Opera. February, (2s.) THIS number is dedicated to Verdi, the
fiftieth anniversary of whose death fell on January 27th last. Francis Toye, whose biography of the composer did much to revive and guide enthusiasm for Verdi's music in this country, contributes an inter- esting survey of the fluctuations in Verdi's reputation during the last fifty years ; and several of his points are borne out in the "symposium " contributed by four contem- porary British composers. Thus Vaughan Williams, speaking on behalf of an older generation, instances (and even analyses) the last act of Rigoletto and acknowledges the greatness, but reveals a temperamental aversion for the Requiem and still more for Falstaff. in which he finds some " good Italian slush about kissing." Bliss and Berkeley, on the other hand, write of Otello and Falstaff with all the enthusiasm of fellow-composers both concerned with the operatic problems which Verdi solved so successfully in these two late works. Britten, while sharing this enthusiasm, sings the praises of Traviata and mentions Aida and the Quattro Pezzi Sucri. In another article Cecil Gray compares Verdi with Shake- speare, and finds a deep affinity in their objective approach to art. He emphasises, too, the often forgotten " affinity in polarity which exists betwen English and Italian art of all periods," from Chaucer to Browning and up to modern times, though he does not give contemporary instances. There is a list of the performances planned in Italy to cele- brate this the Anno Verdian° ; and the whole number is lavishly illustrated with reproductions of portraits and stage-sets which will interest the Verdi enthusiast.
M. C.
Previous page
