麻豆约拍

Donald Macleod explores the relationship between Verdi and the city of Milan.

As the hearse carrying the coffin of the composer Giuseppi Verdi travelled through Milan, more than half of the city鈥檚 population lined the streets to pay their respects and catch a final glimpse of their hero. Few musicians have made such an indelible impression on the population of a country, and become more linked to their sense of identity than him. And fewer still have become as ingrained in the fabric of a city as Verdi is in Milan. Today, as well as a statue to the composer, both the Conservatoire and a major theatre are named after him. So how was this relationship, between the city of Milan, and Verdi 鈥� a man born in Le Roncole, which was then French territory 鈥� who would rise to become the most successful Italian composer of his generation, forged? Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod explores the twists and turns of Verdi鈥檚 relationship with Milan -where Verdi would see his first iconic successes, and where he would breathe his last, but also a city where, for a time, he tried to ban the performances of his music.

Music Featured:

Requiem - Sanctus
Io la Vidi (Scena lirica)
La Forza del Destino - Overture
La seduzione
Oberto, conte di San Bonifacio (excerpt)
Nabucco - 鈥淰a, pensiero, sull鈥檃li dorate鈥�
I Lombardi alla prima crociata 鈥� 鈥淥h belle, a questa misera鈥�
Ernani 鈥� 鈥淓rnani Involami鈥�
Giovanna d鈥橝rco 鈥� Act 1, Scene 2
Alzira Overture
Macbeth (1847 version) 鈥� 鈥� Vegliammo invan due notti - 鈥淯n lume recasi in man?鈥�
La battaglia di legnano 鈥� 鈥淕iuriam d鈥橧talia鈥�
Aida 鈥� 鈥淕loria all鈥橢gitto, ad Iside鈥�; triumphal march
La Forza del Destino 鈥� 鈥淟a Vergine degli angeli鈥�
Requiem 鈥� Libera Me, Domine
Falstaff 鈥� Act II Scene II
Otello - 鈥淎ve Maria鈥�

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Sam Phillips

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) /programmes/m001dpc0

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we鈥檝e featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z