Verdi, Giuseppe

in French, including three drafts addressed to the impresario of the Paris Opéra, Auguste Vaucorbeil, making preparations for the first Paris Opéra production of Aida: Verdi explains the dramatic qualities needed for the singers, especially for the roles of Amonasro and Amneris, stressing the importance of spirit and passion in addition to the requisite musicianship, recalling the qualities of Maria Waldmann and Francesco Pandolfini: yes they could sing, but they also had "the Devil in the Flesh";  also included is a draft letter to a singer about the production, explaining that Vaucorbeil has chosen the opera and the singers

...J'ai lu le rapport de Regnier et je ne doute pas d'une superbe mise en scena d'Aida a l'opera.  Ce n'est pas la le coté faible de l'opera. ...Quant aux autres artistes, je vous dirai seulement, que pour les rôles d' Amonasro et d' Amneris il faut surtout et avant tout de l'âme, de l'ame, et de l'âme. Rappelez vous de la Waldman et Pandolfini.  Deux chanteurs!... mais aussi ils avaient de Diable au corps!  C'est ce qu'il faut pour ces deux rôles; sans cela pas de succès possible!...



7 pages, in all, 8vo, one leaf dated: Genoa, 4 January 1880, some small tears and creasing

The final version of this letter is published in English in Hans Busch, Verdi's 'Aida': the History of an Opera in Letters and Documents, (1978), p.418. 

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In this series of unpublished drafts, Verdi states his attitude to the singers of the major roles in Aida, emphasizing dramatic as much as musical skills.  The first time that Verdi's grandest opera was performed at the Paris Opéra was on 22 March 1880.  Verdi's requirement of the "Devil in the Flesh" for the role of Amonasro (Aida's father) was amply fulfilled, as the role was sung by Victor Maurel, whom Verdi adjudged "stupendous"; Maurel was later to create the roles of Iago and Falstaff.  This unusual series of drafts was intended for an important, but apparently untraced letter to the director of the Paris Opéra.  Auguste Vaucorbeil (1821-1884) was a composer of operas himself, a friend of Rossini and an enthusiast for Italian opera in general.  In 1879, he had made the pilgrimage to St Agata to secure Verdi's agreement to stage Aida in Paris.