ABBADO, Claudio: In Rehearsal (PAL)

During the Rehearsal of Verdis Missa da Requiem

Recorded at the church of San Marco 1985
Choir and Orchestra of the Scala di Milano, A Film by Norbert Beilharz

Running Time: 119 min
Recording Date: 1985
Menu languages: PAL GB, D, F, SP NTSC GB, F, SP,
Subtitle languages: PAL GB, F, SP, D NTSC GB, F, SP
Picture Format: 4:3
Sound Format: PCM mono
Region Code: PAL 0 NTSC 1, 3 - 8 (not available for Japan!)
Sel. No. PAL 101 124 NTSC 101 125

In this Rehearsal programme Claudio Abbado, internationally acclaimed as one of the finest conductors of the day, is seen working on Giuseppe Verdi¡¦s Requiem. Recorded in the Church of San Marco in Milan, the venue of the world premiere of the Requiem, this documentary gives a fascinating insight into Abbado¡¦s rehearsal methods, featuring orchestra and chorus of La Scala Milan, Monserrat Caballe and others.

The film shows rehearsals for this grandiose musical creation taking place in three different locations: at the Chiesa di San Marco in Milan with some or all of the soloists, choir and orchestra; on the main stage at Teatro alla Scala with the orchestra on its own; and, thirdly, in one of the rehearsal rooms of the opera house, in some cases with different singers who were involved in a second performance. The result is an opportunity to directly compare the performances of two sopranos and two tenors. The soloists are Montserrat Caballe and Cecilia Gasdia (sopranos), Lucia Valentini-Terrani (mezzo-soprano), Peter Dvorsky and Chris Merritt (tenors) and Samuel Ramey (bass), accompanied by the choir and orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, and conducted by their director at the time, Claudio Abbado.