OPERA The Italian Opera Company of Chicago

Verdi always referred to his Early Period as his "galley years", meaning that at this time he worked like a slave, churning out operas one after the other. He actually composed fifteen operas in the twelve years before Rigoletto, quite an accomplishment given that almost all of these works were very successful and that many are still performed quite regularly. But compared to Rossini and Donizetti, and even his now all-but-forgotten rivals Servio Mercadante and Giovanni Pacini, Verdi was not all that prolific a composer. Like Beethoven, Verdi strove to make virtually every piece musically and dramatically perfect, according to his own rigorous artistic standards. At the same time, Verdi was very concerned with the public success of his operas.

In his drive for success Verdi did not hesitate to exploit the patriotic theme as long as it suited his artistic purposes, especially after the unprecedented triumph of Nabucco. But with the passing of time, Verdi’s own patriotic convictions grew stronger until his work became a vital part of the risorgimento and his very persona a rallying point throughout the entire Italian peninsula as the struggle for independence and nationhood intensified. With the Revolutions of 1848 and the short-lived expulsion of the Austrians from Milan in March of that year, Verdi became so filled with patriotic fervor that he composed La battaglia di Legnano(1849), an opera that openly expressed his political sympathies and was well in tune with the political beliefs of his countrymen. In the earlier composition of Attila we can see both the quickening of Verdi’s patriotic feelings and the maturation of his artistic style.

After the March, 1844 triumph of Verdi's fifth opera, Ernani, in Venice, the composer was inundated with offers to compose operas from every corner of Italy and from London, Paris and Vienna. Later that year, with Piave as his librettist, Verdi composed and produced I due Foscari in Rome. The reception of the initial performance was somewhat muted, as the management tried to capitalize on Verdi's notoriety by raising seat prices substantially. But the next performance (with the usual prices restored) was another brilliant success, with Verdi getting 30 curtain calls.

Not missing a beat, Verdi returned to Milan and composed his next opera, Giovanna D'Arco, which was premiered in February of 1845. Although this opera was a great hit with the public, Verdi was so disappointed with the performance standards of La Scala that he refused to have anything more to do with Italy's leading opera house for almost 25
years. Indeed, although Italy’s most prominent opera house did stage the revisions of La forza del destino (1869) and Simon Boccanegra (1881) and produced the Italian premieres of Don Carlo in 1868 and Aida in 1872, La Scala did not produce another Verdi premiere until Otello in 1887!

Back in the “galley,” Verdi put aside the foreign offers for a while and happily accepted a commission from the prestigious Teatro San Carlo in Naples. For this occasion he composed Alzira (1845). Partly because of the enmity of supporters of the Neapolitan composers Mercadante and Pacini and the typically harsh response of the local critics (who always gave "foreigners" a tough time), Alzira received only a lukewarm reception. Several months later, it was performed in Rome, where it was universally panned. For the first time since the ill-fated comic Un giorno di regno, a Verdi opera had failed.

Undaunted this time, Verdi took the defeat in stride and quickly went to work on another Venetian commission, which would be Attila. Although Verdi did not sink into despair with the setback in Naples, the composer went to some trouble to avoid another poor showing. Initially, it made sense to have the Venetian Piave write the libretto. Working from a tediously long-winded play by Zacharias Werner called Attila, Konig der Hunnen, Verdi first gave the project to Piave. But after mulling over the disappointing showing of Alzira, Verdi thought that his erstwhile collaborator Temistocle Solera was best equipped to handle the kind of grand choruses and elevated declamations of what he envisioned for Attila, so Piave was curtly dismissed. As the March, 1846 premiere approached, however, Verdi would regret this decision because Solera abruptly left Italy for Spain. Ultimately Piave was rehired (with Solera’s blessing) to put the finishing touches to the libretto and to help direct the first production.

The five-act "Fate Tragedy" of Werner was cut drastically by Solera, whose adaptation bears little resemblance to the original text. Seeking to especially please his Venetian audience (and still sensitive about failing twice in a row), Verdi added a scene that was not in the play at all, namely a magnificent choral episode depicting the founding of Venice. He also went to extremes to capitalize on the patriotic fervor that was currently sweeping the Italian peninsula. The analogy, between the "Huns" on one side and the "Romans" and "Aquileians" on the other, as representing the ruling Austrians and the subject Italians in the current time, could not be clearer. When the "Roman" Ezio sings majestically to Attila, “Avrai tu l'universo, resti Italia a me!,” the audience responded with wild applause and cheers. It is absolutely incredible that the usually wary and perceptive Austrian-appointed censors let this opera proceed untouched. It is not clear just how patriotic Verdi really was at this time, but he was undoubtedly a shrewd man of the theater, and was not above pandering to his audience in order to ensure a success, which is exactly what the premiere of Attila was.

The obscure history of Attila the Hun is tailor-made for a patriotic Italian opera. Known as the Flagellum Dei ("Scourge of God"), Attila and his barbarian hordes of Germanic origin dominated Eastern Europe in the early fifth century. Little is actually known about the Huns or their society, except that they were vicious warriors that were expert horsemen and archers. Besides subduing other Germanic tribes, they fought often with the Eastern Roman Empire, winning many battles and receiving annual tributes of thousands of pounds of gold from Constantinople. In the late 440s, Attila attacked Gaul, coming into direct conflict with Rome. A coalition of Gallic and Roman forces under the command of Flavius Aetius dealt Attila his single known defeat.

This Aetius (Ezio, in the opera) was the most powerful general of the Rome ruled by Emperor Valentinian III. Apparently, the general’s victory earned him the respect of Attila, and the two were known to have met on several occasions. Nevertheless, in 452, Attila invaded Italy, sacking several northern cities, including Aquileia. His invasion was said to have been instigated by the Emperor's daughter, Honoria, who supposedly sent the Hun chief her ring and begged him to come to Rome to rescue her.

The opera also makes use of the legend regarding Leo I, the Bishop of Rome. Although some historians consider Attila's withdrawal from Italy to have been prompted by the severe famine and disease that afflicted the peninsula at the time, it is also reported that Leo (Leone, in the opera) met with Attila at the Po river near Mantua and persuaded him to turn back. Consistently reported is that Attila died on his wedding night in 453. These few facts and speculations provide the historical backdrop for both the play and opera.

Although this opera does not contain much music that is very memorable, or on the same level of sophistication as that which we find in Ernani, or even Giovanna D'Arco, it is still very enjoyable, and in this music, we can see how Verdi's artistry and his unique approach to opera was developing. His liberal use of the choruses obviously set him apart from his predecessors Bellini and Donizetti and undoubtedly struck a responsive chord in his patriotic-minded Italian audiences. His musical approach to aria form in this piece is rather conservative and traditional - the solo and ensemble structures and melodies are stylistically very bel canto. What is very new, however, is Verdi’s approach to characterization. Attila is a very masculine opera, whose story is very concerned with its title role. While the great bel canto operas of Bellini and Donizetti were mainly soprano showcases, this opera is primarily a vehicle for a great singing bass. Thus this work anticipates so many of Verdi's later works, like Macbeth, Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlo and Otello, that focused on male characters. We do, of course, have a remarkable female role in Obadella, that requires a vast range and fiery coloratura (similar to the role of Abigaille in Nabucco). But the main musical and dramatic interest is centered in the role of Attila. He is the one complex character in the cast and any production of this opera must first and foremost be concerned with casting an outstanding bass. We also note the high and lyrical baritone role of Ezio. Like Carlo in Ernani this type of role became increasingly more important in future Verdi operas.