25:57FalstaffA contemporary of Wagner and of Italian unity; at 80, Falstaff is his Mastersingers, the point at which he goes furthest musically.
1:54:00OtelloVerdi and Wagner watch each other while feigning to ignore one another; the love duet in Otello equals that of Tristan.

Series · 11 Jan 2021Musicosophy 8. Happiness and unhappiness in music

29:29Linked to Italian unity, as Wagner is to German unity.
33:38FalstaffThe prelude to La Traviata preceded that of Lohengrin; Falstaff, an old man's work, ends in laughter.
1:32:39Il TrovatoreAppalling librettos but a salutary, popular tragic, a frenzy for living; pleasure and gaiety without happiness.

Season 12 · 1 Apr 2024The quest for the Grail, sanctimony or sacrilege?

1:13:08The Italian equivalent of Wagner and his exact contemporary, linked to Italian unity; in him, characters burst forth like a pistol shot.

Season 10 · 22 Sept 202110#1 The eternal irony of the community

4:59FalstaffThe opening credits are taken from his last work for the stage.
12:47FalstaffBorn like Wagner in 1813; his name becomes the slogan of Italian unity; he ends with a burst of laughter after tragic works.