life in San Francisco, with data on the individual houses and lists of premieres.
A table shows later Verdi productions in the city, up to 1899. Expansive index.- Conati, Marcello. “Prima le scene, poi la musica.” Studi musicali26 (1997):
519–541.
It was “organic” with Verdi to plan—from the first sketches—for the spectacle
of an opera, along with the words and music. He worked on all aspects at
once. Examples of his directions for various operas are given to illustrate this
point, especially in Simon Boccanegra. - Conati, Marcello. La bottega della musica: Verdi e La Fenice.Milan: Il Saggia-
tore, 1983. 452p. No ISBN. ML410 .V4 C67.
A thorough discussion of the composer’s negotiations with the Venetian opera
house La Fenice. Archival materials in the house library are described and used
for the study. More than 350 letters or documents are photocopied and
indexed. The operas premiered at La Fenice were Ernani, Attila, Rigoletto, La
traviata,andSimon Boccanegra. - Petrobelli, Pierluigi, et al. “Sorgete! Ombre serene!” L’aspetto visivo dello
spettacolo verdiano.2nd ed. Parma: Istituto Nazionale di Studi Verdiani, - 200p. ISBN 88-85065-123-9. ML141 .P2 V476.
The catalogue of an exhibition on scenography and costume in Verdi produc-
tions, including modern stagings. More than 100 illustrations, with extensive
commentaries and documentation. Useful list of 29 scenographers and some
facts about them, as well as a bibliography of about 100 entries on visual
aspects of Verdi productions. Valuable introductory essay, discussing the com-
poser’s involvement with these matters. - Rosen, David. “The Staging of Verdi’s Operas: An Introduction to the Ricordi
disposizioni sceniche.” In Report of the 12th Congress of the International
Musicological Society, Berkeley, 1977,ed. Daniel Heartz and Bonnie Wade,
444–453 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1981; ML26 .I62).
The production books (disposizioni sceniche) gave detailed instructions for
staging matters and are thus a valuable guide to performance practice of the
time. Verdi gave his approval to these books, so they are also a guide to his
intentions. Rosen believes he was primarily interested in realism and “visual
magnificence.” The book presents an inventory of the production books—and
some French equivalents, used in Verdi works—and their locations, with bibli-
ographic detail.
Analysis: Harmony
- Vlad, Roman. “Alcune osservazioni sulla struttura delle opere di Verdi.” In
Atti(#1802), v.3, 495–522.
Not so much about structure, as the article title suggests, but about harmony
at the microlevel. Vlad disputes the common view that Verdi was conservative
in harmonization. He gives examples to show progressive tendencies—from
Rigoletto on—for instance, chromaticism, modality, and free treatment of dis-
sonance.
344 Opera