Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi was born on the 9th of October 1813 in a small village called Le Roncole. His parents Carlo and Luigia ran an inn there while he learned to play the organ at age four. By eight years old, the boy had become the official paid organist for his local church. He attended school in Busseto starting in 1823 under Don Pietro Seletti. At eleven, Verdi studied Latin, Italian, and rhetoric alongside music lessons from Ferdinando Provesi. Provesi taught him until 1829 when he declared no more could be taught. A wealthy grocer named Antonio Barezzi became his patron and later father-in-law. Barezzi arranged for Verdi to study with a Milanese teacher named Felice Lavigna. The young composer wrote hundreds of pieces including marches, sinfonie, concertos, and cantatas between ages thirteen and eighteen. One early work titled I deliri di Saul won praise from both Demaldè and Barezzi. Verdi applied unsuccessfully to study at the Conservatory in Milan before finding private instruction.
Verdi's first opera Oberto premiered in November 1839 after being reworked by librettist Temistocle Solera. It received thirteen additional performances following its initial showing. His second opera Un giorno di regno failed miserably with only one performance. Margherita Barezzi died of encephalitis at age twenty-six while Verdi was composing this comedy. He vowed never to write again but changed his mind after impresario Merelli persuaded him otherwise. Nabucodonosor opened on the 9th of March 1842 under the title Nabucco. The chorus Va pensiero became an instant sensation during its run of fifty-seven performances at La Scala. Within three years the opera reached Vienna Lisbon Barcelona Berlin Paris and Hamburg. By 1848 it had been heard in New York and Buenos Aires by 1850. Verdi settled in Milan making influential acquaintances including Countess Clara Maffei who became a lifelong friend. He paid close attention to financial contracts ensuring appropriate remuneration as popularity grew. In 1844 he purchased Il Pulgaro farm near Busseto providing a home for his parents. Later that year he bought Palazzo Cavalli on Busseto's main street.
Rigoletto premiered in Venice in March 1851 based on Victor Hugo's play Le roi s'amuse. It marked the first of three operas cementing his reputation alongside Il trovatore and La traviata both from 1853. Censors objected to Rigoletto's murder of royalty and sordid attributes so Verdi substituted a Duke for the King. He excluded the melody of La donna è mobile from orchestral rehearsals rehearsing the tenor separately instead. The public response vindicated the composer across Italy and Europe. Il trovatore was the first opera he wrote without a specific commission apart from Oberto. La traviata premiered in March 1853 but failed due to singers' lack of confidence and management insisting on historical settings rather than contemporary ones. Subsequent productions throughout Europe over two years fully vindicated the composer again. Verdi moved into Sant'Agata with Strepponi on the 1st of May 1851. He had sufficient earnings by then to retire if he wished developing operas as he chose independently. In January 1851 he broke off relations with his parents who were ordered to leave Sant'Agata.
Verdi began taking active interest in Italian politics in 1859 after achieving fame and prosperity. His early commitment to the Risorgimento movement remains difficult to estimate accurately according to music historian Philip Gossett. An example is the claim that when Va pensiero chorus was sung in Milan audiences demanded an encore despite government prohibitions. In fact the piece encored was not Va pensiero but the hymn Immenso Jehova. The growth of identification between Verdi's music and nationalist politics perhaps began in the 1840s. Nationalist leader Giuseppe Mazzini requested Verdi write a patriotic hymn which Verdi complied with in 1848. Charles Osborne describes La battaglia di Legnano as an opera with purpose given to the movement its own work. It was not until 1859 in Naples spreading throughout Italy that slogan Viva Verdi became used as acronym for Viva Vittorio Emanuele Re D'Italia referring to Victor Emmanuel II king of Sardinia. After Italy unified in 1861 many early operas reinterpreted as Risorgimento works with hidden revolutionary messages possibly never intended by composer or librettists. Verdi elected member new provincial council appointed head group meeting King Vittorio Emanuele II Turin.
