Claudio Abbado, Covent Garden Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden Royal Opera Chorus - Verdi (1813-1901) Un Ballo In Maschera : Schenk, Claudio Abbado / Royal Opera House, Domingo, Cappuccilli, Ricciarelli, Etc (1975 Stereo) - Import DVD

Credits:

Claudio Abbado, Covent Garden Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden Royal Opera Chorus

Description:

Gustave III, adored by his people, has a secret crush on Amelia, the wife of Count Ankerström, the wife of one of his subordinates. The two have feelings for each other, but they restrain themselves from ever tying the knot. However, following the words of the fortune teller Madame Arvidsson, they finally meet in secret in the middle of the night. Amelia's husband, Count Ankerström, sees them. He is furious and vows revenge against the monarch, deciding to join the rebels against the king. The assassination is to take place at a "masked ball", the rebels plan. The day has come... "The Masked Ball," a play written by French playwright Eugène Scribe based on the actual assassination of Swedish monarch Gustav III in 1792. Verdi planned to adapt the story into an opera and perform it in Naples, but the censorship at the time was so severe that he could not obtain permission. After frequent changes of content, Verdi once changed the setting to America, changed all the characters' names, and obtained permission to perform the play. It was a great success.In the 20th century, however, more and more productions of the "original version" were staged in Sweden, as in the original play, and this is also the case here. Young Domingo sings the noble hero, who dies with a broad heart, forgiving love, the people, and even the rebels. His beloved Amelia is sung by Ricciarelli. Abbado, who excels in this work, sings fresh music. All together, it is a performance that will remain in the history books. Naxos Japan