Verdi - I Lombardi / Anderson, Leech, Pavarotti, Ramey; Levine

I Lombardi, composed on the heels of the big hit Nabucco, has some earmarks of a sequel. Both operas tell a tale of sibling rivalry in the ruling class (sisters in Nabucco, brothers in Lombardi). Both are epic stories of religious-ethnic conflict in the Middle East (in this case, the First Crusade) in which Jerusalem is captured and the chorus plays a prominent role. There is even a chorus, "O Signore," that sounds like an imitation of "Va, pensiero." Like many sequels, it is not quite up to its predecessor, though it has some magnificent moments. James Levine has assembled a first-class cast, he conducts with the energy that this opera demands, and his chorus and orchestra are equal to all its challenges. --Joe McLellan