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Verdi is a singer of his era. Opera works of Giuseppe Verdi: a general overview Biography of Giuseppe

Giuseppe was born on October 10, 1813 in the village of Roncole, located near the town of Busseto and 25 kilometers from Parma. Verdi grew up in a poor family, his father was a wine merchant in the town of La Renzole in northern Italy.

An important role in the fate of Giuseppe was played by Antonio Barezzi. He was a merchant, but music occupied a large place in his life.

Barezzi hired Verdi as a clerk and accountant for commercial affairs. Clerical work was boring, but not burdensome; on the other hand, work on the musical part consumed a lot of time: Verdi diligently rewrote the scores and parts, participated in rehearsals, and helped amateur musicians learn the parts.

Among the busset musicians, the leading place was occupied by Ferdinando Provezi, the cathedral organist, conductor of the philharmonic orchestra, composer and theorist. He introduced Verdi to the basics of composition and conductor technique, enriched his musical and theoretical knowledge, helped to improve in playing the organ. Convinced of the great musical talent of the young man, he predicted a brilliant future for him.

Verdi's first composing experiments date back to the time of his studies with Provezi. However, the writing of the young musician was of an amateur nature and added almost nothing to his meager means of subsistence. It was time to go on a more spacious creative road, but for this we still had to learn a lot. So the idea arose of entering the Milan Conservatory - one of the best in Italy. Required for this cash the busset "cash for assistance to the needy" was allocated, on which Barezzi insisted: Verdi received a scholarship of 600 lire for a trip to Milan and conservatory studies (during the first two years). This amount was somewhat replenished by Barezzi from personal funds.

In the late spring of 1832, Verdi arrived in Milan, The largest city northern Italy, the capital of Lombardy. However, Verdi suffered a bitter disappointment: he was flatly refused admission to the conservatory.

When the doors of the Milan Conservatory slammed shut on Verdi, his first concern was to find a knowledgeable and experienced teacher among the city's musicians. From the persons recommended to him, he chose the composer Vincenzo Lavigna. He willingly agreed to study with Verdi and the first thing he did for him was to provide the opportunity to attend the performances of La Scala for free.

Many performances were held with the participation of the best artistic forces of the country. It is not difficult to imagine with what delight the young Verdi listened to famous singers and singers. He also attended other Milan theaters, as well as rehearsals and concerts of the Philharmonic Society.

Once the Society decided to perform the oratorio "Creation of the World" by the great Austrian composer Joseph Haydn. But it so happened that none of the conductors showed up for the rehearsal, and all the performers were in their places and expressed impatience. Then the head of the Society, P. Mazini, turned to Verdi, who was in the hall, with a request to help out of an awkward situation. What followed next - the composer himself tells in his autobiography.

“I quickly went to the piano and started rehearsing. I remember very well the ironic mockery with which I was greeted... My young face, my skinny appearance, my poor clothes - all this inspired little respect. But be that as it may, the rehearsal continued, and I myself was gradually inspired. I no longer limited myself to accompaniment, but began to conduct with my right hand, playing with my left. When the rehearsal was over, I received compliments from all sides... As a result of this incident, I was entrusted with conducting the Haydn concerto. The first public performance was such a success that it was immediately necessary to organize a repetition in the large hall of the noble club, which was attended by ... all the high society of Milan.

So for the first time Verdi was noticed in musical Milan. One count even commissioned him a cantata for his family celebration. Verdi fulfilled the order, but "His Excellency" did not reward the composer with a single lyre.

But then came the long-awaited and joyful moment in the life of the young composer: he received an order for an opera - the first opera! This order was made by Mazini, who not only led the Philharmonic Society, but was also the director of the so-called Philodramatic Theater. The libretto by A. Piazza, substantially revised by the librettist F. Soler, formed the basis of Verdi's first opera Oberto. True, the order for the opera was not completed as soon as desired ...

The years of study in Milan ended. It's time to go back to Busseto and work off the town scholarship. Shortly after his return, Verdi was approved as the conductor of the city commune ... Verdi devoted much time to leading Philharmonic Orchestra and activities with his musicians.

In the spring of 1836, Verdi married Margherita Barezzi, solemnly celebrated by the Busset Philharmonic Society. Soon Verdi became a father: in March 1837, the daughter of Virginia, and in July 1838, the son of Ichilyao.

During the years 1835-1838, Verdi composed a huge number of works of small form - marches (up to 100!), Dances, songs, romances, choirs and others.

His main creative forces were concentrated on the opera Oberto. The composer was so eager to see his opera on stage that, having finished the score, he rewrote all the vocal and orchestral parts with his own hand. Meanwhile, the term of the contract with the Busset commune was coming to an end. In Busseto, where there was no permanent opera house, the composer could no longer stay. Having moved with his family to Milan, Verdi began energetic efforts to stage Oberto. By this time, Masini, who commissioned the opera, was no longer the director of the Philodramatic Theater, and Lavigna, who could have been very useful, had died.

