LA FORZA DEL DESTINO Verdi - Gran Teatre del Liceu

Two lovers, Don Alvaro and Leonora, are preparing to elope, but they are surprised by the young woman's father. Misfortune follows them when Don Alvaro, while throwing his pistols on the ground, unintentionally fires one and kills the father. Fortune is capricious and laughs at the fate of men.
La forza del destino is an opera from Verdi's heyday. Premiered four years after Un ballo in maschera, a very special moment in his production, it coincides with the prevailing taste for the exoticism of other worlds. Only Verdi's talent could transform a convoluted plot, filled with clichés from the Spanish Romantic school, into an opera that is a quintessential example of the 19th century Italian repertoire. La forza is an adaptation of the play Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino, a drama in five days in prose and verse by Ángel María de Saavedra y Ramírez de Baquedano, Duke of Rivas, first performed at the Teatro del Príncipe in Madrid in 1835. Verdi and his librettist Piave were enthusiastic about the work of this curious character, a great man of Spain, the most famous playwright of his time, a painter and politician who even became president of the government for two days in 1854. In 1861, Verdi himself agreed to become a member of parliament to pursue his political ideals. However, the unification of Italy was not as Verdi imagined and the composer fell prey to a degree of scepticism. That same dark melancholy pervades the entire score of La forza, where the motif of fate recurs throughout the idea of redemption. In this co-production between Opéra de Paris and Gran Teatre del Liceu, directed by Jean-Claude Auvray, the opera becomes a place where dreams confront reality while a faint but toxic song of hope emerges. The immense canvas for this opera is full of romantic details that require first-rate performers - here gathered at the Liceu under the baton of Maestro Nicola Luisotti.
Full performance streamed on OperaVision from 30 November 2024 at 19:00 CET to 30 May 2025 at 12:00 CET: operavision.eu...
CAST
Il Marchese di Calatrava
Alejandro López
Donna Leonora
Anna Pirozzi
Don Carlo di Vargas
Artur Ruciński
Don Alvaro
Brian Jagde
Preziosilla
Caterina Piva
Padre Guardiano
John Relyea
Fra Melitone
Pietro Spagnoli
Curra
Laura Vila
Trabuco
Moisés Marín
Mayor
Dimitar Darlev
Plamen Papazikov
A surgeon
Domingo Ramos
Lucas Groppo
Orchestra
Gran Teatre del Liceu Symphony Orchestra
Chorus
Gran Teatre del Liceu Chorus
Music
Giuseppe Verdi
Text
Francesco Maria Piave
Director
Jean-Claude Auvray
Revival director
Leo Castaldi
Conductor
Nicola Luisotti
Choreography
Terry John Bates
Sets
Paolo Ferri
Scenography
Alain Chambon
Costumes
Maria Chiara Donato
Lights
Laurent Castaingt
Musical director assistant
Luis Miguel Méndez
OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.
operavision.eu/
/ operavisioneu
/ operavision_eu
/ operavision.eu
/ operavision

[@kaochloe1]

i love this production SO MUCH better than the one by MET and other contemporary ones in terms of orchestra, chorus, and staging. Anna Pirozzi is fantastic. Thank you for posting it.

[@torbenjorgensen1398]

La Forza in stunning 4K resolution. Thank you very much! Will look great even on a 77" screen ❤

[@frankczyzewski3189]

The most beautiful opera I have seen. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world. I am living in Phoenix Arizona.

[@MartincitoVen]

Straordinaria Anna Pirozzi! Che voce piu meravigliosa ❤❤❤

[@sarachibi100]

Anna Pirozzi, even in recordings makes me feel emotions and makes my soul cry because of the beauty of her voice and performance. Bravissima!

[@frankczyzewski3189]

Thank you Opera Vision. Opera Liceu Barcelona Beautiful voices. Incredible production

[@musettina6adina224]

Fantastic Anna! Her La Vergine degli Angeli so moving..A Leonora to remember. Mo Luisotti and orchestra all excellent, as are the singers, Jagde ( though his pronunciation still needs some help) Preziosilla, and Spagnoli's Melitone portrayed with talent. Staging for once not boringly modernised. Thank you for posting this video, Operavision.

