Verdi’s “Requiem.” Cornell Chorus and Glee Club; Marie-Adele McArthur, soprano; Gigi Mitchell-Velasco, mezzo-soprano; Michael Hendrick, tenor; and Gary Relyea, bass-baritone.
By DANIEL HEGE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Friday and Saturday, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra is joined by the Cornell University Chorus and Glee Club as well as a cast of world-class soloists to present what is considered to be one of the grandest works in the orchestral/choral repertoire Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem.”
This epic masterpiece, because of its scale and grandiosity, allows it to be a program all by itself. Verdi (1813 1901) was a living legend in Italy and was renowned for his operas, including “Aida,” “La Traviata” and “Rigoletto.”
The “Requiem,” however, has been called Verdi’s greatest opera, even though it is clearly not an opera in a traditional sense.
The story of Verdi’s “Requiem” begins with Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873). Manzoni was an Italian poet and author of the novel “I Promessi Sposi” (The Betrothed). Manzoni, like Verdi, was an ardent nationalist and champion for Italian independence. He was a hero to Verdi.
When Manzoni died, Verdi was too grief stricken to attend the funeral. He later visited the poet’s grave and resolved to compose a work in his honor.
Verdi later petitioned the mayor of Milan to allow him to write the “Requiem” (a setting of the Mass for the dead) as a tribute to Manzoni on the first anniversary of his death.
Verdi’s wish was granted, and the premiere of the “Requiem” May 22, 1874, in the Church of San Marco in Milan, drew national attention.
The premiere was not without controversy. Verdi had to get special permission from the archbishop in order for women to participate in the performance (they had to be hidden behind grating and were required to be covered head to toe in black dress), and some thought Verdi’s setting of the Mass was too theatrical.
The “Requiem” was received enthusiastically, even though the audience was prohibited from clapping in the church, and it was performed three days later for a capacity crowd at the opera house La Scala.
Verdi then took the work through Europe, including concerts in Paris, Vienna and London’s Royal Albert Hall, which used a chorus of 1,200 voices and a 150-piece orchestra.
Verdi was known to have read and reread texts in order to comprehend their deepest meanings and to help ensure his music could serve the text in its fullest expression.
In the “Requiem,” he has captured the profound message of the Requiem Mass.
Daniel Hege is music director of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.
The details
What: Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Where: Crouse-Hinds Concert Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center, 411 Montgomery St., Syracuse.
The program: Verdi’s “Requiem.” Cornell Chorus and Glee Club; Marie-Adele McArthur, soprano; Gigi Mitchell-Velasco, mezzo-soprano; Michael Hendrick, tenor; and Gary Relyea, bass-baritone.
Tickets: $16 to $66; $5 for students the night of the performance.
Call: 424-8200 or (800) 724-3810, SyracuseSymphony.org.
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PHOTO
Courtesy of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
MEZZO-SOPRANO Gigi Mitchell-Velasco is one of the singers for “Requiem.”
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