A debut in Verdi’s opera Attila

Scene from the opera Attila

As is the case with many of Verdi’s operas, his ninth opera Attila is imbued with the spirit of Risorgimento, the national liberation movement of the Italian people against foreign rule and for the unification of trampled Italy. The plot, which tells of the struggle of Aquileia, one of the last remaining strongholds of once eternal Rome, against the barbarian hordes of Attila, King of the Huns, received an enthusiastic reception from the audience present at the premiere at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice. The phrase of Aëtius the “last Roman” in the duet with Attila “Avrai tu l’universo, resti l’Italia” (“You may have the universe, but leave Italy to me”) produced a storm of emotions in the auditorium – “Give us Italy, Give us Italy!”

The role of Foresto will be Khachatur Badalyan’s third major undertaking in the Verdi repertoire at the Mariinsky Theatre, the soloist having previously sung the tenor role in a stage version of the Requiem and as Cassio in Otello. Having made his Mariinsky Theatre debut in early 2012 as Hoffmann in Jacques Offenbach’s opera Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Badalyan has justified the lofty praise of critics, who have consistently commented on the “dazzling vocals, superlative style and refined technique” (Itogi) of this highly promising singer who has performed lead roles in the tenor repertoire at famed theatres throughout the world to great acclaim.