The Comeback
Kate Molleson explores the opera that rescued Verdi's career and transformed Italian opera.
Having vowed never to compose again, Verdi seems destined to disappear from musical history. Instead, an unexpected encounter with the libretto for Nabucco rekindles his creative spark. Kate Molleson traces one of music's great comebacks, from personal despair to sensational success at La Scala. As Verdi embraces ever more daring subjects, clashes with censors and challenges operatic convention, a powerful new voice emerges in Italian music.
Attila: Prelude
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, conductor
Un giorno di regno: "Pietoso al lungo pianto"
Juan Diego Fl贸rez, tenor
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi
Carlo Rizzi, conductor
Nabucco: Sinfonia and "Gli arredi festivi"
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Philharmonia Orchestra
Riccardo Muti, conductor
Ernani: Act I scenes
Sylvia Sass, soprano
Hungarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra
Lamberto Gardelli, conductor
Macbeth: Prelude and Act I scenes
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Ambrosian Singers
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone
Nicolai Ghiaurov, bass
Lamberto Gardelli, conductor
Produced by Ellie Ajao for 麻豆社 Audio Wales
On radio
Broadcast
- Wed 21 Oct 2026 16:00麻豆社 Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.