Invaluable assistance in this regard was provided by Mazini, who believed in the talent and great future of Verdi. He enlisted the support of influential people. The premiere was scheduled for the spring of 1839, but due to the illness of one of the leading performers, it was postponed to late autumn. During this time, the libretto and music were partially revised.

The premiere of "Oberto" took place on November 17, 1839 and was a great success. This was largely facilitated by the brilliant performing staff of the play.

The opera was a success - not only in Milan, but also in Turin, Genoa and Naples, where it was soon staged. But these years turn out to be tragic for Verdi: he loses his daughter, son and beloved wife one after another. “I was alone! One! .. - wrote Verdi. - And in the midst of these terrible torments, I had to finish comic opera". It is not surprising that The King for an Hour failed the composer. The performance was booed. The collapse of his personal life and the failure of the opera struck Verdi. He didn't want to write anymore.

But one winter evening, wandering aimlessly through the streets of Milan, Verdi met Merelli. After talking with the composer, Merelli brought him to the theater and almost forcibly handed him a handwritten libretto for the new opera Nebuchadnezzar. “Here is the libretto of Soler! Merelli said. “Think about what can be done with such a wonderful material. Take it and read it ... and you can return it back ... "

Although Verdi certainly liked the libretto, he returned it to Merelli. But he did not want to hear about the refusal and, putting the libretto into the composer's pocket, unceremoniously pushed it out of the office and locked himself.

“What was to be done? Verdi recalled. - I returned home with Nabucco in my pocket. Today - one stanza, tomorrow - another; here - one note, there - a whole phrase - so little by little the whole opera arose.

But, of course, these words should not be taken literally: operas are not so easy to create. Only thanks to the huge, hard work and creative inspiration, Verdi was able to complete the large score of Nebuchadnezzar in the autumn of 1841.

The premiere of Nebuchadnezzar took place on March 9, 1842 at La Scala - with the participation of the best singers and singers. According to contemporaries, such stormy and enthusiastic applause has not been heard in the theater for a long time. At the end of the action, the audience rose from their seats and warmly welcomed the composer. At first, he even considered it an evil mockery: after all, only a year and a half ago, here, he was so mercilessly booed for "Imaginary Stanislav." And suddenly - such a grandiose, stunning success! Until the end of 1842, the opera was performed 65 times (!) - an exceptional phenomenon in the history of La Scala.

The reason for the triumphant success was, first of all, that Verdi in Nebuchadnezzar, despite his biblical story, managed to express the most cherished thoughts and aspirations of patriotic compatriots.

After the production of Nebuchadnezzar, the stern, unsociable Verdi changed and began to visit the society of the progressive Milanese intelligentsia. This society constantly gathered in the house of the ardent patriot of Italy - Clarina Maffei. With her, Verdi began for many years friendly relations, captured in the correspondence that continued until her death. Clarina's husband - Andrea Maffei - was a poet and translator. On his poems, Verdi composed two romances, and later, on his own libretto, the opera The Robbers based on Schiller's drama. The composer's connection with the Maffei society had a great influence on the final formation of his political and creative ideals.

Among the poets of the "Renaissance" and the closest friends of A. Manzoni was Tommaso Grossi - the author of satirical poems, dramas and other works. Based on one of the sections of the famous poem "Jerusalem Liberated" by the outstanding Italian poet Torquato Tasso Grossi, he wrote the poem "Giselda". This poem served as material for opera libretto Solera, on which Verdi wrote the next, fourth opera called "Lombards in the First crusade».

But just as in the Nebuchadnezzar, the Biblical Jews meant modern Italians, so in the Lombards, the crusaders meant the patriots of modern Italy.

Such an "encryption" of the idea of the opera soon determined the grandiose success of the "Lombards" throughout the country. However, the patriotic essence of the opera did not escape the attention of the Austrian authorities: they put obstacles in the way of staging and allowed it only after changes in the libretto.

The Lombards premiered at La Scala on February 11, 1843. The performance turned into a vivid political demonstration, which greatly alarmed the Austrian authorities. The final chorus of the crusaders was perceived as a passionate appeal of the Italian people to fight for the freedom of their homeland. After the production in Milan, the triumphal procession of the Lombards began in other cities of Italy and European countries, and it was also staged in Russia.

"Nebuchadnezzar" and "Lombards" glorified Verdi throughout Italy. Opera houses one after another began to offer him orders for new operas. One of the first commissions was made by the Venetian theater La Fenice, which left the choice of plot to the composer's discretion and recommended the librettist Francesco Piave, who has since become one of Verdi's main collaborators and closest friends for many years. A number of his subsequent operas, including such masterpieces as Rigoletto and La Traviata, were written to librettos by Piave.