[@mirjamdevries9376]

Una meravigliosa performance con grandi interpreti, tra cui la migliore di tutti è per me la fantastica Anna Pirozzi.Anche la messa in scena è perfetta e rispettosa della storia e del compositore. Ci sono persino i sottotitoli, utili anche a noi italiani. 👏👏👏👏🎼💯💐

[@CristinaAlbano-y8z]

Grandissima Anna!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Opera2022]

Fantastic Rucinski !!! Bravo Pirozzi and Jagde!!!

[@fiumesimonini6169]

Fantástica Anna!!!❤

[@annamartacaiulo6288]

spettacolo meraviglioso..artisti super in un teatro magnifico dove ho avuto la fortuna di vedere Adriana a giugno...mi sembra di essere li' ...grazie❤

[@roxanalattante7775]

Thank you Operavision. Anna Pirozzi brava brava!!!

[@emitch9213]

Orchestra and chorus delicious! Bravissimo! Staging wonderful! Last time, I heard Caballe years and years, ago, was her Lenora. Miss her legato, pianissimo, and and and. Her 'Pace Pace & how she just filled the theatre of that unforgettable Caballe sound...oh the days when...best to Liceu.. ♥️🌹

[@NIGTHMARE70]

Bravo eine gelungene Premiere und auch die Künstler sind großartig

[@Julia-jv3rv]

Brava Anna Pirozzi! Outstanding

[@GC-tt2td]

Grazie mille opera vision🎉🎉

[@losscores]

THE BEST modern Forza. Especially comparing it to met's last year production...

[@indemidova]

Excellent staging. Wonderful production. Beautiful voices. Thank you for sharing. BRAVO!!!♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

[@castadiva-led]

Thanks for the amazing streaming

[@biancacastafiore8760]

Grazie for this broadcast! In bocca al lupo!

[@valeriavisconti1281]

Opera bellissima. Anna Pirozzi 👏👏👏

[@ИринаГоловина-ь3д]

Verdi- musica eterna! Brava!!!❤❤❤

[@harrilmullany2786]

Rembrandt-ish lighting kept focus on the singers and the music. This production looks and sounds much better than many boring Met operas I watched as a previous subscriber. Congratulations to all: orchestra, chorus, soloists and Conductor. If all operas could be performed as well as this there would be hope for the future of this amazing art. Verdi - what a genius!

[@carlobrotto7132]

​@@harrilmullany2786 sorry to say it but with all respect , Sir , I find your last statement ( and I don't mean Verdi and his uncomparable genius ) quite clueless & embarrassing.

[@natashaten2299]

Ouverture after first scene, how interesting! Thank you for streaming this wonderful production

[@verdiguy]

They did this at the Met in the 1950s and 60s. The overture was played after the first scene so they could do the scene change without the audience having to sit through a lengthy pause.

[@MrOlogramma]

Produzione meravigliosa…. W VERDI ❤

[@wzdavi]

Brilliant performance. Brilliant production!

[@valeriavisconti1281]

Tutti bravi. Bellissimo allestimento. Grazie!

[@Orfeus80]

