When it comes to Requiems and Stabat Maters I tend to avoid them as they make me more sad than ever. But Verdi's Requiem was so well advertised that I decided to break the embargo I had placed upon myself and attend.
It was organized by the Valletta Cultural Agency on the 23rd November on a Sunday morning. I was to read lately, in an opinion piece by a member of the Opposition that these cultural agencies weren't doing very much, which astonished me as I follow the culture scene closely and am invariably impressed at how many events are organised in Malta, mostly by these very agencies.
VCA had undertaken a mammoth task and a huge responsibility. Verdi's Requiem falls into the blockbuster category. It must have taken a great deal of organisation with a choir and singers from Italy as well. The stage at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, that Sunday morning was brimful of musicians.
Verdi's original intention was to write a joint Requiem with other composers, in honour of Rossini who died on 13 November 1868. Verdi had written a Libera me as part of it. But it all fell through. Then his friend Alessandro Manzoni who wrote the great Romantic historical novel, I Promessi Sposi, an acknowledged world masterpiece, died on 22 May, 1883. Prompted by Manzoni's death Verdi set to work to complete the Requiem which was a huge hit and regarded as one of the greatest pieces of choral music of all time. Although it was always intended to be a purely choral work, it is full of drama and somewhat operatic in style. The first performance, at the San Marco church in Milan on 22 May 1874, conducted by the composer, marked the first anniversary of Manzoni's death.
Verdi accomplished many things at a young age: he was playing the keyboard aged three, learning the organ at the age of 10 and was married by the time he was 22. But tragedy was not far away for he was to lose his wife and two young children in quick succession.
I must say a couple of words for the printed programme, a rarity these days. It is full of interesting information with an excellent but unauthored essay on the Messa da Requiem.
VCA's ambitious undertaking was successfully executed. They engaged a quartet of four soloists together with the first-class choir of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, our own Cor Malta and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Pier Giorgio Morandi.
Both choirs clearly made up of keenly disciplined professionals, and sang with a sense of drama but with refinement.
The soloists made a characterful quartet although some of those present, including myself, though that their voices were not always astrong enough for the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
I felt nostalgic when I heard the words Te Deum, Dies Irae, Sanctus, Kyrie which reminded me of the Mass in Latin of my childhood days. It's about all the Latin I know but I loved the Mass in Latin. There was a mystery about it which I believe we have lost. Latin has really moved out of the lives of the majority of us. And yet it was part and parcel both of my father's education and my husband's. The Angelus at home was often recited in Latin if my husband happened to be about.
That morning the Kyrie eleison was exuberant, sung by the four soloists, chorus and orchestra. The Dies Irae that follows was recognisable but nonetheless still had a powerful impact. The Day of Wrath. I kept on asking myself as the bass drum pounded, is there really going to be a Day of Judgment? 'From dust to dust' we are told. So, do we by some magic, come together again, to be judged? This has always intrigued and frightened me. And no clothes? How utterly embarrassing.
Verdi takes us through the whole gamut of emotions in his Requiem. For me, this was an inspired and inspiring performance. If another Requiem by Mozart, Fauré, Dvořák is performed I will do my best to go.
I want Ketelby's In a Monastery Garden and maybe a Piaf chanson, played at my funeral. It is going to be very private. Just my immediate family. I detest all that clapping on the church parvis and it's not going to happen at my funeral. However, that morning, we stood up and clapped for a touching performance of Verdi's Requiem. A big thank you to the musicians but also to VCA who produced it.
A Happy Christmas to all our readers!
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