Requiem

About

This concert presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem was integrated into the San Diego Opera's 1977–78 season as a central piece of their summer Verdi Festival. Billed locally as the conclusion to the "Prologue to a Verdi Festival," the event was programmed to showcase a large-scale, quasi-operatic work outside of the company's standard fully staged productions. The performance relied on its musical forces rather than scenic design or directorial staging, bringing together a quartet of vocal soloists, the San Diego Symphonic Chorale, and the company's musical direction under the baton of Antonio Tauriello. By presenting the Requiem in the 2,967-seat San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego Opera utilized its primary venue to accommodate the massive choral and orchestral forces required, underscoring the company's commitment to expanding its repertoire and laying the groundwork for an annual summer festival dedicated to Verdi.