Opera Tickets Italy

The Teatro Filarmonico in Verona stages a production of Stiffelio, the three-act opera written by Giuseppe Verdi after a French novel called Le pasteur d’hommes by the Breton writer, Émile Souvestre. The opera was developed by Verdi's librettist, Francesco Maria Piave, from a French stage play that Souvestre co-wrote with a French dramatist named Eugène Bourgeois. Verdi and Piave's operatic version came about following an Italian-translated production of the play by Gaetano Vestri called Stifellius. The opera was subsequently first performed on 16 November 1850 at the Teatro Grande in Trieste.

Set in Salzburg in the first half of the 19th century, a protestant clergyman is the central character in Stiffelio. He returns to his wife, Lina, following a mission. Among the party that greets him at Lina's father's castle is a nobleman named Raffaele who has seduced Lina during Stiffelio's absence. Later, Lina decides to confess all to her husband and begins to write him a letter. However, her father, a Count, angrily persuades her not to. Later, there is a mix-up concerning a note Raffaele has left for Lina. In the second act, Lina visits her mother's grave where an altercation between the Count and Raffaele ensues. Stiffelio ends up discovering the truth but is called away to church trying to keep forgiveness in his heart. The final and climactic act of Stiffelio features further conflict between the main characters. Stiffelio tries to talk to Lina and resolve matters one way or another. Meanwhile, the Count is focussed more on the honour of his family's name than on the interpersonal relationships between his daughter, her lover and his son-in-law. The action drives forward towards a thrilling ending with some beautiful and stirring music typical of Verdi.

The characters of Stiffelio and his rival Raffaele are scored for tenor voices while Lina is a role for a soprano. All three are roles that feature tender melodies with sometimes dramatic orchestrations behind them creating contrast and strong emotion. Among the most memorable sections of music is a remarkable duet, sung by Stiffelio and Lina in the first act, named Non ha per me un accento in which the minister tenderly complains that Lina is distant and doesn't express herself to him.

Stiffelio is a remarkable opera that marked something of a turning point in Verdi's career and this production of it in a gorgeous opera house in the heart of Verona is surely one that will enthuse audiences.