How refreshing to watch a stylish, respectful performance. Pirozzi sang Leonora di Vargas with great feeling of the musical line, the text and the right energy. Her instrument is less opulent than Davidsen's but I enjoyed Pirozzi's Leonora more because of her connection to the text. She was more daring with the use of her chest register, it was technically well produced and that paid off in terms of interpretation. Her death scene was also quite moving. Some floated notes were a bit stiff but the powerful ones sounded as secure as ever. It's incredible that she has been singing the heaviest parts every year for the last 15 years and is still going strong. I look forward to hearing her as Gioconda next month. Brian Jadge annoyed me in the Covent Garden Don Carlo last season but as Don Alvaro he was a bit more refined both vocally and dramatically. He has a powerful, if sometimes wild, instrument that is useful in these roles so I hope he continues to work on finding the details in his singing, technically and dramatically. Artur Rucinski offers some of the nuance that Jadge lacks. Rucinski's voice isn't as robust and sometimes sounds on the lighter baritone side for Don Carlo but his energy made him sound convincing. His scenes and with Jadge were good. John Relyea remains a solid performer, his text prepared well and his bass in good form. I just missed a bit of kindness in his interpretation. It all sounded a bit distant. The tricky harmony on "toglierà" during the convent scene defeated him and Pirozzi but maybe it was just an accident on the broadcast. Veteran Pietro Spagnoli sounded like he was having fun as Melitone. Luisotti gave a good, energetic tempo and supported his singers.

[@paoladatodi8626]

e il mezzosoprano? giovane ma già con una notevole esperienza

[@Orfeus80]

​@paoladatodi8626 Indeed, the sparkling Caterina Piva had the right energy for what is perhaps Verdi's most thankless principal mezzo role. She sang with good diction and expression! A couple of notes sounded tight on top but the voice is lovely. Would like to hear her again, in a more lyrical role.

[@joaojacobberberineto4174]

Finalmente uma montagem digna de Verdi !

[@Altonahh10]

You think an empty stage and some period costumes are what Verdi wanted? You have no idea...

[@illesaar2235]

Ciao Anna e Caterina, in bocca al lupo :*

[@SAVELOG]

Compliments to all , great edition .....nice staging and production

[@musettina6adina224]

Fantastica Forza , cantanti orchestra, staging ! Bravissimi 👏

[@gaddovarzi6980]

Bel cast, ma mi ha sorpreso soprattutto la direzione di Luisotti, non lo conoscevo, grande bacchetta. E soprattutto infiniti ringraziamenti alla regia, la quale ci ha risparmiato le solite trovate idiote, e ha semplicemente accompagnato il sublime racconto verdiano.

[@mariadelosangelesgiaquinta1104]

Fabulosa Anna Pirozzi ❤

[@giovannicalabrese4457]

Grandissima Anna Pirozzi, orgoglio d'Italia ❤

[@brookesdecker7188]

Came here after trying to watch Netrebko. Thank you!

[@Alenagorby]

Здесь Леонора выглядит как бабушка Альваро

[@brookesdecker7188]

@@Alenagorbybut sounds lovely.

[@ljiljanadufek4962]

Good evening from Zagreb, Croatia

[@procuradorpl-angonezejr.6577]

Poznań, Polonia! Saludo a Artur Ruciński!

[@anepanaliptos656]

Thanks You From Greece Kiss !!!!!

[@oberon481]

The scene of Leonora's arrival at the monastery and Padre Guardiano's offer of refuge is extremely moving to me: Pirozzi and Relyea are wonderful, as s the staging.

[@ona3994]

From Tarragona, Catalunya

[@לביאהולנדר]

amazing, bravi

[@ivailopartchev5492]

L'arte, la cultura, la tradizione, il patrimonio italiani esiliati dal Teatro alla Scala.

[@giovannabianchi763]

Tutti molto bravi e bella sceneggiatura

[@ArielCampero-u7z]

Magnifica Anna Pirozzi!

[@zaidaestudillo850]

I❤Opera

[@rouquetcostes3673]

magnifique!

[@GC-tt2td]

Il coro ha un bellissimo colore

[@silvinoperez5956]

Des de el País Valencià, gràcies.

[@armandonazarenocerutti9860]

Agradezco la difusión de la "OBRA COMPLETA" , tal como la compuso VERDI. Es la primera vez que puedo asistir a una representación de esta obra sin cortes , aunque llevo más de 70 años de ser un apasionado de la obra, tampoco en la discografía tengo conocimiento de una versión INTEGRAL. Esta versión en general es muy correcta , y si no hay grandes estrellas descollantes , como hubo en tiempos anteriores, hay dentro de la misma momentos memorables. Armando Cerutti - barítono

[@novamico]

Thank You From Taiwan!

