The Giuseppe Verdi Di Trieste Opera House
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The Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste Opera House “Trieste has a rude charm. If you like it, it’s What a privilege to be here. like a tough and greedy kid, with blue eyes The opening of a new theatre is always to and hands too big for offering a flower”. be welcomed with deep enthusiasm, as a This is how the world renowned poet Umberto tangible expression of optimism. Saba describes Trieste, always a crossroads A community with an open theatre is richer, of Italian and Central European culture. livelier and more meaningful. Developed under Maria Theresa of Austria’s Our theatre has a long history of excellence reign, the city has been able to attract and each professional in our team is people from different cultures, religions and honoured to participate in this unique event. traditions creating a cosmopolitanism that We hope that the beauty of music will help still lies in the dialect, in places of worship you discover more about Trieste and our and in the Triestine surnames. enchanting region: we trust that culture can Trieste is also the city of Italo Svevo, James be a solid bridge towards mutual exchange Joyce, Umberto Saba and, in the 1900s, was and understanding. the birthplace of several famous literary figures. This is, indeed, a special event - the start Now Trieste has an eye to the future, of a new story. We are ready to be filled with important challenges ahead and with wonder and show our desire to go one opportunities to start a new path of growth, step further in our art. We wish to offer our developing strategic partnerships. deepest commitment to opera - which is Culture is a very important driver of growth music, aesthetics and style and look forward that reflects the international vocation of to combining masterful performance with our city. The Verdi Theatre of Trieste is an genuine inspiration. ambassador of this culture as a common good and an element of universal growth. Roberto Dipiazza Stefano Pace Mayor of the Town of Trieste Superintendent of Fondazione and President of Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste di Trieste 1 he “Giuseppe Verdi” Theatre has The theatre has been the symbol of Trieste’s Italian always been the heart of culture cultural identity, spreading the knowledge of Italian not only in the City of Trieste musical culture in neighbouring German and but in the whole Central Europe. Slavic-speaking regions, whilst at the same time Its opening in 1801 came after interpreting the city’s cosmopolitism by spotlighting yearsT of controversy, contrasts and conflicts of the works of Central Europe composers. The civic interests. activity of “Teatro Nuovo” has been very intense since the beginning; all the operas, ballets, dramas, It was built between 1798 and 1801 - under a comedies that achieved success on the Italian and proposal of Giovanni Matteo Tommasini, by the European scene, were soon welcomed by the local architects Giannantonio Selva (the same that built theatre, crowded with an audience of enthusiasts the “Fenice” in Venice) and Matteo Pertsch - and took the name of “Teatro Nuovo” (New Theatre). It raised on an open area by the seaside, between “Borgo Teresiano” (Theresia suburb), the new Town – commercial and economic centre - and “Piazza Grande” (Great Square), heart of the political power. The structure of the building resembles that of the Theatre “La Scala” in Milan - including the porch leaning forward to draw the audience to the theatre - which was designed by architect Giuseppe Piermarini, who was also consulted for the definition of the internal layout. and connoisseurs. Rossini was premiered in Trieste with L’Italiana in Algeri (1816), Donizetti with L’Ajo The façade is articulated: a strip composed of pilasters nell’imbarazzo (1826), Bellini with Il Pirata (1831), and giant Ionic half-columns, alternating with windows, Auber with La Muta di Portici (1832) and Thomas surmounts the central porch, which has round arches. with Mignon (1870). Verdi debuted with Nabucco (January 11th 1843), followed by all the others, most The sculpture on the top of the building represents the of which staged soon after the premiere; two works god Apollo with Lyric Art and Tragic Art by his sides. were, in fact, composed by Verdi for the “Nuovo”: Il In 1882-84 Eugenio Geiringer built the current Corsaro (October 25th 1848) and Stiffelio, starring back façade which, ending the moving of the the singer Giuseppina Strepponi, that the Master building of six metres towards the sea, resembles personally conducted (November 16th 1850). the main façade, thus making the entire structure Refurbishment and restoration work was carried out more complete and decorous. several times over the years, in 1819, 1834, 1848, The inauguration took place on April 21st 1801, 1881/84, when the original seating capacity of 1,400 with Ginevra di Scozia by Simone Mayr and was increased to 2,000; gas lighting was replaced Annibale in Capua by Antonio Salieri, while the by electricity in 1889. More recently, substantial adjoining “San Pietro” Theatre, which had been changes have taken place in 1950, while a radical until then the center of