German Requiem 1950Edinburgh International Festival
Read more about the opera Deutsches Requiem
This was the first of three choral concerts delivered by the company from La Scala, Milan on their first visit to Edinburgh. The Requiems of Brahms, Mozart and, of course, Verdi, were given excellent performances under the magnificent conductors Victor De Sabata and Guido Cantelli.
The soloists were just as exalted. It does seem surprising to have the great Bulgarian bass Boris Christoff singing Brahms rather than Verdi, but in his youth he must have coped easily with the baritone range. Victoria de los Angeles was perfect casting for her one solo.
Extract from Festival Preview
The Scotsman, Thursday 6 July (p6):
'Special arrangements have been made to bring the La Scala Orchestra and choir - together numbering between 260 and 270 persons - from Milan to Edinburgh by special train.
'In addition to the performance of the Mozart Requiem on September 8, and the Verdi Requiem on September 9, in the Usher Hall, it has been agreed, at the express wish of Victor de Sabata, and the La Scala management to give a performance of the Brahms Requiem, in the Usher Hall, on September 7, on which occasion the soloists will be Victoria de Los Angeles and Boris Christoff. For the Verdi and the Mozart, the soloists will be the world-famous soprano, Renata Tebaldi; Fedora Barbieri (mezzo-soprano)