[@jawahardeo9000]

Wow what beautiful and awesome conducting

[@santi7616]

@@jawahardeo9000 yes, the conductor is awesome , it's like listening a new Verdi score , magnificent , Mr Luisotti ,and the cast is splendid , beautiful performance!!😊✨💯❤️

[@SuperJuriss]

Super!

[@LVCIANOMANARA66]

Onore ai Barcellonesi del Gran Teatre per aver rappresentato questa magnificenza!

[@RBP1963]

Good orchestra and chorus well performed by Luisotti , however i had the privilege to listen many years ago Caballé , Cappuccilli, Giacomini, Giaiotti, Marton, Pons, Carreras.. difficult to not compare with today elenco ❤

[@pliniussenior1788]

Direi un’ottima rappresentazione.

[@portuandoni]

A great performance

[@badger_beard]

Unfussy production with fantastic casting in the principal roles. A much maligned opera presented as it should be: beautifully sung.

[@LaPrimadonna164]

Buenas noches❤❤

[@OCordeiro1967]

Allestimento elegante e raffinato, con una scenografia “pittorica” che rimanda alla grande tradizione spagnola, Zurbarán e Murillo in primis. Al confronto quello cervellotico e visivamente confusionario della Scala fa una ben magra figura. Pirozzi molto meglio della Netrebko.

[@Pedrio2106]

My father is Artur Ruciński

[@juliogonzalezcampayo3201]

@Pedrio: Congratulations!

[@procuradorpl-angonezejr.6577]

akurat heheh

[@Pedrio2106]

@@procuradorpl-angonezejr.6577Nwm jaki dowód mogę ci podać

[@Pedrio2106]

@@procuradorpl-angonezejr.6577Chesz imię i nazwisko?

[@Pedrio2106]

@@procuradorpl-angonezejr.6577Dowodu ci nie dam ale jak mi nie wierzysz to twój problem

[@sonate10]

I like that this performance is made in «classic» stile, without these modern director’s tricks like in Met. I begin to think that Americans can’t set operas.

[@santi7616]

a classic production is always a guarantee of success like this one . ❤ Some modern productions are not adequate , though some might be ok, anyway I prefer classic style productions with coherence with the libretto .

[@klauspetsch858]

Klaus hello From Bavaria!

[@massimoturrini9146]

le voci per queste opere NON ESISTONO PIU' questi ai tempi di tebaldi, corelli, cristoff non avrebbero fatto neanche i comprimari

[@pietrobeghini2647]

Anna Pirozzi. Stratosferica. Perche' noi alla scala paghiamo profumatamente cantanti, per lo stesso ruolo, non adatte? E sono considerate dive...... Forse in altro repertorio

[@marja011]

Spagnoli 🥰

[@santi7616]

fabulous fra melitone , sensational ❤

[@StoneHerne]

❤

[@TheLenny021]

What's the cello solo piece in the begining?

[@leopucky3243]

@@TheLenny021 , "El cant dels ocells".

[@TheLenny021]

@leopucky3243 Thank you!

[@GC-tt2td]

❤❤❤

[@josephcollins6033]

THANK YOU!!! Date of actual performance?

[@santi7616]

November 2024

[@nathaliegabas959]

Je ne retrouve pas Giselle par le Polish Opera sur le menu de la chaîne. Quelqu'un peut-il m'expliquer ?

[@ИринаГоловина-ь3д]

💐💐💐🌹💐💐💐👏👏👏

[@giuseppeverdi9119]

Buona rappresentazione, ma perchè eliminare la meravigliosa sinfonia?

[@santi7616]

la sinfonia non è eliminata, la può ascoltare dopo il primo atto .

[@YQ2138]

☕️❤👏😊

[@GC-tt2td]

Brian è davvero bravo ma deve migliorare la pronuncia x la scala

[@santi7616]

è molto bravo , una voce bellissima

[@fan2jnrc]

Well Pirozzi is not Tebaldi, for sure. Her “La Vergine degli Angeli” is a disaster.

