Around The Verdi Cycle
On this page we list lectures and special events that have happened during The Verdi Cycle:
1989 - 1990
The company gave two complete student performances of Rigoletto on January 30 and February 1, 1989. The production went to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center for two performances on March 9, 11.
The production of Rigoletto attempted to recreate the musical and theatrical practices of 1850s Italy. All performances were preceded by a talk given by Victor DeRenzi on what to expect from the production.
1990 - 1991
January 26, 8:50 PM: In what would become a yearly tradition, the company gathered to sing “Va, pensiero” from Nabucco. This was the 90th anniversary of Verdi’s death to the minute, taking into account the time difference between Milano and Sarasota. Verdi died in Milano on January 27, 1901 at 2:50 AM.
The company gave two complete performances of Un ballo in Maschera for students on February 7 and March 6.
1991 - 1992
March 13: Harold Powers gave a lecture on the 2 versions of Simon Boccanegra.
The company performed both versions of Simon Boccanegra with the same cast within three days.
1992 - 1993
The company gave three complete performances for students of Il trovatore. On February 1, 4, and March 3.
1993 - 1994
March 23: Mary Jane Matz gave a lecture on Verdi following the recent publication of her book “Verdi: A Biography.”
Conference on “Verdi’s French Operas”
March 25 - 26: Sarasota Opera and The American Institute for Verdi Studies sponsored a conference on Verdi's French operas. Participants included Elizabeth Bartlett, Martin Chusid, H. Robert Cohen, Victor DeRenzi, Philip Gossett, James Hepokowski, Jeffrey Langford, and David Lawton.
1994 - 1995
March 23: George Martin gives a lecture on “Verdi: Man and Musician.” The company makes a commitment to perform all of Verdi's operas. The company gave three complete performances of Nabucco for students on February 6, 8, and 28.
1995 - 1996
Conference on “Verdi’s Major Revisions”
March 22 - 23: Sarasota Opera and The American Institute for Verdi Studies sponsored a conference on Verdi's major revisions. Participants included Martin Chusid, Victor DeRenzi, Philip Gossett, Kathleen K. Hensell, James Hepokowski, William Holmes, David Lawton, Harold Powers, and David Rosen.
The company gave one complete performance of the revised version of La forza del destino for students on March 7. The company performed both versions of La forza del destino with the same cast within three days.
1996 - 1997
The Verdi Circle is established to help the company raise funds for the Verdi Cycle.
Victor DeRenzi gave two talks for the Verdi Circle:
January 18: “The Risorgimento and Verdi melody”
March 22: “Verdi’s non-definitive and non-operatic music”
1997 - 1998
Sarasota Opera announced its plan to perform the entire cannon of Verdi's work.
Victor DeRenzi gave two talks for the Verdi Circle:
January 17 on “Verdi’s compositional process”
This talk included a performance of Verdi's sketch for Addio del passato.
March 21: “Ten years of the Verdi Cycle”
The company gave two complete performances of La traviata for students on February 4 and March 17.
1998 - 1999
Victor DeRenzi gave a talk for the Verdi Circle:
January 23: “Verdi’s orchestration”
Victor DeRenzi and George Martin gave a talk on:
March 27: “Verdi and his friends”
March 27: The Verdi concert this year was entitled "Verdi and his Friends." In addition to music by Verdi, it included music by Toscanini, Mariani, Boito, Muzio, G. Ricordi, Catalane, Ponchielli, Hiller, Faccio, Donizetti, Puccini, Rossini.
1999 - 2000
Victor DeRenzi gave two talks for the Verdi Circle:
February 5: “Verdi and Wagner”
March 25: “Verdi’s early operas”
The Verdi concert this year was entitled "Verdi and his Legacy." In addition to music by Verdi, this concert included music by Montemezzi, Mascagni, Giordano, Zandonai, Wolf-Ferrari, Puccini, Pizzetti, Alfano, and Leoncavallo.
2000 - 2001
January 26 and 28: Stabat Matter and Messa da Requiem. On January 26, the Requiem began at 8:50 p.m, the hundreth anniversary of Verdi's death to the moment. Verdi died in Milano at 2:50 am on January 27, 2001.
The company gave three complete performances of Falstaff for students on March 7, 14, and 23.
The company gave two performances of Falstaff at the Phil in Naples, Florida on March 30 and April 1, 2001.
