191.—IL TROVATORE.
If the following story of Verdi is true, it speaks better for his discernment as to the popular musical taste than it does for his care for the artistic standard of his works. But it probably should be taken cum grano salis. At any rate, the Verdi of to-day is not the Verdi of "Il Trovatore."
It is related that when Verdi was putting the finishing touches to his "Il Trovatore" he was one day visited by a friend, an able and conscientious musical critic. Verdi played him several portions of the work and asked him his opinion of them. First came the "Anvil Chorus." "What do you think of that?" asked the composer.
"Trash!" laconically answered the critic.
Verdi chuckled to himself and said, "Now look at this, and this, and this," at the same time showing other numbers.
"Rubbish!" came the answer.
Verdi showed his delight at these answers to such a degree that his friend demanded to know what he meant by such conduct, when the master replied:—
"My dear friend, I have been composing a popular opera. In it I resolved to please everybody save the great critics and classicists like you. Had I pleased them I should have pleased no one else. What you say assures me of success. In three months 'Il Trovatore' will be sung, and roared, and whistled, and barrel-organed all over Italy.
And such proved to be the case.