[@RichardFernandoChaparroOMG]

incomplete subtitles in Spanish 😢

[@rosigiuseppe8162]

Where is the sinfonia

[@santi7616]

after the first act 😊

[@BellaFirenze]

Invan laaaaaaace... Maledizione, maledizione, maledizine, maaaaaaaaaaooooon.

[@krystynakamienska8051]

Pietro Spanogli is reliable❤

[@save312]

Che succede alla Pirozzi nella Vergine degli Angeli😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@santi7616]

è meravigliosa ❤

[@kaiserjager2754]

Melitone pure e terribile

[@santi7616]

melitone è senzacionale 😊

[@ihaszhasz762]

Opera vision jest dla mnie niestrawna. Wygląda na to, że na coś się silą, na coś oryginalnego. Niestety talentu inscenizacyjnego zabrakło. Co ja oglądam ? Czarny ekran i figurki ledwo oświetlone. Rembrandtowi to wychodziło, ale tutaj, marne naśladowanie ! Zupełnie bez polotu. Opera jest widowiskiem !!! A co ja widzę ? Nic. To już wolę płytowe nagrania.

[@oberon481]

It's a very dark story.

[@MattBaker789]

What happened to the overture?

[@mitus64]

Minute 23

[@Mario-w1v5z]

Hanno eseguito il preludio della versione di San Pietroburgo del 1862...l'opera in quella versione non prevedeva ouverture ma un preludio d'introduzione

[@santi7616]

the ouverture is played at the beginning of the second act

[@EricTotti]

Spagnoli is terrible. It's incredible that with his ugly tenor voice, he was able to make a career as a bass baritone. The tenor is also pretty bad with awful diction.

[@santi7616]

I disagree , they are great singers

[@djgualtiermaldeCO]

no sinfonía?

[@santi7616]

is played at the end of act one

[@gd681]

Ma la sinfonia?

[@giovanni7207]

Infatti boh! No sinfonia? Vedrò poi gli altri atti magari l’ha fatta prima o dopo uno di questi…ma se fosse vero che non c’è, perché?

[@giovanni7207]

Infatti l’ha fatta prima del II atto

[@giovanni7207]

Poi perché?

[@gd681]

@@giovanni7207 è una vecchia tradizione se non erro. L'atto I per la sua brevità viene inteso come un prologo e dunque la sinfonia si fa dopo di esso

[@giovanni7207]

@ grazie mille. Si è comprensibile però se Verdi l’ha messo prima…

[@jeanottoto2518]

Forza très moyenne il y 44 ans c'était Caballe , Carreras , Manuguerra et il n'y a pas photo !

[@sonate10]

Сказав несколько хвалебных слов, замечу все же, что Анне не мешало бы похудеть, на нее страшно смотреть. А Дон Альваро, между прочим, - индеец, так что не может у него быть ни усов, ни бороды. Во всяком случае, не таких пышных.

[@heinrichkruger551meistermaier]

Anna Netrebko singt in der Scala.

[@sonate10]

@@heinrichkruger551meistermaier Excuse me, what has Anna Netrebko singing in La Scala to do with it? I’m talking about Anna Pirozzi here. I saw her in Arena di Verona as Turandot in 2018, and she was ok (I mean her weight, her singing was wonderful). Now she will have health issues if she doesn’t do something with it.

[@sofiavishnevskaja2491]

Анна великолепная певица , но образ ,внешние данные , увы далеки от юной влюбленной Леоноры

[@alejandrotm]

@@sofiavishnevskaja2491 that is a common ocurrence in opera, most characters are written so they cannot be sung by someone of the same age, and Anna Pirozzi is not the first to look older than the young heroine, but so is Brian Jagde, about 20 years older than the age Don Álvaro is supposed to be, and yet, they deliver beautifully.

[@santi7616]

​@@alejandrotmthat's right ❤

[@tonio7367]

I did find the production lighting very poor in general.