Word: rienzi
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...Italy-to live up to its faith in itself and its God. This sickness of a civilization, not necessarily fatal, had definite symptoms that could be observed and recorded. If the West did not observe, record and act upon the evidence, the West would be deader than Rienzi...
...Overture, and Ravel's "Pavane for a Dead Infanta," the usually brilliant "Till Eulenspiegel" was not setoff effectively and seemed trite rather than amusing. This unintended effect was partially realized by Dr. Koussevitzky's insistence upon attacking the Weber with the bombast and brilliance usually reserved for Wagnor's "Rienzi" or "Die Meistersinger." "Oberon's" poetry and lyricism were largely overlooked. The Strauss was simply more of the same, and while the virtuosity of the Orchestra was startling, the musical meaning was missing...
...Evelyn Rothwell (in private life Mrs. John Barbirolli) fell off the Beaux-Arts' modernistic stage and injured her arm so badly she couldn't play. Undaunted, Conductor Barbirolli led his forces into the teeth of the German advance, twice a day played items like Wagner's Rienzi Overture and Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik for cheering servicemen at Eindhoven and Ghent, and squeezed in a few extra concerts for Belgian civilians. At week's end the intrepid Manchesterites were still...
Speaking of Wagner, Columbia has signed Melchior up, and just released his first recorded attempt at "Otello." The album comprises the monologue and death scene, along with Rienzi's prayer, and the song from the second act of "Tristan" beginning "O Koenig." These records show that he is the only tenor in circulation who could do this tremendous role anything like full justice. His Italian isn't all it might be, and his style is a little heavy in spots, but the necessary power and brilliance are there. The best of this new album of his is, of course...
...when Wagner was under the illusion that Meyerbeer was trying to be of great help. Newman, in his great biography of the master, states that Wagner later discovered that all during this period, when he was reduced to complete poverty and was trying desperately to secure a performance of Rienzi, his first stageworthy opera, Meyerbeer and his circle had done nothing but disparage Wagner, Rienzi, Wagner's ability, his morals. If this is true, whether Wagner or Meyerbeer was the "heel," is not open to much question...