Giuseppe Verdi

Abstract The theme of the “Lacrimosa” first appears in 1866 in the duet “Qui me tendrce mort” in Don Carlos, and is thus the earliest part of the Requiem. The “Libera me” was written in different form in 1869 as part of a composite Requiem for Rossini. In April 1873, Verdi decided to expand this into a full Requiem of his own. He completed the “Requiem aeternam” and “Dies irae” in March 1874, using music from the earlier “Libera me.” On 9 April 1874 he sent the Sanctus, Agnus Dei, “Lux aeterna,” and the revised “Libera me” to his publisher, and he was done with the Offertorio on 15 April, thus completing the score. Verdi himself conducted the first performance, which took place at Saint Mark’s, Milan, on 22 May 1874. Chorus and orchestra were specially assembled for the occasion, and the soloists were Teresa Stolz, Maria Waldmann, Giuseppe Capponi, and Ormondo Maini. By February 1875, Verdi had written a new “Liber scriptus,” and the Requiem was first heard in its new and final version in the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 15 May 1875. Again Verdi conducted and Stolz and Waldmann sang, but this time the tenor and bass soloists were Angelo Masini and Paolo Medini.