Seeing La Forza del Destino in Barcelona on November 9th was a night to remember, marking the first of several productions of this Verdi masterpiece I’ll be fortunate enough to experience in the coming months. With Teatro Alla Scala choosing La Forza to open their season soon and the Opéra de Lyon staging it before Easter, it’s a true pleasure to immerse myself in this opera multiple times. La Forza is one of those Verdi gems that’s a thrill from start to finish — packed with magnificent arias and moments of pure, cinematic drama between three powerful lead roles.

The cast here in Barcelona delivered beautifully, and there was a palpable energy on stage. Anna Pirozzi, whom I recently saw give a stellar performance in Andrea Chénier in Lyon, brought her A-game once again. Her portrayal of Donna Leonora had the audience spellbound, and it’s no wonder she received a well-deserved standing ovation. She’s truly the queen of tragedy, bringing depth and fire to every note. Sharing the stage with her was the phenomenal Brian Jagde, an American tenor I admire for his passionate performances as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca and Don José in Carmen. Tackling Don Alvaro in Forza feels like a perfect evolution for him, and he delivered on every count. I only hope he’ll tackle Verdi’s Otello or Don Carlo someday — it’s exciting to think about what he could bring to those monumental roles!

Artur Ruciński was excellent as Don Carlo di Vargas, once again proving why he’s one of the most reliable baritones in the Verdi repertoire. His performance brought to mind the chills I got from his Don Carlo in Monte Carlo last year. Joyce El-Khoury says he is one of my best baritones at the moment with whom she is sung, and after hearing his role in Don Carlo, and now in La Forza… I absolutely want one day soon, to hear him sing Jago in the opera Otello, I would love to see him in this role!

The musical direction was performed by Nicola Luisotti, an Italian conductor specialized in Verdian drama. He played without doubt the most beautiful overture of the Forza Del Destino that I have heard live in my life. Even if the orchestra sometimes had trouble keeping up with the frantic pace of Giuseppe’s music, it remained very faithful to the libretto.
What a surprise when I heard that the overture was played at the end of Act 1!

And then above all… a little word about our friend Pietro Spagnoli, one of my favorite guys at the opera who I’m more used to seeing in Rossini and funny roles (viva Mustafa!!), it’s crazy how with a second-rate role he manages to bring the light to himself and he manages to bring the character to life, bravo Pietro!

And… A very special mention for the talented (and beautiful) Caterina Piva who plays a magnificent Preziosilla, an excellent actress on stage, I look forward to seeing her again in the future!

As a bonus to this incredible evening, I had the opportunity to meet Brian Jagde for an interview for “Dad’or’Ma.” Our conversation will be posted on Opera Diary on Instagram in the coming days — a highlight for me as a fan and interviewer!

On this warm 18-degree night in Barcelona, the atmosphere was perfect for such an emotionally intense opera. The music, the choirs, the heartbreak, and Verdi’s powerful melodies were all incredibly moving. It’s a testament to the genius of Verdi that, even after seeing this opera multiple times, the energy, tragedy, and beauty of La Forza del Destino never fade..

More… more… more than never… VIVA VERDI !

Cast:

Il Marchese di Calatrava – Giacomo Prestia
Donna Leonora – Anna Pirozzi
Don Carlo Di Vargas – Artur Ruciński
Don Alvaro – Brian Jagde
Preziosilla – Piva Caterina
Padre Guardiano – John Relya
Fra Melitone – Pietro Spagnoli
Curra – Laura Vila
Trabuco – Moisés Marín
Mayor – Dimitar Darlev
Mayor – Plamen Papazikov
Surgeon – Domingo Ramos
Surgeon – Lucas Groppo