“Requiem” by Giuseppe Verdi and Alessandro Manzoni’s novel “The Betrothed”: Figurative and Dramatic Parallels

Abstract

~ ~ ~ paper is devoted to one of most famous works by Giuseppe Verdi - Requiem. author traces history of its creation, associated with death of Alessandro Manzoni, renowned writer of Risorgimento era, whose novel The Betrothed became a milestone in history of Italian literature and made a huge impression on young G. Verdi. In this connection, authors of paper for first time ever in Russian musicology put forward and justify idea that Manzoni's novel images are close to Verdi's requiem mass, by presenting analytical observations of literary and musical works. Dramatic composition of novel and Requiem is based on interaction of several image lines: lyrical-psychological, heroic-patriotic and religious. In addition, historical parallels are found between time of novel, and era when the maestro of Italian revolution lived. authors also explained reasons for which in 19th century it became possible for related arts to penetrate into spiritual composition.