An Opera About Attila The Hun ? You Bet ! It's Coming To The Met This Month
The next new production at the Metropolitan Opera this season is Giuseppe Verdi's 1846 blood-and -thunder opera Attila (AT- tila) , which premieres on February 23 . This is an exciting if not too historically accurate portrayal of the brutal 5th century conqueror who was known throughout Europe as the "Scourge of God . "
This is the ninth of Verdi's 26 operas , and had been long neglected until about only 30 or so years ago , when there was renerwed interest in the great Italians early operas in Europe and America , and there have been a fair number of productions in recent years . This is the Met's first production , but the neighboring New York City Opera revived it back in the 1980s .
The opera is set in the area around Venice in the 5th century , at the very end of the Roman empire , when the marauding Huns sacked Italy . Attila is impressed by the bravery of a young Roman patrician woman named Odabella , who is the daughter of a prominent patrician he has just killed . She is loved by a young noble named Foresto , and the two hope to assasinate Attila as soon as possible .
But the wily Roman politician Aetius (Ezio in the opera) hopes to cut a deal with the brutal Hun by which he will spare Italy . In an aria , he tells Attila that "he may have the world, but leave Italy to me . " Aetius was a real historical figure who actually dealt with Attila . At the end of the opera , Odabella is about to marry Attila , but she stabs him to death , and the Romans rejoice !
That's not what really happened ; according to history , Attila died on his wedding night to some forgotten woman of a nose bleed ! But no matter; Verdi's music is truly stiirring and melodious . In the opera , Attila may be a brutal conqueror , but he is a noble and honorable man none the less .
The eminent Italian conductor Riccardo Muti makes his long awaited Met debut with this production . He has made something of a specialty of this opera , and you should definitely get the DVD of the La Scala Milan production of Attila which dates from almost 20 years ago , with the formidable American bass Samuel Ramey in the title role . He's near the end of his great career now and was perhaps the foremost exponent of the role in our time, and you might also check out the EMI recording of the opera they made at this time if it's still available .
The Russian bass Ildar Abrazakov is Attila . Interestingly , since he is an ethnic Tatar , he may actually be of related ethnic stock to Attila and the Huns !
The exciting Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana is Odabella , and tenor Ramon Vargas is her betrothed Foresto . Baritone Carlos Alvarez sings Ezio . Unfortunately , this production is not one of the Met;s HD movie broadcasts , so do look for the DVD .