Verdi spent much of 1872 and 1873 supervising Italian productions of Aida at Milan Parma and Naples effectively acting producer demanding high standards adequate rehearsal time. During rehearsals for Naples production he wrote String Quartet only chamber music surviving him only major work form Italian 19th century. In 1869 asked compose section Requiem mass memory Rossini compiled completed requiem performance abandoned premiere took place 1988. Five years later Verdi reworked Libera Me section Rossini Requiem made part his Requiem honouring Alessandro Manzoni died 1873. Complete Requiem first performed cathedral Milan anniversary Manzoni's death the 22nd of May 1874. Spinto soprano Teresa Stolz soloist first many later performances February 1872 created Aida European premiere Milan became closely associated personally Verdi Giuseppina Verdi initial disquiet women reconciled Stolz remained companion after Giuseppina's death 1897 until own death. Otello triumphantly premiered La Scala February 1887 following success Boito proposed privately 1879. Falstaff first performance La Scala the 9th of February 1893 official ticket prices thirty times higher usual Royalty aristocracy critics leading figures arts Europe present huge success numbers encored applause lasted hour.
Verdi and Strepponi married Collonges-sous-Salève village Piedmont the 29th of August 1859 witnesses coachman church bell ringer only. He began remodel Sant'Agata taking most 1860 complete continued work next twenty years including major work square room became workroom bedroom office. In months following Ballo staging approached several opera companies seeking new work making offers existing ones refused all. December 1860 approach made Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatre offer francs plus expenses doubtless strong incentive. Verdis arrived Saint Petersburg December 1861 premiere casting problems meant postponed returning via Paris the 24th of February 1862 met two young Italian writers Arrigo Boito Franco Faccio. Verdi invited write piece music 1862 International Exhibition London charged Boito writing text became Inno delle nazioni. Saint Petersburg premiere La forza finally took place September 1862 received Order St Stanislaus. Revival Macbeth Paris 1865 not success obtained commission new work Don Carlos based play Friedrich Schiller. Giuseppina spent late 1866 much 1867 Paris heard Giacomo Meyerbeer's last opera L'Africaine Richard Wagner overture Tannhäuser.
Verdi died the 27th of January 1901 age eighty-seven after suffering stroke the 21st of January 1901 gradually grew feeble week Stolz cared him. Initially buried private ceremony Milan Cimitero Monumentale month later body moved crypt Casa di Riposo. Va pensiero from Nabucco conducted Arturo Toscanini chorus 820 singers huge crowd attendance estimated thousands. Boito wrote friend words recall mysterious final scene Don Carlos sleeps like King Spain Escurial under bronze slab completely covers him. By death 55 years later reputation assured 1910 edition Grove Dictionary pronounced greatest popular opera composers nineteenth century. New York Metropolitan Opera frequently staged Rigoletto Trovatore Traviata period featured Aida every season 1898 to 1945. Interest operas reawakened mid-1920s Germany sparked revival England elsewhere. From 1930s onward began appear scholarly biographies publications documentation correspondence. 1959 Instituto Studi Verdiani founded Parma became leading centre research publication Verdi studies. American Institute Verdi Studies founded New York University 1970s. Bicentenary birth widely celebrated world television radio broadcasts live performances 2013.
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Common questions
When was Giuseppe Verdi born and where did he grow up?
Giuseppe Verdi was born on the 9th of October 1813 in a small village called Le Roncole. His parents Carlo and Luigia ran an inn there while he learned to play the organ at age four.
What were the dates for the premiere of Nabucco and its impact on his career?
Nabucodonosor opened on the 9th of March 1842 under the title Nabucco. The chorus Va pensiero became an instant sensation during its run of fifty-seven performances at La Scala and reached cities like Vienna Lisbon Barcelona Berlin Paris and Hamburg within three years.
Which operas cemented Giuseppe Verdi's reputation alongside Rigoletto?
Rigoletto marked the first of three operas cementing his reputation alongside Il trovatore and La traviata both from 1853. La traviata premiered in March 1853 but failed due to singers' lack of confidence and management insisting on historical settings rather than contemporary ones.
How did Giuseppe Verdi contribute to Italian politics during the Risorgimento movement?
Verdi began taking active interest in Italian politics in 1859 after achieving fame and prosperity. Nationalist leader Giuseppe Mazzini requested Verdi write a patriotic hymn which Verdi complied with in 1848 and the slogan Viva Verdi became used as acronym for Viva Vittorio Emanuele Re D'Italia referring to Victor Emmanuel II king of Sardinia.
When was the complete Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi first performed and who were the soloists?
Complete Requiem first performed cathedral Milan anniversary Manzoni's death the 22nd of May 1874. Spinto soprano Teresa Stolz soloist first many later performances February 1872 created Aida European premiere Milan became closely associated personally Verdi Giuseppina Verdi initial disquiet women reconciled Stolz remained companion after Giuseppina's death 1897 until own death.