Today is the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi – Italian for “Joe Green.”
One of his most famous works, of course, is that grandest of grand operas, “Aida.” Its first staging in Cairo in 1871 included a dozen pachyderms and fifteen camels into the bargain. A dramatic spectacle of star-crossed love in Ancient Egypt, it created a sensation among the opening night audience of dignitaries, politicians, and critics.
Verdi himself did not attend the premiere and disliked the fact that the performance was not open to the general public. He was much happier when it was presented for the Italian people on his native soil.
Of course, anyone who’s ever dealt with the public understands that no success is unalloyed.
One day Verdi received a letter, by way of his publisher, from a dissatisfied customer by the name of Prospero Bertani. Bertani had traveled to Parma to attend a production of “Aida” in 1872.
Bertani confided to the composer, “I admired the scenery… I listened with pleasure to the excellent singers, and took pains to let nothing escape me. After it was over, I asked myself whether I was satisfied. The answer was ‘no’.”
In fact, he disliked “Aida” so much, he felt compelled to sit through it a second time, just to make sure he wasn’t missing something.
The letter continues, “The opera contains absolutely nothing thrilling or electrifying. If it were not for the magnificent scenery, the audience would not sit through it.”
Bertani went on to include the cost of admission, travel expenses, and the price of his meals, and demanded a full refund from the composer.
This amused Verdi. After a moment’s reflection, he instructed his publisher to reimburse Bertani, but not to pay for his meals. Verdi responded, “…To pay for his dinner too? No! He could very well have eaten at home!”
Happy birthday, Mean Joe Green.
No elephants in this “Aida,” but certainly plenty of spectacle
