THE WEEK’S RADIO Verdi's "Simone Boccanegra”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 11

THE WEEK’S RADIO Verdi 's "Simone Boccanegra”

In his monthly opera broadcast from 3YC at 7 p.m. on Sunday, James Robertson will introduce an opera that is musically one of the greatest Verdi ever wrote, but is one of his least known—“ Simone Boccanegra.”

°* >era was . written in 1856 and firn produced the following year in Venice, where it was a complete failure. as “La Traviata” had been four years before. The opera was fatally hampered by its obscure Libretto, based by Piave on a play by the Spanish author who also furnished the basis for another libretto of baffling complexity—“H Trovatore." Verdi, however, had a special Section for “Simone Boccanegra,” and in 1881, 10 years after “Aida.” he radically revised it for La Scala. Milan, where it was a success.

This revision marked the first collaboration of Verdi and the poet and composer. Arrigo Boito, who overhauled Piave’s libretto, adding new scenes in an effort to clarify the obscure story at intrigue Verdi at the same time largely rewrote the orchestration and the music as it now stands represents Verdi st the full maturity of his powers. ""For th“ music of 'Z eccanegra’ generally there can be nothing but the . hest praise,” says Dyneley Hussey. ”... There is hardly a page of it that is not first-ra*i. As «> whole the scor° produces an effect of sombre magnificence.” In Sunday's recording Tito Gobbi will be heard as Simone Boccanegra. the corsair who is elected Doge of Venice. Others in the cast are Vittoria de los Angeles (soprano), Giuseppe r '- xra 1 (tenor) and Boris Christoff (bass) and Gabriele Santini conducts the Rome Opera Chorus a 1 Orchestra. Karajan

In this month’s edtiion of “Talking About Music” (YCs, 8 p.m., tomorrow) the talk is mainly about Herbert von Karajan, the musical boss of Berlin and Vienna. The first speak is Imogen Holst, the composer’s daughter, who compares Karajan’s new recording of her father’s suite. “The Planets,” with Gustav Holst’s own recording. She concludes that in “Saturn,” the only movement her father really liked. Karajan is least successfulsomething particularly English is missing. Then Walter I/egge. artists’ manager for a big record company and founder of the I” lharmonia Orchestra, tells about the conductor who made more records with the Philharmonia than any other musician during its first 15 years He believes Karajan knows the psychology of an orchestra probably better than any conductor alive.

yet “I think he depends less on his instinct than any other ’ have ever known He has an enormous natural musical instinct, but he doesn’t leave it to that alone Everything that is done is thought of ahead. It is treated as a campaign—just as his career is a campaign.” Legge says Karajan, who was born in Salzburg in 1908, is conductor of the Berlin and Vienna State Opera and La Scala. Milan and was until 1960 director of the Salzburg Festival. In a recorded contribution. he says that what he admires in a truly great orchestra is ’ that above the level which has been fixed in rehearsal something emerges from the imagination of what had been up to that moment only a congregation of 100 people. “Suddenly ... it has one will, superimposed like a flock of birds,” he says. Albert Finney

The young British actor, Albert Finney, achieved international fame through his performance in the film, "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.” Shortly before this he became known to British theatre audiences when, aged 22, he understudied Sir Laurence Olivier in “Coriolanus” at Stratford-on-Avon, and then stepped into the part for six weeks. His major successes in “Billy Liar” and “Luther” and two further films found him an established actor at 25. In a frank interview with John Freeman, to be heard from 3YC at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, Albert Finney says he feels he cannot yet bring to a part an assured technique, that he still tends to act on “an emotional surge” which, perhaps, prevents him doing full justice to the playwright’s intention. He resents the risk of being type-cast before he has time to develop, and he dislikes long runs which take up valuable time he could better spend widening his range. He reveals that he never seriously considered acting as a career. It was his headmaster who recognised the boy’s talent and suggested the stage as a career. Curnoic Play Allen Curnow’s play, “The Axe,” which was first produced at the University of Canterbury in 1948, will be rebroadcast in Bernard Kearns’s N.Z.B.C. production from 3YC at 7.30 p.m. on Friday. The play deals with the impact of the 19th century Christianity on Polynesia. The

author presents his ideas in the story ot a Christian missionary, Davida, who arrives at Mangaia where there is twofold Polynesian culture. He is welcomed by one of the tribes who destroy their former gods and become Christians. The conflict which results from the advemt to Christianity to the island is, in the author’s words, “inevitable, irreconcilable,” and the island and the characters become symbolic of much beyond themselves. For this production, Douglas Lilburn composed and played special music which heightens the atmosphere. The cast includes Isohel Provan and Bernard Kearns as the chorus, Owen Simmance as Davida, David Hindin, William Scannell, Margaret Gorton, Heath Joyce, Antony Groser, James Laurenson and Stephen Erber.