ATTILA
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Opera in a prologue and three acts in Italian
Libretto: Temistocle Solera
Premièr at Teatro la Fenice, Venice – 17 March 1846
Premièr at Teatro la Fenice, Venice – 17 March 1846
20† October 1972 (4 Performances)
Symphony Hall, Newark
Orchestra and Chorus of the Opera
Theatre New Jersey
Conductor: Alfredo SilipigniChorus master: Anthony Manno
Stage director: Hubert L.
Fessenden
Scene: Franco Gratale (and
costumes of Gencer and Hines)Costumes: Anthony Stivanello
Attila King of the Huns JEROME
HINES bass
Uldino a Breton slave of Attila’s THOMAS PERRI tenorOdabella daughter of the Lord of Aquileia LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]
Ezio a Roman general CESARE BARDELLI baritone
Foresto a knight of Aquileia NICOLA MARTINUCCI tenor
Pope Leo I DANIEL BONILLA bass
Time: Fifth Century A.D.
Place: Italy
† Recording date
Photos © ERIKA DAVIDSON, New York
Photos © LOUIS PERES, New York
CONTRACT FOR THE PERFORMNCES
1972
A LETTER FROM RONERT J. LOMBARDO TO LEYLA GENCER
1972.02.07
A TELEGRAM FROM GENCER TO NEW JERSEY OPERA
1972.03.12
A TELEGRAM FROM LOMBARDI TO LEYLA GENCER
1972.05.10
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.04.30
THE ITEM OF MILBORNE AND SHORT HILLS
1972.05.04
THE CENTRAL NEW JERSEY HOME NEWS
1972.06.17
THE HERALD NEWS
1972.06.27
THE RECORD
1972.06.27
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.08.30
OPERA MAGAZINE
1972 September
THE RECORD
1972.09.17
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.09.17
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.09.24
LEVITTOWN COURIER
1972.09.28
THE HERALD NEWS
1972.09.29
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.01
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.03
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.11
THE HERALD NEWS
1972.10.13
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.15
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.17
ASHBURY PARK PRESS
1972.10.19
RIDGEWOOD HERALDS NEWS
1972.10.19
THE ITEM OF MILBURN AND SHORT HILLS
1972.10.19
THE RECORD
1972.10.19
THE HERALD NEWS
1972.10.20
THE RECORD
1972.10.20
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.20
NEW YORK TIMES
1972.10.21
JOAN COOK
Gala Opera Evening in Newark
NEWARK, Oct. 20—In a glittering testimonial to culture
and a reaffirmation of faith in the inner city, 3,000 music‐lovers from as far
away as Texas and Milan, Italy, turned out for the Opera Theatre of New
Jersey's opening night production of Verdi's “Attila.”
It was the first major production of the opera on the
Eastern Seaboard in nearly 70 years. Leading roles were sung by the La Scala
soprano Leyla Gencer and the Metropolitan Opera basso Jerome Hines.
Preceding the performance, more than 100 guests from
government, musical and social circles in New York and New Jersey gathered in
the grand foyer of Symphony Hall to enjoy a pre‐curtain, black‐tie dinner that
began with champagne cocktails and worked its way through a four‐course dinner
that included filet mignon and strawberry tart.
“We're trying to restore some luster to an evening out
in downtown Newark,” Alfredo Silipigni, the company's artistic director and
conductor, said before the performance. “It's the first time we've started the
reverse flow culturally.”
Mr. Silipigni, who attended the party with his wife,
said the evening had a dual purpose—to provide good music and to offer a total
evening in Newark, from cocktails to a nightcap after the performance in the hall,
a former Masonic mosque.
Those attending the pre-opera festivities paid $100 a
couple, which included dinner, orchestra seats and champagne reception onstage
following the performance. The entire evening's proceeds were to benefit the
company's Young Artists program which gives aspiring singers the opportunity to
apprentice in a professional theater situation without having to go abroad for
their experience.
Among those attending were Mr. and Mrs. David Swanson
with a party of 20 guests, including Mr. and Mrs. William Enchmeir and Mr. and
Mrs. Ben Kwiat of Smoke Rise. Mr. Swanson is a vice president of S. B. Thomas,
Inc., a wholesale baking company; Mrs. Swanson was chairman of the benefit.
Mrs. Swanson, who was wearing a halter‐dress by Harold
Levine made entirely from shiny silver sequins, said she was looking forward
“to the most exciting night we've ever had.”
“It's the first time we've ever served a $100 dinner,
and getting people to come to Newark is a wonderful experience,” she said.
Some Other Guests
Other guests included Rand Araskog, vice president of
the International Telephone and Telegraph Company, and Mrs. Araskog; Edgar
Kneedler of Sol Hurok Enterprises; Cornelius Bodine Jr., Newark's Business
Administrator and Mrs. Bodine; Dr. Arnold Vorce, dean of Fine Performing Arts
at Glassboro State College; Samuel Miller, director of the Newark Museum; and
Byron R. Kelley executive director of the New Jersey. State Council on the
Arts.
Others were Mrs. Lewis Gulandi, chairman of the board
of the Newark Boys Chorus; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin E. Gershen (Mr. Gershen is an
urban planner and chairman of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts), and
Mr. Edward Brown, music consultant for the state's Department of Education.
While some opera‐lovers flew in from as far afield as
California, Texas and Milan, others came by bus from New York's Port Authority
terminal. A special parking lot has been set up across Broad Street from the
theater, and private policemen are hired for evenings when performances are
held.
