Attila

Verdi’s second opera for La Fenice in Venice tells the founding story of the city itself after the destruction of Aquileia by Attila, King of the Huns.

*Maria José Siri replaces the previously announced Sondra Radvanovsky as Odabella.

** Stefan Pop will sing Foresto in place of the previously announced Joseph Calleja,  who has withdrawn due to illness. 

SOUNDBITES

"...not as feisty, though, as Simon Keenlyside, who pitched into every utterance of Ezio, the opera’s somewhat equivocal Roman general, with the brand of relish possible only if a singer is having a terrific time...."

"...Sir Simon Keenlyside is most at home at Covent Garden of course – and his strong, firm and beautiful voice is a continual joy. While some of his gestures might have appeared rather hammy, vocally this was superb Verdi...."

"...Simon Keenlyside, scorebound and gesticulating wildly, did not convince as Ezio.....the long phrases of his aria “Dagl'immortali vertici” were lumpy, and he forced the voice uncomfortably in his cabaletta, the swift swig of water between verses perhaps indicating that all was not well after such oppressive heat in the past few days..."

"...Simon Keenlyside, terrific as Ezio, was on fire...."

"...Simon Keenlyside spun a fine legato in Ezio's aria, and offered penetrating volume, if not classic breadth of tone, in such lines as 'Avrai tu l'universo, resti l'Italia a me'...."