Verdi: I masnadieri

In Milan and Como during the month of May 1176. Milanese soldiers defend the city under the command of Rolando. He is reunited with Arrigo, his friend from Verona, who had been presumed dead in battle. Arrigo also meets Lida, his former fiancée, who, at her father’s behest, has married Rolando. Meanwhile, Rolando, who is preparing to leave for battle, is approached by Marcovaldo, a German prisoner of war, who hands him a letter from Lida for Arrigo. Rolando’s anger turns to a desire for revenge. Catching Lida and Arrigo in the middle of a conversation, he has his “rival” imprisoned in a tower. “La battaglia di Legnano” (The Battle of Legnano) is a four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi with a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome on January 27, 1849. From the “Tutto Verdi” box set of 27 Verdi operas. Recorded live at the Teatro Lirico “Giuseppe Verdi” in Trieste on February 23 and 29 and March 2, 2012.

Directed by Gabriele Lavia, Annalisa Buttò, Verdi: I masnadieri leans on a strong ensemble — Giacomo Prestia, Aquiles Machado, Artur Ruciński — 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 2012.