Synopsis:
Famed for his beloved operas, Giuseppe Verdi endured a lifetime of personal turmoil and popular acclaim. Marked from childhood by his musical talent, Verdi rose to become the preeminent composer of his era amidst family heartbreak, societal upheaval, and a scandalous love affair. In this biographical miniseries seen on PBS, Ronald Pickup (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) gives a captivating performance as Verdi, and ballerina Carla Fracci dazzles as his second wife, opera star Giuseppina Strepponi.
Filmed on location in Italy, London, and Paris, this “positively splendid production” (The New York Times) is narrated by Academy Award winner Burt Lancaster and features clips of Verdi’s music, including the perpetual favorites La Traviata and Aida.
What We Thought:
You can call me unsophisticated, but I know nothing about opera. I can’t tell you how historically accurate The Life of Verdi is, but that seems irrelevant to this mini-series.
I think that also helped in an odd way. Because I knew nothing about the man, everything about him, his life, his music, how he changed opera was new to me and educational.
His style compared to others was violent and dark. The series talked about how it was what the Italians needed at that time period. They needed something new almost revolutionary.
As for the series itself, the production value is through the roof. The set design and production design are amazing. The backdrops, the settings, the locations are flawless. You feel like you’re visiting 19th century Europe. They didn’t skimp on the details which really gives the series an authentic feel.
The costume design is also fantastic. The clothing, especially the women’s dresses, look great for this period piece. The hairstyles, the make up, the jewelry, all seem period correct and it sweeps you up and puts you right there.
Then there’s the music. I may not know much about opera, but I can admit I actually knew a lot of the music. I may only know it from other films or TV shows, but it sounded familiar. In fact, I actually kind of liked some of it and looked into some of it online. Plus I really thought the narration of Burt Lancaster helped fill in the blanks for events I wasn’t familiar with. I’m not usually a fan of narration, but this was beneficial to me.
What also helps the series is the performances. Again I’m not sure how accurate it is, but the actors in it really give you an idea of who these people were. Ronald Pickup brought Verdi to life and I felt like I was seeing the real thing. I don’t think he won any awards for his performance, but he captured my attention.
If you are familiar with this series from the 1980’s, if you like the music of Verdi, then for you this is…
RECOMMENDED!
Bonus Features:
- None
Cast & Crew:
- Ronald Pickup
- Carla Fracci
- Burt Lancaster
Recommended If You Like:
- Amadeus
- The Music of Verdi
- Opera
The Nerds Templar 