Within this lesser known opera of the great Verdi, Pope St. Leo the Great is portrayed in his famous confrontation of barbarian invader Attila the Hun outside the gates of Rome. Attila, here masterfully played by Samuel Ramey, anticipates this confrontation. Attila wakes from his sleep and relates a disturbing dream to his servant in which an old man (who will turn out to be Pope St. Leo the Great) confronts him and orders him to stop his attack on the holy ground of Rome. This is of course fully appreciated, and appreciable, only by actual Catholics.

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