60‐Piece Orchestra
Mr. Silipigni, who has brought such artists as Beverly
Sills, Licia Albanese and Roberta Peters to Newark audiences, conducted the
60‐member orchestra, most of whom are New Jersey residents and many of whom
play in such major ensembles as the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan
Opera Orchestra.
Opera Theater also takes its season to Trenton each
year and for the first time will appear in Glassboro later in the season, Mr.
Silipigni said.
The company, which operates on a $500,000 annual
budget augmented by grants, is in the European tradition of grand opera, particularly
Italian opera.
Looking ahead, Mr. Silipigni envisions complete nights
at the opera for all musiclovers, from dining at Symphony Hall to meeting the
performers after the performance.
“A man has to feed his wife,” he said philosophically.
“Night life in Newark has died, but we intend to revive it.”
NEW YORK TIMES
1972.10.22
RAYMOND ERICSON
Opera: Verdi’s “Attila” Returns to Life in Newark
“Attila,” Verdi's ninth opera, was a big success when it was given its premiere in Venice in 1846. Four years later, it crossed the Atlantic for an American premiere at Nibto's Garden here. It seems to have been forgotten after that. Even the post‐World War I interest in early Verdi did not extend to this particular opera, and the derogatory comments of Verdi scholars kept the score in the libraries. A concert performance in Venice in 1951 and staging in Florence in 1962 brought‐it renewed attention.
New Yorkers willing to journey to Newark on Friday night had a chance to see it produced at Symphony Hall by the ambitious Opera Theater of New Jersey. One could see why it was received so favorably at first. It has a gutsy, theatrical score, and if there had not been so many superior successors from Verdi's pen, It might have survived more easily.
The story is of no consequence except that the composer found it congenial for his purposes, The dramatic conflicts arise when Attila the Hun invades Italy and comes up against Ezio, ‘a deceptive Roman general, who is friendly at first, as well as Odabella, daughter of a lord Attila has slain, and Foresto, a knight from the Roman settlement of Aquileia. Odabella finally has her revenge and kills Attila.
There are seven scenes, structured conventionally in a series of slow arias, fast arias, occasional ensembles. In this respect, the opera looks forward to “II Trovatore.” but in the earlier score the segments do not form continuity. Strong musical effects follow one another without going anywhere.
Still, the effects are there and are often enjoyable. If they are on the crude side, they have dramatic vigor and color. They give the singers fine opportunities to show off, and Verdi's use of the orchestra, even with hurdygurdy rhythms, is striking.
The Opera Theater of New Jersey did itself proud with the production. To one who has endured many suburban performances sung in dilapidated sets, with a meager chorus and scratchy off‐pitch orchestra, this one came as a pleasant surprise. Adewyn Darroll's simple settings, carefully lighted by Martin Abramson, offered no embarrassments, Franco Gratale directed the principals and the large chorus sensibly, although the tiny ballet was expendable, and there was an excellent orchestra in the pit. Except for the long waits between scenes, the performance went smoothly.
Jerome Hines, who had sung Attila before, in Buenos Aires, took the role in. Newark. The tall American bass made an imposing figure, and was in better voice than he has been for some time, in this listener's experience. The voice was full and sonorous, with only the smallest evidence of a wobble on high tones.
Opposite him was Leyla Gencer, a Turkish‐born soprano, who had not previously sung in this area. She has appeared extensively in major opera houses abroad and is much admired in some circles. She is a handsome woman with an intense manner. Her largish voice, with a somewhat raw tone, was not to my taste, but she ploughed through her difficult fioriture with a force that aroused the audience to cheers. She sang the lovely aria “Oh, nel fuggente nuvolo” with a soft, covered tone that was quite affecting.
In the baritone role of Ezio, Cesare Bardelli sang with considerable beauty of tone. Nicola Martinucci, an Italian tenor new here, was strong Foresto, but he poured out his admirable voice too unstintingly. Thomas Perri and Daniel Bonilla filled smaller parts adequately.
Alfredo Silipigni, artistic director and conductor of the company, led a performance that was thoroughly prepared and he found the color and energy in the music. It was a fine job.
The Opera Theater of New Jersey must have one of the most enthusiastic audiences around, and the noisy reception for every aria and ensemble gave additional excitement to the evening.
THE RECORD
1972.10.22
THE SUNDAY NEWS
1972.10.22
THE CENTRAL NEW JERSEY NEWS
1972.10.23
THE STAR LEDGER
1972.10.23
AVANTI
1972.10.24
IL PICCOLO
1972.10.28
MİLLİYET ART MAGAZINE
1972.11.03
YENİ İSTANBUL DAILY NEWSPAPER
1972.11.04
IDOHA STATE JOURNAL
1972.11.05
NEW YORK MAGAZINE
1972.11.06
OPERA MAGAZINE
1973 February
MILLIYET NEWSPAPER
1973.02.23
THE ORLANDO SENTINEL
1973.03.20
CITIZEN REGISTER
1980.01.27
THE DAILY ARGUS
1980.01.27
CLARION MAGAZINE
1983 May
COURIER-POST
2006.03.31
VERDI IN AMERICA
2011.09.01
GEORGE W. MARTIN
OPERA NEWS
ATTILA
Links from OPERA
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COMPLETE RECORDING
1972.10.20
Recording Excerpts [1972.10.20]
Santo’di patri Prologue
Qual suon di passi Act I