Having accepted the order, the composer began to search for a plot. After going through several literary works, he settled on the drama "Hernani" by the French writer, playwright and poet Victor Hugo - who had already won European fame with the novel "Notre Dame Cathedral".

The drama "Ernani", first staged in Paris in February 1830, is imbued with a freedom-loving spirit, romantic excitement. Working on "Ernani" with passion, the composer wrote the score of the four-act opera in a few months. The premiere of "Ernani" took place on March 9, 1844 at the Venetian theater "La Fenice". The success was huge. The plot of the opera, its ideological content turned out to be consonant with the Italians: the noble appearance of the persecuted Ernani reminded of the patriots expelled from the country, the call to fight for the liberation of the homeland was heard in the choir of conspirators, the glorification of knightly honor and valor woke up a sense of patriotic duty. Hernani performances turned into vivid political demonstrations.

In those years, Verdi developed an exceptionally intense creative activity: the premiere followed the premiere. Less than eight months after the premiere of Hernani, on November 3, 1844, the first performance of Verdi's new, already sixth opera, The Two Foscari, took place at the Rome theater Argentina. The literary source for it was the tragedy of the same name by the great English poet and playwright George-Gordon Byron.

After Byron, Verdi's attention was attracted by the great German poet and the playwright Friedrich Schiller, namely his historical tragedy The Maid of Orleans. The heroic and at the same time touching image of a patriotic girl, embodied in Schiller's tragedy, inspired Verdi to create the opera Giovanna d'Arco (libretto by Soler). It premiered at La Scala in Milan on February 15, 1845. The opera was at first a rather resounding success - mainly due to the famous young prima donna Erminia Fredzolini, who performed leading role, but as soon as this role passed to other performers, interest in the opera cooled down, and she left the stage.

Soon a new premiere took place - the opera "Alzira" - based on the tragedy of Voltaire. Neapolitan theater-goers applauded the new opera rather unanimously, but its success also turned out to be short-lived.

Attila is the title of Verdi's next opera. The material for its libretto was the tragedy of the German playwright Zacharias Werner - "Attila - King of the Huns".

The premiere of "Attila", which took place on March 17, 1846 at the Venetian theater "La Fenice", was held with a hot patriotic upsurge of performers and listeners. A storm of enthusiasm and shouts - "We, we Italy!" - caused the phrase of the Roman commander Aetius, addressed to Attila: “Take the whole world for yourself, only Italy, leave Italy to me!”

Verdi from his youth admired the genius of Shakespeare - he enthusiastically read and re-read his tragedies, dramas, historical chronicles, comedies, and also visited their performances. He fulfilled his cherished dream - to compose an opera based on Shakespeare's plot - at the age of 34: he chose the tragedy "Macbeth" as a literary source for his next, tenth opera.

The premiere of Macbeth took place on March 14, 1847 in Florence. The opera was a great success both here and in Venice, where it was soon staged. The scenes of Macbeth, in which the patriots act, aroused great enthusiasm in the audience. One of the scenes, where it is sung about the devoted homeland, especially captured the listeners; so, when staging Macbeth in Venice, they, seized by a single patriotic impulse, picked up a melody with the words “They betrayed their homeland ...” in a powerful chorus.

In the middle of the summer of 1847, the premiere of another opera by the composer, The Robbers, based on the drama of the same name by F. Schiller, took place in London.

After London, Verdi lived in Paris for several months. The historic year 1848 arrived, when a powerful revolutionary wave swept across Europe. In January (even before the start of revolutions in other countries!) A grandiose popular uprising broke out in Sicily, more precisely, in its capital, Palermo.

In close connection with the revolutionary events of 1848 is the composer's creation of the outstanding heroic-patriotic opera The Battle of Legnano. But even before her, Verdi managed to complete the opera Le Corsaire (libretto by Piave after poem of the same name Byron).

In contrast to Le Corsaire, the opera The Battle of Legnano was a resounding success. The plot, drawn from the heroic past of the Italian people, resurrected on stage historical event: defeat in 1176 by the united Lombard troops of the invading army of the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

Performances of the Battle of Legnano, held in a theater decorated with national flags, were accompanied by bright patriotic demonstrations by the Romans, who proclaimed a republic in February 1849.

Not even a year had passed since the Rome premiere of The Battle of Legnano, when in December 1849 Verdi's new opera Luisa Miller was staged at the San Carlo Theater in Neapolitan. Her literary source- Schiller's "philistine drama" "Cunning and Love", directed against class inequality and princely despotism.

Louise Miller is Verdi's first lyrical-everyday opera, in which the characters are ordinary people. After being staged in Naples, Louise Miller went around a number of stages in Italy and other countries.

