Verdi’s commitment to the human voice does not mean that the orchestra was unimportant to him. Instead it plays a much richer role in his operas than in those of any earlier Italian composer of operas. This was all but inevitable in the orchestra-intoxicated nineteenth century.

The role of the orchestra was especially expanded in passages of recitative or near recitative — the relic or descendant of the recitatives of Baroque opera seria and Classical opera buffa. Italian opera still held roughly to the old division of declamation (recitative) for the action and dialogue portions of an opera, and melody (arias) for reflective, emotional expression. (Ensembles encompassed both.) But plot action and dialogue were now always accompanied by the full orchestra. Nowhere in Verdi will you hear passages of the old recitative of Mozart, accompanied by harpsichord alone. The orchestra, also, is usually not restricted to the simple chords that were normal in earlier recitative styles; it plays more active, motivic, and excited music that points up the words and urges the singers on.

Recitative is no longer a satisfactory name for this action music in Verdi’s operas, though no other name exists. Highly melodramatic, it is always on the point of merging into a full-fledged melodic style. What distinguishes this music from actual arias is that arias are formally complete and distinct. Unlike passages of Verdian recitative, Verdian arias can be (and often are) extracted and sung separately, as concert numbers.

In arias and duets, the orchestra’s role is smaller; here, however, Verdi uses another Romantic resource, that of rich harmonies underpinning melodic high points and climaxes. Many — though by no means all — of Verdi’s arias might be described as simple strophic songs in his own exuberant style of Romantic melody. Some of his most famous music consists of timeless tunes such as the choral hymn “Va pensiero” from Nabucco, the soprano aria “Addio, del passato” from La traviata, and the tenor aria “Celeste Aida” from Aida.