Another reason to love Italy

[Phil_musc]

I just received this and thought I would pass it on for your enjoyment. Nothing racy or anything - just a great musical moment. You may have to paste the link into your browser. Take the time to watch the whole thing; it's wonderful.

 

This is from the Jewish Daily Forward(!) The article was "Musical Moments of the Year."

 

"The chorus of Hebrew slaves, “Va pensiero” (“Fly my Thoughts on Golden Wings”), from Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” (Nebuchadnezzar) has become Italy’s unofficial national anthem. It is spontaneously sung at soccer games, and all sorts of other occasions.

 

The moment of the year came this past spring when conductor Ricardo Muti, in an almost unprecedented gesture, halted his performance of “Nabucco” at the Rome Opera after an audience member shouted “Viva L’Italia!” during the tumultuous standing ovation which followed the chorus. Completely breaking with tradition, Muti turned around and directly addressed the audience: “Yes, I am in accord with that ‘Viva L’Italia!’ When the chorus sang ‘Oh mia patria si bella e perduta!’ [“Oh, my country so beautiful and lost!:], I thought to myself that, if we slay the culture on which the history of Italy is founded, truly our country will be beautiful and lost.” He then conducted the audience in a repeat of the chorus and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Finance minister Giulio Tremonti, who had instituted drastic cuts in the cultural budget, thus prompting Muti’s impromptu speech, had been quoted as saying, “You can’t eat culture.” Berlusconi’s government backed down in the face of this Rome opera sing-along. Muti is reported to have marveled that everyone in the audience knew all the words!"

 

Here is the YouTube video: http://youtu.be/gaXE0v0bJoE

[KMEM]

Amazing. What a beautiful moment.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ Italiano]

I love my Country. Pity it's ruined by most Italians.

[+ purplekow]

Music has the ability to unify the experiences and emotions of a group of people in a manner that defies explanation. This was truly a beautiful moment and even watching the tape of the event one can feel the unity of purpose and the connectedness of all the people there. This reminds me of the movie Casablanca in a scene in which the Garman soldiers begin to sing the German National anthem and then a single voice and then others and then all the others in the room sing the Marseilies drowning out the Germans and eventually forcing them into silence.

[justaguy]

Thanks for this philmusc. I didn't need another reason to love Italy. The first time I visited Rome, I felt like it was home. That feeling has never gone away and I can't wait to get back.

[whipped guy]

Viva Italia

 

There is something about "Va pensiero" where Verdi captured in music a certain spirit... a yearning that resides in the inner soul of mankind... a desire for freedom... and somehow those emotions are perfectly described in musical terms. As for myself I always get a chill when I hear the opening measures of the orchestral introduction to this scene... I know what is coming... and it is indeed moving... No wonder it has been Italy's adopted National Anthem since it first saw the light of day!

[Racketjock]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

[+ Charlie]

Thanks for this wonderful link. The faces of the chorus at the end were as moving as the music, which I know I would have sung along with had I been there, despite my execrable Italian. I can't imagine how they managed to continue with the opera from that point.

[Phil_musc]

Yes, members of the cast looked quit moved and touched by the experience. I bet the rest of the performance was something to experience too, after that moment. And if nothing else, the music (and the singing without Muti's speech) is incredibly powerful and moving. Works for me too.