Verdi was tired of leading a nomadic lifestyle, he wanted to firmly settle somewhere, especially since he was no longer alone. Just at that time, in the vicinity of Busseto, a rather rich estate of Sant'Agata was being sold. Verdi, who then had significant funds, bought it and in early 1850 moved here with his wife for permanent residence.

Vigorous composer activity forced Verdi to travel around Europe, but Sant'Agata from that time became his favorite residence until the end of his life. Only the winter months the composer preferred to spend either in Milan or in the seaside city of Genoa - in the Palazzo Dorn.

The first opera composed in Sant'Agata was Stiffelio, the fifteenth in Verdi's creative portfolio.

During the period of work on Stiffelio, Verdi considered plans for future operas and partially sketched music for them. Even then he was already considered one of the greatest composers, but the highest flowering of his work was just coming: ahead were operas that brought him fame as the “musical ruler of Europe”.

Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata have become the most popular operas in the world. Created one after another in less than a two-year period, close to each other in the nature of music, they form, as it were, a trilogy.

The literary source of "Rigoletto" is one of the best tragedies of Victor Hugo "The King is having fun". First presented in Paris on November 2, 1832, immediately after the premiere, by order of the government, the opera was excluded from the repertoire - as a play "offensive to morality", since the author denounced the dissolute French king in it as the first half of the XVI century of Francis I.

Secluded in Busseto, Verdi worked with such intensity that he wrote the opera in 40 days. The premiere of "Rigoletto" took place on March 11, 1851 at the Venetian theater "La Fenice", on whose order the opera was composed. The performance was a huge success, and the duke's song, as the composer expected, made a splash. Dispersing from the theater, the audience sang or whistled her playful tune.

After the performance of the opera, the composer said: "I am pleased with myself and think that I will never write a better one." Until the end of his life, he considered "Rigoletto" his best opera. It was appreciated by both Verdi's contemporaries and subsequent generations. Rigoletto is still one of the most popular operas in the world.

After the premiere of Rigoletto, Verdi almost immediately set about developing the script for the next opera, Il trovatore. However, about two years passed before this opera saw the light of the limelight. The reasons that slowed down the work were various: these were the death of a beloved mother, and censorship troubles associated with the production of Rigoletto in Rome, and the sudden death of Cammarano, whom Verdi attracted to work on the libretto of Il trovatore.

Only by the autumn of 1852 did L. Bardare complete the unfinished libretto. Months of hard work passed, and on December 14 of the same year, the composer wrote to Rome, where the premiere was planned: “...“ Il trovatore ”is completely finished: all the notes are in place, and I am satisfied. Enough to keep the Romans happy!”

Il trovatore premiered at the Apollo Theater in Rome on January 19, 1853. Although in the morning the Tiber, raging and overflowing its banks, almost disrupted the premiere. Not even seven weeks had passed since the Roman premiere of Il trovatore, when on March 6, 1853, a new opera by Verdi, La Traviata, was staged at the Venetian theater La Fenice.

Using rich vocal and orchestral means of expression, Verdi created a new kind of opera. "La Traviata" is a deeply truthful psychological musical drama from the life of contemporaries - ordinary people. For mid-nineteenth centuries, it was new and bold, since earlier historical, biblical, mythological plots prevailed in operas. Verdi's innovation was not to the liking of ordinary theatergoers. The first Venetian production was a complete failure.

On March 6, 1854, the second Venice premiere took place, this time at the San Benedetto Theatre. The opera was a success: the audience not only understood it, but also fell in love with it. Soon "La Traviata" became the most popular opera in Italy and other countries of the world. It is characteristic that Verdi himself, once asked which of his operas he loves the most, replied that as a professional he puts Rigoletto higher, but as an amateur he prefers La Traviata.

In the years 1850-1860, Verdi's operas are on all the major stages in Europe. For St. Petersburg, the composer writes the opera "Force of Destiny", for Paris - "Sicilian Vespers", "Don Carlos", for Naples - "Masquerade Ball".

The best of these operas is Un ballo in maschera. The glory of the Masquerade Ball quickly spread throughout Italy and far beyond its borders; he took a firm place in the world operatic repertoire.

Another opera by Verdi - "The Force of Destiny" - was written by order of the directorate of the St. Petersburg imperial theaters. This opera was intended for an Italian troupe, which had been constantly performing in St. Petersburg since 1843 and had an exceptional success. On November 10, 1862, the premiere took place. Petersburgers warmly welcomed the famous composer. On November 15, he wrote in a letter to one of his friends: "Three performances took place ... with a crowded theater and with excellent success."

