A witches’ prophecy, and fierce ambition, lead Macbeth and his wife to commit ruthless acts of violence against their family and friends, until they are both driven mad with the guilt and consequences of their actions. In Verdi’s retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the drama of Macbeth’s ruthless ambition is heightened by the addition of Verdi’s intense vocal writing, and vast choruses. Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness, in her famous sleepwalking scene, is considered one of the most sublime moments in all of Verdi’s operas.
Macbeth guide sections
