The Festival Verdi will showcase Verdi’s “Attila” in two concert performances.

Riccardo Frizza, who received acclaim for his direction of “Simon Boccanegra” in 2022, will return to conduct. He will lead a cast featuring Giorgi Manoshvili as Attila, George Petean as Ezio, Marta Torbidoni as Odabella, and Luciano Ganci as Foresto.

Frizza will conduct the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini alongside the Teatro Regio di Parma Chorus.

In a statement, Frizza expressed his fascination with “Attila,” noting, “Like other early works by Verdi, this opera has always intrigued me. While it’s considered a ‘patriotic opera,’ a deeper analysis reveals some skepticism about the composer’s patriotism. From the beginning, it was met with mixed feelings and was often undervalued, performed infrequently until it was recently recognized as worthy of opening opera seasons. It embodies the essence of a Venetian opera, steeped in the legend of the city’s origins, set in the ‘Rio-Alto, in the Adriatic Lagoons.’ Orchestrally, ‘Attila’ adheres to tradition with a moderately sized orchestra, yet it’s also innovative. For example, the use of color for expressive purposes is notable, particularly in the storm scenes and the imagery of the sun rising over the lagoon with boats gently swaying on the waves. In ‘Attila,’ Verdi showcased his ability to depart from operatic conventions when they didn’t align with the dramatic narrative, seeking fresh ideas and inspiration even beyond Italy.”

The performances of “Attila” are scheduled for October 3 and 11, 2024, at the Teatro Magnani in Fidenza.