Reception
I masnadieri is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and inspired operas of Verdi's early period. The work abounds with glorious melodies and musically shows significant technical advances over the composer's earlier operas. It remained a particular favourite of playwright and music critic George Bernard Shaw throughout his life.
However, even in Italy it has never found a regular place in the repertoire, possibly because it requires a soprano and tenor of the highest calibre which makes it a too demanding work for routine repertory production, or it may be that the libretto is regarded as too outrageous for modern audiences.
I masnadieri is exactly the type of opera that W. S. Gilbert had in mind when he wrote The Pirates of Penzance in 1879, his glorious parody of the absurdities of mid-19th century Italian Grand Opera. Nevertheless, overall it remains one of Verdi's most unjustly neglected works, with at best much to be admired, and at worst never a dull moment.
Read more about this topic: I Masnadieri
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