It was 100 years ago today...

[Peter]

.....that Giuseppe Verdi died. On Mozart`s birthday! So I`ll ask this, head on: which of the two wrote the greater operas? I have a view, but I`d rather canvass some better-informed opinions than my own, first.

[Mira]

In my opinion Peter I would say Mozart, he had the most "captured" words that not only blended with the music but I say described it.<P>My all time favorite would be Laudate Dominum.

[shostakovich]

This may sound like hedging, but each one was the greatest in his century. I'm discounting Wagner because his "music drama" is quite unlike "opera" as we know it. So I think it's a tie.<BR>Anybody care to pick a greatest of the 20th C (although I personally see only one realistic candidate)?<BR>Shos

[treebeau]

I'd say that they both wrote "equally loved" operas. I don't know why one would be greater than the other.<P>I read this little tidbit a while back. There was a well respected leader of Italy named Vittorio Emmanuel. He may have been a contemporary of Verdi, but I haven't taken time to check resources. Anyway, Verdi was well respected too, and his initials were often taken to be an acronym for<BR>"Vittorio Emmanuel, Re D'Italia"<P>It was a national pride sort of thing.<P>Regards,<BR>Tim B.

[Peter]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by shostakovich:<BR><B>This may sound like hedging, but each one was the greatest in his century. I'm discounting Wagner because his "music drama" is quite unlike "opera" as we know it. So I think it's a tie.<BR>Anybody care to pick a greatest of the 20th C (although I personally see only one realistic candidate)?<BR>Shos</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Oh no, Shos! You don`t mean......(gulp)......surely not........(palpitations).......Benjamin Britten!!??

[Emster]

Peter, I never thought I'd be so torn! Mozart has definitely got some winners, but because I sing mezzo, I'll have to go with Verdi. His mezzo roles are sassy, trashy, and/or just vendictive (Aida - wow!). Many of Mozart's mezzo roles are, however, those of young boys -- I'm too prissy for that. Aside from all of that, as far as music goes and storywise, it's a tie. Sorry to be such a "fence-rider."

[shostakovich]

SURELY not -------- (sigh of relief) --------Benjamin Britten!!! He's not even Italian.

[Michael]

Anyway, Verdi was well respected too, and his initials were often taken to be an acronym for<BR>"Vittorio Emmanuel, Re D'Italia"<P>It was a national pride sort of thing.<P>Regards,<BR>Tim B.[/B][/QUOTE]<P><BR>Not bad for a fellow whose name in English translates as Joe Green.<P>Michael<P>

[hornplayer]

Im pretty new to some of the composers that are mentioned in all of the posts here at Beethoven.com, but could someone please enlighten me...whats so bad about Britten? True, I have only heard Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra and his Simple Symphony...but he's pretty harshly treated here!

[Michael]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hornplayer:<BR><B>Im pretty new to some of the composers that are mentioned in all of the posts here at Beethoven.com, but could someone please enlighten me...whats so bad about Britten? True, I have only heard Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra and his Simple Symphony...but he's pretty harshly treated here!</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I have a horrible feeling I may have started this. I haven't much time for Britten's music but then I could say the same about most twentieth-century music, and I would hate to single him out. The whole thing started as a half-joke in some unrelated thread. Britten, in his time, has made some disparaging remarks about Beethoven and I have a little black book built into my brain which retains all invective about my favourite composer. (You have been warned).<BR>If you want some good information on Britten, look up the topic "What's Wrong with Benjamin Britten" where Peter, Lliam and others have posted some sensible stuff (unlike me).<P>Michael<P>