VERDI : MACBETH

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 8th of March 2015 at 6.03 - 9.15 pm
Sunday 29th of May 2012 at 3.04 pm
Sunday 5th of September 2010 at 3.04 pm
Sunday 10th of Febuary 2008 at 3 pm

VERDI: Macbeth, an opera in four acts
Verdi's life-long love of the works of Shakespeare has its first expression in this, his tenth opera. When writing to the librettist, Piave, he expressed how important the subject was, "... this tragedy is one of the greatest creations of man ... If we can't make something great out of it let us at least try to do something out of the ordinary"
Macbeth....................... Zeljko Lucic
Lady Macbeth............. Anna Netrebko
Banquo........................ René Pape
Macduff....................... Joseph Calleja
Malcolm....................... Noah Baetge
Servant......................... Christopher Job
Lady-in-waiting........... Claudia Waite
Herald.......................... Seth Malkin
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Fabio Luisi
INTRODUCTION
LIBRETTO
RECORDINGS


This "Scottish play" is the one I had to study intensively for matriculation in 1953, in Sydney, New South Wales; another part of the English examination was a comprehension test on a newspaper account of Edmund Hillary's knocking Everest off ( a rare case of Australians acknowledging a New Zealander's achievement). Anyway, I know this piece of the Spearshaker's work quite intimately. Verdi designed the libretto, by abridging the play and adding a few details, then giving it to the poet-librettist Piave.

     In Scottish history, Macbeth assassinated Duncan in 1040, and he met his own deserved death in 1057. In England, at that time, they were waiting expectantly for 1066 to happen.
     Verdi was an ardent admirer of Shakespeare, and this was his first opera based on one of the bard's plays. Otello and Falstaff were the others, produced at the end of his creative life; the libretto in each case was by Boito; but for "the Scottish play" with the unmentionable title he wrote a prose sketch, which was rhymingly versified by the professional librettist Piave, and later again by Maffei. That was the 1847 version; the composer received thirty-eight curtain calls on the first night. Verdi took it to Paris in 1864, and reworked it.
    For comparison note that Wagner, who was born in the same year as Verdi (1813), had his first version of Tannhäuser performed in 1845, and the improved Paris version in 1861. As we know this was a disaster, largely because Wagner put the obligatory ballet at the beginning (with good reason), not in the middle; Verdi placed his ballet in the correct slot, and fared a little better; but the opera was judged to be bizarre, vulgar, and monotonous. Do not be influenced by this crass anti-Verdi verdict!
    Verdi was here aiming for music-drama (just like Wagner). For example (as in The Flying Dutchman) the principal tenor is relegated to a secondary role (Macduff). There is no love-duet, but he allows a mad-scene for the soprano (unusual for Verdi?). My first encounter with this opera was on a 12" black disc of Verdi arias, sung by Régine Crespin (a remarkable fascinating voice); she sang the sleep-walking scene with much wringing-washing of hands ("out damned spot"). The first soprano to take the part (Barbieri-Nini) rehearsed this morning and night for three months to get it right for Verdi the implacable taskmaster.
    The story begins with the witches, though not just three weird sisters, but three covens of half a dozen or more (count 'em). They give Macbeth predictions of promotions, hailing him as Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland; and they foretell that his companion Banquo will sire a line of kings. While they yet spake messengers with missives confirmed he had moved onto the first rung, with thaneship awarded (and kingship to follow, presumably).      Then comes the Lady's letter scene, where she gets ambitious to see "the golden round" on her Lord's head. King Duncan comes to stay, and, in a shocking breach of hospitality rules, he is put to bed and done to death. (Duncan's son Malcolm gets the blame and flees to Angle-land.)
     Subsequently, Banquo is murdered (out of spite, because the Macbeths cannot have children of their own?); but his son Fleance escapes, to prepare to pass on his genes. Banquo's ghost turns up at the banquet to spoil King Macbeth's fun. Another meeting with the witches fill the royal couple with more murderous schemes. But the villain feels safe because Birnam wood would have to move towards him and attack his castle, and he could only be slain by someone not born of woman. Malcolm and Macduff arrive with an army, attack under camouflage (with tree-screens). Macduff was "untimely ripped from his mother's womb", so, technically speaking she did not bear him (by pushing him out). Victory over tyranny. Malcolm is now king.

Denis Forman says "Macbeth (oops, I said it; no, it was him) is great early Verdi", and gives it alpha (without plus). Some say it his greatest opera, and not many people know that, or know the opera itself. Again it was Régine Crespin who introduced it to me, through Lady Macwotsername's sleep-walking scene (though Verdi insisted it should not be "sung" by a beautiful-voiced soprano like Régine).

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 10th of Febuary 2008 at 3 pm
NYMet 12/1/2008

It is supposed to be set around 1040, but this production (which some people have seen on big screens in cinemas; see Sarah's review, and the pictures with Storyline) sets it in the time of War and Peace and Les Misérables; and with berets, khaki uniforms, and modern weapons. So it is period costume from a variety of periods; no kilts, though.
REVIEW  L'opera scozzese


Sunday 5th of September 2010 at 3.04 pm
VERDI: Macbeth, an opera in four acts
Macbeth....................... Simon Keenlyside
Lady Macbeth............... Erika Sunnegårdh
Banquo......................... Stefan Kocán
Macduff........................ Dimitri Pittas
Lady-in-Waiting............ Donna Ellen
Malcolm........................ Gergely Nemeti
Doctor.......................... Alfred Sramek
Assassin........................ Dragoljub Bajic
Witches....Ariana Holecek, Christina Exner,
Yoko Ueno
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Guillermo Garcia Calvo


Obsolete links

UNDEGROUND
BACKGROUND
PREVIEW
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE with pictures
ANALYSIS