Verdi Concert:
March 24: The second part of this year's Verdi concert was a re-creation of the concert given at La Scala on February 1, 1901 to comemorate Verdi's death. George Martin began his speech about Verdi at the exact moment in the concert where Giuseppe Giacosa began his in 1901 at La Scala. The talk included a performance of “Cupo è il sepolcro e mutolo,” the music for which was recently made available.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
February 3: “Falstaff"
March 24: “SOA’s commitment to performing Verdi’s music”
2001-2002
October 15, 2001: Victor DeRenzi conducted a performance of "Va, pensiero" at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to benefit the victims of 9/11.
The company gave two performances for students of La trouvère on January 30, and March 6.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 26: “Trovatore and Trouvère”
March 16: “Verdi and the Chorus”
2002-2003
November 16 and 17: sarasota Opera gave a Verdi concert with the Sarasota Orchestra.
The company performed both versions of Macbeth with the same cast within three days.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 25: “Macbeth”
March 29: “Comparing Verdi’s two Macbeths”
The company gave one performance for students of Macbeth on March 18.
2003 - 2004
March 20, and 25, 2004: The Verdi Concert included music by Puccini.
Pre-performance introductions were given for Il corsaro.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 31: “Verdi and Puccini”
March 20: “Il Corsaro”
The Sarasota Opera Apprentices performed the Act III Gran scena e terzetto from Franco Faccio's Amleto with piano accompaniment. This was the first time this music was heard in America and the first time heard anywhere since 1871.
2004 - 2005
November 18 and 20, 2004: The fall concert with Sarasota Orchestra included music by Verdi.
Pre-performance introductions were given for Stiffelio.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 8: “Stiffelio”
March 12: “Creating a Verdi performing community” This talk included a demonstration rehearsal of La traviata Act II scene I duet.
November 17 and 19, 2005: The fall concert with Sarasota Orchestra included music by Verdi.
2005 - 2006
March 26, 2006: Sarasota Opera's Spring concert included works by Verdi.
Pre-performance introductions were given for I masnadieri.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 28: “I masnadieri”
March 18: “Verdi Melody”
2006 - 2007
Pre-performance introductions were given for Attila.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 20: “Attila”
February 24: “Attila Part 2”
2007- 2008
Pre-performance introductions were given for I due Foscari.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
February 9: “Rigoletto”
April 5: “I due Foscari”
March 22: Dennis Romano, author of "The Likeness of Venice A Life of Doge Francesco Foscari," gives a talk on Francesco Foscari.
2008 - 2009
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 31: “Don Carlos”
March 21: “Don Carlos Part 2”
2009 - 2010
November 4: Victor DeRenzi gave a talk on the Verdi Cycle at the Sarasota Opera House.
Pre-performance introductions were given for Giovanna d'Arco.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 30: “Giovanna d’Arco”
March 13: “Giovanna d’Arco Part 2”
March 12: Verdi 33 is established to help the company raise funds to finish the Verdi Cycle.
March 12: The production staff gives a talk on stage to The Verdi 33 about the production Giovanna d’Arco.
2010 - 2011
Pre-performance introductions were given for I Lombardi.
March 20, 2011: The Risorgimento Concert. Sarasota Opera honors the 150th anniversary of the italian unification. Music by Verdi and Montemezzi.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 29: “I Lombardi”
March 22: “The Risorgimento”
Verdi 33:
February 17: The production staff gives a talk to The Verdi 33 about the production I Lombardi on stage.
February 22: Talk to the Verdi 33 about the season's production with director, lighting designer, technical director and Victor DeRenzi.
2011 - 2012
March 25, 2012: Victor DeRenzi 30th anniversary concert. Included works by Verdi.
Verdi 33:
February 23: Meet the designers for Otello.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi to the Verdi Circle:
January 28: “Otello”
March 17: “Otello Part 2”
2012 - 2013
October 16: Victor DeRenzi talked about Casa di Riposo preceding a showing of Tosca’s Kiss at the Selby Library.
October 12: American Institute for Verdi Studies international conference in New York City. Paper given by Emily Richmond Pollock “Life Cycle: Celebrating Verdi at the Sarasota Opera.”
November 14: Victor DeRenzi talks about Rigoletto for the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts.
The company gave a performance of Rigoletto at the Phil in Naples, Florida on November 16, 2012.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi to the Verdi Circle:
January 19: “Un giorno di regno”
March 16: “What is a critical edition?”