In the late 1860s, Verdi received an offer from the Egyptian government to write an opera with a patriotic story from Egyptian life for the new theater in Cairo to decorate the celebrations associated with the opening of the Suez Canal. The unusual nature of the proposal puzzled the composer at first, and he refused to accept it; but when in the spring of 1870 he got acquainted with the script developed by the French scientist (specialist in ancient Egyptian culture) A. Mariette, he was so carried away by the plot that he accepted the offer.

The opera was mostly completed by the end of 1870. The premiere was originally scheduled for the winter season of 1870-1871, but due to the tense international situation ( Franco-Prussian War) had to be postponed.

The Cairo premiere of Aida took place on December 24, 1871. According to academician B. V. Asafiev, “it was one of the most brilliant and enthusiastic performances in the entire history of opera.”

In the spring of 1872, the triumphal procession of "Aida" began along other Italian opera scenes, and soon she became famous throughout Europe, including Russia, and in America. From now on, Verdi began to be spoken of as brilliant composer. Even those professional musicians and critics who were prejudiced against Verdi's music now recognized the composer's enormous talent, his exceptional merits in the field operatic art. Tchaikovsky recognized the creator of "Aida" as a genius and said that the name of Verdi should be inscribed on the tablets of history next to the greatest names.

The melodic richness of "Aida" strikes with its richness and diversity. In no other opera did Verdi show such generous and inexhaustible melodic ingenuity as here. At the same time, the melodies of "Aida" are marked by exceptional beauty, expressiveness, nobility, originality; they do not have a trace of a stamp, routine, "charm", which often sinned the old Italian opera composers, and Verdi himself in the early and partly middle periods of creativity. In May 1873, Verdi, who was then living in Sant'Agata, was deeply saddened by the news of the death of 88-year-old Alessandro Manzoni. Verdi's love and respect for this patriotic writer were boundless. In order to adequately honor the memory of his glorious compatriot, the composer decided to create a Requiem on the first anniversary of his death. It took Verdi no more than ten months to create the Requiem, and on May 22, 1874, it was first performed under the direction of the author in the church of St. Mark in Milan. The richness and expressiveness of the melody, the freshness and boldness of the harmonies, the colorful orchestration, the harmony of the form, the mastery of polyphonic technique put Verdi's Requiem among the most outstanding works of this genre.

The formation of a single Italian state did not justify the hopes of Verdi, like many other patriots. The political reaction aroused deep bitterness in the composer. Verdi's fears were also caused by the musical life of Italy: the neglect of national classics, the blind imitation of Wagner, whose work Verdi greatly appreciated. A new upsurge came from the aged author in the 1880s. At the age of 75, he began writing an opera based on the plot of Shakespeare's play Othello. Opposite feelings - passion and love, fidelity and intrigue are conveyed in it with amazing psychological certainty. In "Othello" all that ingenious that Verdi achieved in his life is connected. Music world was shocked. But this opera did not become the final at all. creative way. When Verdi was already 80 years old, he wrote a new masterpiece - the comic opera Falstaff based on Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor - a work so perfect, realistic, with an amazing polyphonic finale - a fugue, that it was immediately recognized as the highest achievement of world opera.

September 10, 1898 Verdi turned 85 years old. "... My name smells like the era of mummies - I myself dry up when I just mumble this name to myself," he woefully admitted. Quiet and slow fading vitality composer continued for more than two years.

Soon after humanity solemnly welcomed the 20th century, Verdi, who lived in a Milan hotel, was stricken with paralysis and a week later, early in the morning on January 27, 1901, died at the age of 88. National mourning was declared throughout Italy.

1. young green

Giuseppe Verdi once said:
When I was eighteen years old, I considered myself great and said:
"I".
When I was twenty-five years old, I began to say:
"Me and Mozart"
When I turned forty, I said:
"Mozart and I".
Now I say:
"Mozart".

2. an error came out ...

One day, a nineteen-year-old youth came to the conductor of the Milan Conservatory and asked to be examined. At the entrance exam, he played his compositions on the piano. A few days later, the young man received a stern answer: "Leave the thought of the conservatory. And if you really want to study music, look for some private teacher among the city musicians ..."
Thus the untalented young man was put in his place, and it happened in 1832. And after a few decades, the Milan Conservatory passionately sought the honor of bearing the name of a musician once rejected by it. This name is Giuseppe Verdi.

3. Give applause!...

Verdi once said:
- Applause is an integral part of some types of music, they should be included in the score.

4. I say: "mozart"!

Once, Verdi, already gray-haired and famous all over the world, was talking with a young composer. The composer was eighteen years old. He was completely convinced of his own genius and all the time spoke only about himself and his music.
Verdi listened to the young genius for a long time and attentively, and then said with a smile:
- My dear young friend! When I was eighteen years old, I also considered myself a great musician and said: "I am." When I was twenty-five years old, I said: "Me and Mozart." When I was forty years old, I already said: "Mozart and I." And now I just say: "Mozart".

