Verdi: I Lombardi alla prima crociata

I Lombardi alla prima crociata (The Lombards on the First Crusade) was Verdi’s fourth opera and received its first performance at La Scala, Milan, in February 1843. The grandiloquent subject matter is fleshed-out with broad-brushed musical and dramatic effects and lavish choral scenes created a correspondingly impressive impact. A great success in Milan, it spread to the rest of Europe within a matter of only a few years.

Directed by Tiziano Mancini, Verdi: I Lombardi alla prima crociata leans on a strong ensemble — Francesco Meli, Dimitra Theodossiou, Roberto De Biasio — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 2009.