La forza del destino (sinfonia)

La Forza del Destino is a liric opera in four acts, libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro or the fuerza del sino (1835). The première took place at the Imperial Theater of St. Petersburg in 1862. The second version made its debut at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1869 for which Verdi as well as a new finale and several changes, added the superb and famous Symphony that opens the opera and contains Verdi’s first great leitmotiv. Verdi composed it with the intent that it could be performed not only as a prelude to the work, but also as a stand-alone piece. It soon became frequently used in concert performances. The version I propose is for 3 Bb clarinets and bass clarinet.