5. I won't tell!

One aspiring musician tried for a long time to get Verdi to listen to his playing and express his opinion. Finally the composer agreed. At the appointed hour, the young man came to Verdi. He was a tall young man, apparently endowed with great physical strength. But he played badly...
Having finished playing, the guest asked Verdi to express his opinion.
- Just tell me the whole truth! - the young man said resolutely, clenching his pood fists in excitement.
“I can’t,” Verdi answered with a sigh.
- But why?
- Afraid...

6. not a day without a line

Verdi always carried a music notebook with him, in which he daily wrote down his musical impressions of the day he lived. In these original diaries of the great composer, one could find amazing things: from any sounds, whether it was the cries of an ice cream man on a hot street or the calls of a boatman for a ride, the exclamations of builders and other working people, or children's crying, Verdi extracted from everything musical theme! As a senator, Verdi once surprised his friends in the Senate. On four sheets of musical paper, he very recognizably arranged in a complicated long fugue ... the speeches of temperamental legislators!

7. good sign

Having finished work on the opera Il trovatore, Giuseppe Verdi most kindly invited a rather untalented music critic, his great detractor, to acquaint him with some of the most important fragments of the opera. - Well, how do you like my new opera? - asked the composer, rising from the piano.
- Frankly, - the critic said decisively, - all this seems to me rather flat and inexpressive, Mr. Verdi.
- My God, you can't even imagine how grateful I am for your feedback, how happy I am! exclaimed the overjoyed Verdi, warmly shaking the hand of his detractor.
- I do not understand your delight, - shrugged the critic. - After all, I did not like the opera ... - Now I am completely sure of the success of my Il trovatore, Verdi explained. - After all, if you didn’t like the work, then the audience will surely like it!

8. return the money, maestro!

Verdi's new opera "Aida" was received with admiration by the public! The famous composer was literally bombarded with commendable reviews and enthusiastic letters. However, among them there was this: "Noisy talk about your opera" Aida "made me go to Parma on the 2nd of this month and attend a performance ... At the end of the opera, I asked myself the question: did the opera satisfy me? The answer was negative "I get into the carriage and return home to Reggio. Everyone around me only talks about the merits of the opera. I was again seized by the desire to listen to the opera, and on the 4th I was again in Parma. The impression I got was the following: there is nothing outstanding in the opera ... After two or three performances, your "Aida" will be in the dust of the archive. You can judge, dear Mr. Verdi, how sorry I feel about the wasted lyre I have. Add to this that I am a family man and such an expense does not give me peace. Therefore, I appeal directly to you with a request to return the said money to me ... "
At the end of the letter was presented a double bill for railway back and forth, to the theater and dinner. Total sixteen lire. After reading the letter, Verdi ordered that his impresario pay the petitioner money.
“However, with the deduction of four lire for two dinners,” he said cheerfully, “as this gentleman could have supped at his house.” And one more thing... Take his word that he will never listen to my operas again... To avoid new expenses.

9. history of one collection

Once, one of his friends came to visit Verdi, who was spending the summer in his small villa on the coast in Monte Catini. Looking around, he was incredibly surprised that the owner, although not too big, but still a two-story villa with a dozen rooms, constantly huddles in one room, and not the most comfortable ...
- Yes, of course, I have more rooms, - Verdi explained, - but there I keep things that I really need.
AND great composer led the guest around the house in order to show him these things. Imagine the surprise of the inquisitive guest when he saw a great number of hurdy-gurdies that literally filled Verdi's villa...
“You see,” the composer explained the mysterious situation with a sigh, “I came here in search of peace and quiet, meaning to work on my new opera. But for some reason, numerous owners of these instruments you have just seen decided that I had come here solely to listen to my own music in a rather bad performance of their hurdy-gurdies ... From morning till night they delighted my ears with arias from La Traviata, " Rigoletto", "Troubadour". Moreover, it was meant that I also had to pay them every time for this dubious pleasure. In the end, I fell into despair and simply bought all the hurdy-gurdies from them. This pleasure cost me quite a lot, but now I can work in peace ...

10. impossible task

In Milan, opposite the famous theater "La Scala" there is a tavern, which has long been gathering artists, musicians, connoisseurs of the stage.
There, under glass, a bottle of champagne has long been stored, which is intended for those who can consistently and clearly retell in their own words the content of Verdi's opera Il trovatore.
This bottle has been stored for more than a hundred years, the wine is getting stronger, but there is still no "lucky" one.

11. the best is the kindest

Once Verdi was asked which of his creations he considers the best?
- The house I built in Milan for elderly musicians...

Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi(ital. Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, October 10, Roncole, near the city of Busseto, Italy - January 27, Milan) - Italian composer, the central figure of the Italian opera school. His best operas ( Rigoletto, La Traviata, Aida), known for their richness of melodic expression, are often performed in opera houses around the world. Often disparaged by critics in the past (for "pleasing the tastes of the common people", "simplified polyphony" and "shameless melodramatization"), Verdi's masterpieces are the mainstay of the regular operatic repertoire a century and a half after they were written.

Early period

This was followed by several more operas, among them - the Sicilian Supper, which is constantly performed today ( Les vêpres siciliennes; written to order Paris Opera), "Troubadour" ( Il Trovatore), "Masquerade Ball" ( Un ballo in maschera), "Force of Destiny" ( La forza del destino; written by order of the Imperial Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg), the second edition of "Macbeth" ( Macbeth).

Operas by Giuseppe Verdi

Oberto, Count di San Bonifacio (Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio) - 1839
King for an hour (Un Giorno di Regno) - 1840
Nabucco or Nebuchadnezzar (Nabucco) - 1842
Lombards in the First Crusade (I Lombardi") - 1843
Ernani- 1844. By play of the same name Victor Hugo
Two Foscari (I due Foscari)- 1844. Based on the play by Lord Byron
Joan of Arc (Giovanna d'Arco)- 1845. Based on the play "The Maid of Orleans" by Schiller
Alzira (Alzira)- 1845. Based on the play of the same name by Voltaire
Attila- 1846. Based on the play "Atilla, Leader of the Huns" by Zacharius Werner
Macbeth- 1847. Based on the play of the same name by Shakespeare
Robbers (I masnadieri)- 1847. Based on the play of the same name by Schiller
Jerusalem (Jerusalem)- 1847 (Version Lombards)
Corsair (Il corsaro)- 1848. Based on the poem of the same name by Lord Byron
Battle of Legnano- 1849. Based on the play "The Battle of Toulouse" by Joseph Meri
Louise Miller- 1849. Based on the play "Cunning and Love" by Schiller
Stiffelio (Stiffelio)- 1850. Based on the play "The Holy Father, or the Gospel and the Heart", by Emile Souvestre and Eugène Bourgeois.
Rigoletto- 1851. Based on the play "The King Amuses" by Victor Hugo
Troubadour (Il Trovatore)- 1853. Based on the play of the same name by Antonio Garcia Gutiérrez
La Traviata- 1853. Based on the play "The Lady of the Camellias" by A. Dumas son
Sicilian Vespers (Les vêpres siciliennes)- 1855. Based on the play "The Duke of Alba" by Eugene Scribe and Charles Deverier
Giovanna de Guzman(Version of the "Sicilian Vespers").
Simon Boccanegra- 1857. Based on the play of the same name by Antonio Garcia Gutierrez.
Aroldo (Aroldo)- 1857 (Version "Stiffelio")
Masquerade ball (Un ballo in maschera) - 1859.
The Force of Destiny- 1862. Based on the play "Don Alvaro, or the Force of Destiny" by Angel de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas, adapted for the stage by Schiller under the title "Wallenstein". The premiere took place at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg
Don Carlos- 1867. Based on the play of the same name by Schiller
Aida- 1871. Premiered at the Khedive Opera House in Cairo, Egypt
Othello- 1887. Based on the play of the same name by Shakespeare
Falstaff- 1893. Based on "The Merry Wives of Windsor" by Shakespeare

Music fragments

Attention! Music snippets in Ogg Vorbis format

“The heart of a beauty is prone to treason”, from the opera “Rigoletto”(info)

Notes

Links

Giuseppe Verdi: Sheet Music at the International Music Score Library Project

operas Giuseppe Verdi

Oberto (1839) King for an hour (1840) Nabucco (1842) Lombards in the first crusade (1843) Hernani (1844) Two Foscari (1844)

Joan of Arc (1845) Alzira (1845) Atilla (1846) Macbeth (1847) Robbers (1847) Jerusalem (1847) Corsair (1848) Battle of Legnano (1849)

Louise Miller (1849) Stifellio (1850) Rigoletto (1851) Trovatore (1853) La Traviata (1853) Sicilian Vespers (1855) Giovanna de Guzman (1855)

Simon Boccanegra (1857) Aroldo (1857)

Compositions by Giuseppe Verdi by genre, indicating the title, year of creation, genre/performers, with comments.

