Following Ivan Repušić's 2017 performance of Verdi's Luisa Miller, his debut as principal conductor of the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, the conductor’s successful cycle of early Verdi masterpieces now continues with the rarely performed opera, Attila. In this 2019 recording of the concert performance from the Prinzregententheater, outstanding performers, above all Ildebrando D'Arcangelo in the title role and Liudmyla Monastyrska as Odabella, provide authentic fluidity and vocal splendour.

Like its predecessors, Nabucco and I Lombardi, Verdi's early masterpiece Attila is a choral opera and gained an enthusiastic reception from the Italian unification movement: its themes reflected the aspirations of the Risorgimento in the restless Italy of that time. The line “Avrai tu l'universo, resti l'Italia a me” (“You may have the universe, but let Italy remain mine”) was enthusiastically received and helped to pave the way for opera on the Italian and greater European stage. Outside the country, of course, it failed to make a lasting impression – probably also due to the extremely difficult role of Odabella.

This concert performance of the opera (in the original Italian) at Munich’s Prinzregententheater got the whole audience cheering, and received a similarly enthusiastic reception from the critics. “A feast of song” was mentioned several times, and vocal quality and the fine performances by Ildebrando D'Arcangelo and Liudmyla Monastyrska came in for special praise. The Bavarian Radio Chorus, said the critics, clearly conveyed its joy at the theatrical effect of the work, and the dramatic and dramaturgical context was delivered with great success by conductor Ivan Repušić and the Münchner Rundfunkorchester. This Attila is genuine theatrical Verdi: vital, powerful, passionate and full of life.

- Attila: Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (bass)

- Odabella: Liudmyla Monastyrska (soprano)

- Foresto: Stefano La Colla (tenor)

- Uldino: Stefan Sbonnik (tenor)

- Ezio: George Petean (baritone)

- Leone: Gabriel Rollinson (bass)