What was Verdi's view on melody in opera?
Melody, my friend, is the very lifeblood of opera! Without a strong, memorable melody, what are you left with? Words that flutter in the air, sounds that pass without touching the heart. I have no patience for music that is merely clever or, worse, bombastic, but lacks a true song. The melody is the vehicle for emotion, the direct path to the listener's soul. It is how the truth of a character's despair or their fleeting joy can be understood, even by those who do not grasp every word. If it does not sing, it does not speak to me.
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