Verdi’s La Forza del Destino for double bass and piano

In their latest video, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra double bassist Théotime Voisin and pianist Maurice van Schoonhoven present an arrangement of the overture from Verdi’s La Forza del Destino.

The video follows the pair’s recent creative projects, including Spicy Odyssey - a poetic adventure for double bass and piano, and their Bottesini2021 project to record the complete works for double bass and piano during Bottesini’s bicentennary year.

What made Théotime decide the arrange the work? One day while listening to the overture, it occurred to him how incredible it would sound on double bass and piano. ’This idea, I believe, came as a natural continuation of my journey recording Giovanni Bottesini’s complete works,’ Théotime told The Strad.

’Bottesini’s fantasias on Bellini’s operas greatly influenced my approach, teaching me how to translate the drama and lyricism of opera into the language of the double bass. With these insights, I set out to create an arrangement that not only highlights the instrument’s melodic capabilities but also explores its full range, from soaring high notes to the deep resonance of its bass lines. The large tessiture of the double bass can then blend together with the piano to capture the orchestral scope of this overture.

’My goal was to honour Bottesini’s Bel Canto tradition on our instrument while celebrating the brilliance of Verdi’s composition, creating a complete and fulfilling piece for our duo repertoire.’

The opera La Forza del Destino has gained a reputation for being cursed, after some unfortunate incidents. In 1960 at the Metropolitan Opera, the noted baritone Leonard Warren collapsed and died during a performance of the opera. The supposed curse allegedly prevented Luciano Pavarotti from ever performing the opera, and the tenor Franco Corelli used to follow small rituals during performances to avoid bad luck.

We hope you don’t suffer from any bad luck listening to Théotime and Maurice’s lovely recording!

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