I Masnadieri by Verdi. 21 Nov-5 Dec 2003. Conducted by Daniele Gatti, directed by Elijah Moshinsky, with Fiorenza Cedolins, Susan Neves, Fabio Sartori, Giacomo Prestia, Roberto Frontali. The Teatro Comunale of Bologna is opening its opera season with I Masnadieri (The Highwaymen) by Giuseppe Verdi, 21 Nov-2 Dec. The opera was first performed in London in 1847, in the presence of Queen Victoria. Despite its initial success, it isnt really very popular nowadays. This is probably because the libretto by Andrea Maffei lacks real dramatic unity. However, the weaknesses of the libretto are more than made up for by excellent musical passages, such as the prelude and the quartet at the end of the first act. In Bologna, it will be up to conductor Daniele Gatti and singers Fiorenza Cedolins, Fabio Sartori, Roberto Frontali and Giacomo Prestia to do justice to Verdis music.