For La forza del destino, Verdi created one of his most famous melodies, the "fate" motif that permeates the whole of the score. Music and action alternate in masterly fashion between large-scale crowd scenes and intimate interiority, in that way illustrating Verdi's real theme: the manner in which fallible human beings are destroyed by a cruel fate.
Director: Tiziano Mancini
Conductor: Gianluigi Gelmetti
Stars: Dimitra Theodossiou, Vladimir Stoyanov, Aquiles Machado.
22nd Verdi opera.
Premiere 1862, Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, Saint Petersburg
Revision premiere 1869, La Scala, Milan
Place: Spain and Italy
Time: around 1750
Filmed at Teatro Regio di Parma
The set is a bare stage with 3 (or 4) large walls that stagehands (in costume) push around, sometimes DURING the performance. The poster shows 3 of the walls, 2 with cutouts forming the cross, which is lit from within.
The lighting of the players is weird, often from above/back so their faces are obscured.
Costumes are dark, although Leonora's first gown (all black) is very ornate, with texture that matches the wall behind her.
The plot is not interesting to me: Leonora and Alvaro are in love, but her father forbids their marriage because Alvaro is part-native South American. In an argument, a gun accidentally kills the father, and the lovers flee, but are separated. Leonora's brother Carlo embarks on a search for the pair to avenge his father's death. She takes refuge at a cave shielded by a monastery. Alvaro disguises himself and enlists in an army. (omitting some stuff) Carlo happens on him, and they duel near the cave. Alvaro seeks help for wounded Carlo, and Leonora comes out. As she bends over Carlo, he has strength enough to stab her in the heart. Both die. The end. Given that story, can't imagine the production/performances required to make me like this. Few of the Amazon listings has a rating over 4/5, and those have few votes. Good thing I have this one for completion.
Watched 2 of these at Met on Demand. Didn't like the one with Sweet/Domingo, (in theory) liked the one with Price/??tenor, but beware sentimental purchase of Price.
The Great Course discusses Verdi's life (he attempted retirement, served in Parliament), and highlights the overture (fate theme) and Leonora's Act III aria (Pace, pace).
Per the 2012 featurette, without naming the source of world-wide most-performed rankings, this is 11th among Verdi's operas, 64th among all operas. (another source-less list of the top 100; Operabase Statistics).
Unitel, cond. Gelmetti; 7
