When did Verdi's Macbeth premiere and where?
Verdi's Macbeth premiered on the 14th of March 1847 at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence. It was his tenth opera and the first Shakespeare play he adapted for the operatic stage.
Questions about Macbeth (Verdi)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the difference between the 1847 and 1865 versions of Verdi's Macbeth?
The 1865 revised version added a new aria for Lady Macbeth ("La luce langue"), completely rewrote Macbeth's Act 3 aria, added a ballet in Act 3, composed a new choral opening for Act 4, and replaced Macbeth's final onstage death aria with an offstage death followed by a triumphal chorus. The revision was prepared for a French-language production at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris.
Why did Verdi's Macbeth fall out of the repertory after 1865?
The revised version premiered on the 21st of April 1865 in Paris and was poorly received by critics. After only thirteen more performances, it faded from the repertory and was rarely staged until after World War II. Musicologist Julian Budden noted that the eighteen-year gap between the two versions prevented Verdi from re-entering his original conception consistently.
Who sang Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth at La Scala in 1952?
Maria Callas sang Lady Macbeth at Teatro alla Scala in 1952. The Greek-American soprano is among the singers for whom the role provided a significant career breakthrough.
What role did the witches play in Verdi's conception of Macbeth?
Verdi considered the Chorus of Witches one of only three real roles in the opera, alongside Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself. He wrote to his publisher Escudier that "the Witches rule the drama" and called them "a character of greatest importance." In the opera, they are a large female chorus divided into three groups, each singing as a single witch.
When did Verdi's Macbeth receive its United States premiere?
The first version received its United States premiere in April 1850 at Niblo's Garden in New York. The revised version had its US premiere on the 24th of October 1941, staged by the New Opera Company at Broadway's 44th Street Theatre in New York, with Fritz Busch conducting.