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
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“To aim to convert a man by miracles is a profanation of the soul. A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)