Verdi in Performance

Though popular, the staging of a work by Verdi requires the surmounting of particular problems. These essays, by Verdi scholars and musical and stage practitioners, consider these, as well as questions such as "authentic" staging, performance practice and the role of critical editions.
More of Verdi's works are in the repertoires of the world's opera houses at the beginning of the 21st-century than at any time since his death one hundred years ago. Yet those who stage and perform them are faced with many difficult decisions; how, for example, how to make them relevant to modern audiences while respecting the composer's intentions. This anthology of essays, by leading Verdi scholars and musical and stage practitioners, considers questions of "authentic" staging, performance practice, Verdi's ballet scores for opera, and the role of critical editions. These articles, many of which originated in an international conference at the Royal Opera House on performing Verdi, are supplemented by chronologies of Verdi's life and times, and of his works.