This page excerpted from the book and CDROM "Opera on Screen"

VERDI, GIUSEPPE

Italian composer (1813-1901)

Composer Giuseppe Verdi has become synonymous with the Italian opera which he dominated for half a century and happily most of his operas are available on film and video. There are also many film biographies, some quite informative. He wrote his first opera in 1836 and his last in 1893. He became successful with Nabucco in 1842 and then world famous with Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino and Aida. When he died, he was an Italian national hero. He still is. See AIDA, ATTILA, UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, CASA RICORDI, CASA VERDI, DON CARLO, ERNANI, FALSTAFF, LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, GIOVANNA D'ARCO, I LOMBARDI, MACBETH, MILNES (1976), NABUCCO, OTELLO, RIGOLETTO, SIMON BOCCANEGRA, STIFFELIO, LA TRAVIATA, IL TROVATORE, , VERDI REQUIEM, I VESPRI SICILIANI.

1898 Fregoli as Verdi

Leopoldo Fregoli, the first Italian filmmaker, was a quick-change variety illusionist who transformed himself into famous people. With the help of his film Maestri di Musica, he impersonated Giuseppe Verdi conducting an opera. Fregoli stood by the screen and sang and talked in synchronization with the movie. Black and white. About 6 minutes.

1901 Giuseppe Verdi's Funeral in Milan

One of the first Italian non-fiction films, Funerali di Giuseppe Verdi a Milano, was made by pioneer filmmaker Italo Pacchioni. It was shot during Verdi's funeral and screened in Italy in March 1901. Black and white. About 3 minutes.

1913 Giuseppe Verdi nella Vita e nella Gloria

Paolo Rosmino stars as Verdi in this early Italian film biography. It was written and directed by Count Giuseppe de Luguoro-Presicce for Milano Film. Black and white. About 30 minutes.

1938 Giuseppe Verdi

Fosco Giachetti portrays Verdi in this epic Italian film directed by Carmine Gallone. Germana Paolieri is first wife Margherita Barezzi, Gaby Morlay is second wife Giuseppe Strepponi and Maria Cebotari is Teresina Stolz, the soprano who was Verdi's love interest in later life. Beniamino Gigli plays tenor Raffaele Mirate, who created the role of the Duke in Rigoletto and is seen practicing "La donna e mobile" with Verdi in a gondola before the premiere. Most of the people in Verdi's life and career appear in the film from family to Donizetti and Hugo. The opera scenes were shot on stage at the Rome Royal Opera House and the film ends with the premiere of Aida. The singers include Tito Gobbi, Pia Tassinari, Gabriella Gatti and Apollo Granforte. Black and white. In Italian. 110 minutes. On video.

1948 Luoghi Verdiani

Noted Italian filmmaker Luciano Emmer documentary, who worked in non-fiction film from 1941 to 1950, directed the documentary Verdi Places, also known as Sulle Rome di Verdi. Black and white. In Italian. 30 minutes.

1953 Verdi, King of Melody

Pierre Cressoy plays Verdi in this Italian film biography with an all-star cast. Mario Del Monaco is tenor Francesco Tamagno who created the role of Otello and Tito Gobbi is baritone Giorgio Ronconi who created the role of Nabucco. They are featured with singers Orietta Moscucci and Vito de Taranto in scenes from Aida, Ernani, Falstaff, Nabucco, Otello, Rigoletto, La Traviata and Il Trovatore. Gaby André portrays Giuseppina Strepponi, Emilio Cigoli is Donizetti and Loris Gizzi is Rossini. Raffaello Matarazzo directed. The Italian title is Giuseppe Verdi. Color. In Italian. 117 minutes. VIEW video.

1956-1963 Firestone Verdi Festival

Highlights from Verdi operas were often featured on the Voice of Firestone television series. La Traviata (1956), Aida (1962), Rigoletto (1963) and Otello (1963) were performed in costume by leading opera singers of the period. Details are given under the individual operas. Black and White. In Italian with English introductions. 60 minutes. VAI video.

1976 Novecento

1900, Bernardo Bertolucci's opera-novel-movie , is virtually a tribute to Verdi. The protagonists of the film are born on the day in 1901 when the composer dies. The film surveys 20th century Italian history across families in Verdi's Emilia-Romagna region. There is Verdi music on the soundtrack and a hunchback clown called Rigoletto. Robert De Niro and Gérard Depardieu star. Color. In Italian. 320 minutes. On video.

1982 The Life of Verdi

Ronald Pickup stars as Verdi in this nine-hour docu-drama about the composer made by European television companies. This is a comprehensive biography from birth to death with documentary-like narration and reconstructed episodes of his life. It is narrated in English with Carla Fracci as Giuseppina Strepponi. Most of the film was shot at actual locations and there is a real feeling of place, notably in the re-creations of 19th century Milan and Venice. There are also many scenes from operas staged in period style. Mara Zampieri sings the roles introduced by Teresina Stolz but most of the excerpts are based on Fonit-Cetra recordings. Renato Castellani wrote and directed the film with Roman Vlad as musical director. The version shown on PBS and Bravo and now on video is in English. The Italian version is called Verdi. Color. 540 minutes. Kultur video.

1987 Little Dorritt

Christine Edzard's six-hour film of Charles Dickens' novel uses music from Verdi operas as its entire soundtrack. The music was arranged and conducted by Michael Sanvoisin with soloists Pat Halling, F. Gabarro and Jack Brynmer. Color. 357 minutes. Cannon video.

1989 Opera Favorites By Verdi

This is a compilation featuring scenes from six Verdi opera videos. Seen at Verona are Aida with Maria Chiara, Nabucco with Ghena Dimitrova, I Lombardi with José Carreras and Otello with Vladimir Atlantov. Seen at La Scala is Ernani with Mirella Freni. Seen at Covent Garden is Falstaff with Renato Bruson. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 54 minutes. HBO video.