the intense theatrical life of restoration, including structural consolidation and Trieste in 1700s, was definitely closed. the renovation of technical facilities in order to 2 3 Orchestra & Chorus The “Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste” Opera House can Marriner, Nello Santi, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Donato boast the presence of two permanent ensembles: Renzetti and many more. orchestra and chorus. It has often been invited to perform abroad, holding The Orchestra has been a permanent ensemble since series of symphonic concerts in France, Germany, 1944 - when it took on the name of “Filarmonica Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. The Orches- Triestina” - and in 1964 it was named after the theatre tra was a notable feature at the Festival of the Two it perfoms in. Worlds in Spoleto from 1958 to 1969. The Verdi Or- chestra commitment to spreading the culture of music It is worldwide known for its ability to perform in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Pordenone, Udine a wide opera and symphonic repertory. It has been and Gorizia) - as well as in neighbouring Istria - goes conducted over the years by internationally renowned back several years. maestros, including Herbert von Karajan, Claudio comply with current safety standards, took place the life of the city. During its two-century history, Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Paul van Kempen, Thomas In 2014, the Orchestra took part to a tour in Oman, between 1992 and 1997, with the moving of the the opera house has, in fact, been the focal point Schippers, Mario Rossi, Carlo Maria Giulini, Laslo where it opened the new season at the Royal Opera activity to the newly built “Tripcovich” Theatre. of the civil and cultural life of Trieste, who has Somogryi, Leonard Bernstein, Sergiu Celibidache, House Muscat (ROHM) with a stunning and suc- With a capacity of about 900 seats, even after the lived, with the Napoleonic occupation until 1814, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Daniel Oren, Gary Bertini, cessful production of Verdi’s Macbeth “resulting in an reopening of the historical site it continues to be the period of membership to the French Empire Gustav Kuhn, Jean Claude Casadesus, Sir Neville unforgettable opera that left one shivering long after used for several events (opera, symphonic and as part of the Illyrian Provinces; the restoration of chamber music concerts, plays, meetings, etc.). Habsburg and the great commercial and economic flourishing emporium in Central Europe until the The opera house – which has a Ridotto, or foyer, First World War, with the next entry under Italian with a former capacity of 700, now 224 seats – has State; the German, Yugoslavian and Anglo American changed its name several times: in 1821 it was occupation as a result of the events of the second named “Teatro Grande” (Great Theatre); in 1861, World war, and then in 1954 the reunion with Italy. after the City Council had bought it, it became “Teatro Comunale” (City Theatre) and, on January Alongside the opera and ballet season, the Verdi 27th 1901, it was dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi by Theatre program also includes a vast range of an extraordinary meeting of the City Council, just a symphonic and chamber music concerts as well as few hours after the death of the great composer. Operetta. The Orchestra and the Choir have been Transformed into a private law foundation in 1999, on several tours: Spoleto (Festival of the Two Worlds), it is currently administered by the Fondazione Wiesbaden, Paris, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Budapest, Japan Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste as the most (Tokyo and Osaka), South Korea (Seoul and Yeosu), important venue, increasingly being identified with Cyprus (Paphos Festival) and Oman (Muscat). 4 5 the curtain came down” (Times of Oman review). The Chorus is indissolubly linked to the whole Verdi Theatre’s production. It is divided into the eight regis- The Verdi Theatre Orchestra is featured in record ters: first and second sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, altos, catalogues with the complete symphonies by Men- first and second tenors, baritones and basses. It has delssohn, Schumann and, in addition, with the Stabat always stood out for uniformity and vigour. Mater by Dvorjak, conducted respectively by Lü Jia and Julian Kovatchev. Apart from the historic recordings The Chorus has been conducted since the end of the of its concerts at the Festival of the Two Worlds during World War II by choirmaster of the calibre of Roberto the Fifties and Sixties, the Verdi orchestra repertoire Benaglio, Adolfo Fanfani, Giorgio Kirschner, Gaetano includes live recordings of several operas: Il Campiello Riccitelli, Andrea Giorgi, Ine Meisters, Marcel Semi- by Wolf-Ferrari; La Straniera by Bellini (for the nara, Luigi Petrozziello, Emanuela di Pietro, Lorenzo Fonit-Cetra/Ricordi label); Attila and Stiffelio by Verdi Fratini, Alessandro Zuppardo and Paolo Vero, whilst (for the Dynamic label); Ginevra di Scozia by Simon intensifying its involvement in the area of symphonic Mayr (for Opera Rara); a dvd of Tancredi by Rossini.