Nabucco_Muiti_Speech and "Va, Pensiero " Encore

On March 15, the Rome Opera celebrated the unification of Italy with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's great early opera, "Nabucco." After the chorus sang ,"Va, pensiro," the conductor (Riccardo Muti) turned to the audience and made a short, but quite emotional, speech. He described himself as a world traveler but one who was proud of his Italian cultural heritage wherever his journeys took him. He urged those listening to resist current trends to downplay this cultural background and that Italians must become, once again, cultural leaders of the world. To celebrate their success in the world of arts, Maestro Muti asked the audience to join him in singing an enore of, "Va pensiero." Any wonder that chorus members were weeping as they sang the final bars of this marvelous hymn?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• opera
• Verdi
• Nabucco
• Muti
• VaPensiero
• RomeOpera

[sternumagnum]

One of the best videos I ever saw on YouTube.

It should be added that the maestro's speech, the emotional reaction of the audience and the entire theatre singing along in the repeat of "Va pensiero" (rare in opera performances) comes after the announcement of the Berlusconi government's deep cuts in the budget for cultural affairs, including cuts in opera performances.

We are lost without the legacy of culture. Philistines like Berlusconi cannot understand this. But there'shope as you see.

[mazzone1]

Stunning, so moving. Bravo Muti.

[natanpic]

Extremally stronga

[PhxATT]

Kultúra

[sdrsong]

Just wonderful. Very moving.

[repontino]

Eccezionale Muti, superbe le lacrime dei coristi!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oakroom48]

Thank you! Wonderful:)

[77Opera]

Superbe Maestro Muti!