I Masnadieri - Composition History

Composition History

In 1842 Benjamin Lumley took over the management of Her Majesty's Theatre, the traditional home of Italian opera in London. Three years later Verdi's Ernani received its first British production at his theatre to great public acclaim which convinced Lumley that he should commission an opera from Verdi, who was by then emerging as Italy's leading composer, for a world premiere in London. Verdi accepted Lumley's proposal and production was scheduled for the summer of 1846. Unfortunately, however, Verdi's health deteriorated and the premiere of the new work had to be postponed until 1847.

During his period of recovery, one of Verdi's close friends, Andrea Maffei, a distinguished poet who had translated both Shakespeare and Schiller into Italian, suggested that Macbeth and Schiller's Die Rãuber might provide suitable operatic subjects. Maffei himself worked on the libretto for the Schiller opera, which in Italian became I masnadieri, while one of Verdi's regular librettists Francesco Piave was engaged to provide a suitable text from Macbeth.

Verdi originally intended I masnadieri to be produced during the 1847 carnival season in Florence with the premiere of Macbeth being in London later in the year. Unfortunately, however, no suitable tenor was available in Florence for the taxing role of Carlo, and so Verdi decided to complete Macbeth first for performance in Florence and then produce I masnadieri in London.

Verdi left Italy at the end of May 1847 with his work for London completed, except for the orchestration, which he left until the opera was in rehearsal. The cast assembled for the premiere on 22 July 1847 was of the highest international standard. In particular, as the highlight of her first season in England, the great Swedish coloratura soprano Jenny Lind was engaged to create the role of Amalia, the opera's heroine.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert attended the first performance, together with the Duke of Wellington and every member of the British aristocracy and fashionable society that was able to gain admission.

After considerable persuasion Verdi agreed to conduct the premiere, which was a triumphant success, and the press was for the most part generous in its praise. Unfortunately this initial success was not to be repeated elsewhere; perhaps (at least in part) for the inconsistencies and excesses of its libretto.