Verdi, Giuseppe

in which he reports his disappointment at hearing Boito's Mefistofele at La Scala, since he had always been told that Boito's 'Prologue', set in Heaven, was very beautiful, whereas he himself found that the dissonant harmonies of the piece led him to feel rather that he was in Hell  (...l'altra sera sono stato al Mefistofele ed ho capito tuttl di traverso; per es: m'avevano sempre detto che il Prologo in cielo era bellissimo...ed io sentendo che le armonie appoggiavano sempre sulle dissonanti, mi pareva di essere nell'Inferno!..."); he declares himself alienated from the new developments in music and responds to reports of the enthusiasm for Goldmark's The Queen of Sheba, by warning that Italian musical identity is being overwhelmed by German influences ("...ora siamo a buon porto, ancora un passo, e saremo germanizzati in questo come in altre cose, anzi in tutte le altre cose..."), explaining that he is not just referring to melody or harmony, which are merely means to an end, but rather to the innate artistic inspiration ("...ti parlo dell'arte che nasce dell'ispirazione, sia melodia o armonia poco importe...")

4 pages, 8vo (c.21 x 13.5cm), apparently unfinished and unsigned, Genoa, 20 March 1879

"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Count Opprandino Arrivabene (1805-1887) was a journalist and editor of the Gazetta di Torino. He was a close confidant of Verdi over many years.  Verdi originally viewed Arrigo Boito as an opponent who had derided his operas publicly, and it was only later that he came to appreciate the man who provided him with the librettos for Otello and Falstaff.  Throughout the 1870s, Verdi had a growing fear that the Italian musical tradition was being overturned by German music in general, and the growth of dissonant harmony inspired by Wagner in particular. This is a draft of the letter published by Alberti in Verdi intimo: carteggio di Giuseppe Verdi con il Conte Opprandino Arrivabene, (1931), pp.226-233.