March 8, 2013: Concert "Verdi's Times" narrated by Victor DeRenzi with piano, included arrangements of music by Verdi and his contemporaries.
March 2: Francesco Izzo gave a talk about the critical edition of Un giorno di regno.
March 24, 2013: Verdi concert celebrating the 200th anniversary of Verdi's birth.
February 20, 2013: Talk to the Verdi 33 about the season's production of Un giorno di regno with director and designers.
Four members of the Parma "Club dei 27" visit Sarasota Opera for the final performances of the season and the Verdi concert. Members of the "Club dei 27" are named after Verdi operas. The members that visited Sarasota Opera on this occasion were: "Un giorno di regno (president)," "Alzira," "Un ballo on maschera" and "La forza del destino."
Opera Now (December Issue) names Sarasota Opera's Un giorno di regno among 2013 best productions of Verdi and Wagner in the World.
2013 - 2014
March 6: Francesco Izzo gives a talk on “Old Men in Verdi Operas.”
March 8: Music Critics Institute in Sarasota for Jérusalem.
March 8: Panel discussion “The Legacy of Verdi” panelists Victor DeRenzi, Martha Collins, Francesco Izzo, Francesco Reggiani, Alessandra Malusardi; Richard Russell moderator.
Two talks given by Victor DeRenzi for the Verdi Circle:
January 18: “Il trovatore”
March 15: "Jerusalem, The Verdi Concert"
October 2013: Verdi’s 200th Birthday Celebration.
October 9: Victor DeRenzi gives talk on Verdi Cycle at Selby library.
October 10: Unveiling of the Verdi exhibit of the American Institute for Verdi Studies collection of scores and SOA costumes at Selby Library.
Sarasota Opera Open House
Video presentation of Sarasota Opera’s 2012 production of Otello.
Wig & Make-up demonstration; Costume display; Meet the directors; Backstage tours; Apprentices and Studio Artists perform in the courtyard and in the lobby.
Performances on Stage:
Youth Opera: I due Foscari "Tace il vento," Un giorno di regno "Act II Opening Chorus."
Principal and studio singers: Un giorno di regno "Act II Giulietta’s aria;" Otello "Credo;" Rigoletto “La donna è mobile."
Audience joins the company for a community sing of “Va, pensiero.”
Cutting of the Verdi Birthday Cake.
October 16: Victor DeRenzi talked about Casa di Riposo preceding a showing of Tosca’s Kiss at the Selby Library.
October 12: American Institute for Verdi Studies international conference in New York City. Paper given by Emily Richmond Pollock “Life Cycle: Celebrating Verdi at the Sarasota Opera.”
November 9, 10: Sarasota Youth Opera performs Britten’s The Little Sweep. Youth Opera members sing an arrangement of "Lo Spazzacamino" during the prologue to the opera.
March 7-25: Teatro dell’Opera Roma exhibit “A tribute to Giuseppe Verdi Celebrating the Bicentennial of his Birth.”
In cooperation with the Ministero degli Affari Esteri, the Istituto di Cultura di New York (Italian Cultural Institute of New York) and Teatro dell’Opera Roma.
Visit by the Consul General of Italy, Adolfo Barattolo and Consular Correspondent of Italy, Tampa Bay Cav. Uff. Vincent Genovese.
2014 - 2015
Two talks given for the Verdi Circle:
January 24: Richard Russell interviewed Victor DeRenzi about Verdi.
March 14: “Verdi’s Enduring Legacy” August Ventura spoke about Verdi and his impact on the world.
March 26: The intimate Verdi Concert with piano narrated by Victor DeRenzi. Verdi’s music written to be performed outside the opera house.
November 7, 2014: Sarasota opera initiates a series of concerts of music related to Verdi and people he knew called The Verdi Connection Concerts, with piano accompaniments.
May 19 - May 27: “Sarasota Opera visits Verdi.” Victor DeRenzi and Richard Russell lead a patron trip to Verdi cities and sites: Milano, Parma, Venezia.
October 16, 2015: Victor DeRenzi gave a speech on the Verdi Cycle to Sarasota Academy of Lifetime Learning.
December 9, 2015: The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota presents its Luminare Award to Victor DeRenzi and the Sarasota Opera for the Verdi Cycle.