The Brigands
Opera in four acts
Libretto bv ANDREA MAFFFI after SCHILLER'S play Die Rauber Music byVerdi' (sung in Italian) (first broadcast in this country)
This was the first of Verdi's operas to receive its premiere outside Italy - at Her Majesty's Theatre. London, in 1847, with Jenny Lind as Amalia, betrothed to Carlo, the ' angry young man ' who turns bandit.
TURIN CHORUS AND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF ITALIAN RADIO chorus-master RUGGERO MAGHINI conducted by FRANCO MANNINO
(Recording made available by courtesy of Italian Radio)
The action takes place in Germany at the beginning of the 18th century. Acts 1 and 2 3.20* Verdi's Letters
CHARLES OSBORNE reads extracts from the letters, which he has chosen to illustrate the background to the composition of I Masnadieri.
3.35* I Masnadieri Acts 3 and 4