operas

“Oberto, Count Bonifacio” (“Oberto, conte di san Bonifacio”), libretto by A. Piazza and T. Soler. First production November 17, 1839 in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.
"King for an hour" ("Un giorno di regno") or "Imaginary Stanislav" ("Il finto Stanislao"), libretto by F. Romani. First production September 5, 1840 in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.
Nabucco or Nebuchadnezzar, libretto by T. Soler. First performance March 9, 1842, in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.
"Lombards in the First Crusade" ("I Lombardi alla prima crociata"), libretto by T. Soler. First performance February 11, 1843. in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala. Later, the opera was revised for Paris under the title "Jerusalem" ("Jerusalem"). Ballet music was written for the second edition. First production November 26, 1847 in Paris, at the Grand Op?ra.
"Ernani" ("Ernani"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First performance March 9, 1844. Venice, La Fenice Theatre.
"Two Foscari" ("I due Foscari"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production November 3, 1844 in Rome, at the Argentina Theatre.
"Giovanna d'Arco" ("Giovanna d'Arco"), libretto by T. Soler. First production February 15, 1845 in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.
"Alzira" ("Alzira"), libretto by S. Cammarano. First production August 12, 1845 in Naples, at the San Carlo Theatre.
"Attila" ("Attila"), libretto by T. Soler and F. M. Piave. First production March 17, 1846 in Venice, at the theater La Fenice.
Macbeth, libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei. First performance March 14, 1847 in Florence, at the Teatro La Pergola. The opera was later revised for Paris. Ballet music was written for the second edition. First production in Paris on 21 April 1865 at the Théâtre Lyrique.
"Robbers" ("I Masnadieri"), libretto by A. Maffei. First production July 22, 1847 in London, at the Royal Theater.
Il Corsaro, libretto by F. M. Piave. First production 25 October 1848 in Trieste.
"The Battle of Legnano" ("La Battaglia di Legnano"), libretto by S. Cammarano. First production on January 27, 1849 in Rome, at the Argentina theater. Later, in 1861, the opera ran with a revised libretto under the title "The Siege of Harlem" ("Assiedo di Harlem").
Luisa Miller, libretto by S. Cammarano. First performance December 8, 1849 in Naples, at the San Carlo Theatre.
"Stiffelio" ("Stiffelio"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production 16 November 1850 in Trieste. The opera was later revised under the title Aroldo. First production 16 August 1857 in Rimini.
"Rigoletto" ("Rigoletto"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production March 11, 1851 in Venice, at the Teatro La Fenice.
Il Trovatore, libretto by S. Cammarano and L. Bardare. First performance on January 19, 1853 in Rome, at the Apollo Theatre. For the production of the opera in Paris, ballet music was written and the finale was reworked.
"La Traviata" ("La Traviata"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production March 6, 1853 in Venice, at the Teatro La Fenice.
“Sicilian Vespers” (“I vespri siciliani”), (“Les v? pres siciliennes”), libretto by E. Scribe and Ch. Duveyrier. First production June 13, 1855 in Paris, at the Grand Op?ra.
"Simon Boccanegra" ("Simon Boccanegra"), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production March 12, 1857 in Venice, at the theater La Fenice. The opera was later revised (libretto by A. Boito). First production March 24, 1881 in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.
Ball in Maschera (Un ballo in maschera), libretto by A. Somm. First production February 17, 1859 in Rome, at the Apollo Theatre.
The Force of Destiny (La Forza del destino), libretto by F. M. Piave. First production November 10, 1862 in St. Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theatre. The opera was later revised. First production in Milan on February 20, 1869, at La Scala.
"Don Carlos" ("Don Carlo"), libretto by J. Mery and C. du Locle. First production March 11, 1867 in Paris, at the Grand Opera. The opera was later revised. First production in Milan on January 10, 1881 at La Scala.
"Aida" ("Aida"), libretto by A. Ghislanzoni. First production 24 December 1871 in Cairo. An overture (unpublished) was written for the opera, which was performed during the production of Aida in Milan (La Scala) on February 8, 1872.
"Otello" ("Otello"), libretto by A. Boito. The first production was on February 5, 1887 in Milan, at the La Scala theater (ballet music was written for the production in Paris in 1894: "Arabic Song", "Greek Song", "Hymn to Mohammed", "Dance of the Warriors").
"Falstaff" ("Falstaff"), libretto by A. Boito. First production February 9, 1893 in Milan, at the Teatro alla Scala.

Compositions for choir

“Sound, trumpet” (“Suona la tromba”) to the words of the anthem G. Mameli, for male choir and the orchestra. Op. 1848
"Hymn of the Nations" ("Inno delle nazioni"), cantata for high voice, choir and orchestra, to the words of A. Boito. Op. for the London World's Fair. First performance 24 May 1862

church music

"Requiem" ("Messa di Requiem"), for four soloists, choir and orchestra. First performance May 22, 1874 in Milan, in the church of San Marco.
"Pater Noster" (text by Dante), for five-part choir. First performance 18 April 1880 in Milan.
"Ave Maria" (text by Dante), for soprano and string orchestra. First performance 18 April 1880 in Milan.
"Four Spiritual Pieces" ("Quattro pezzi sacri"): 1. "Ave Maria", for four voices (op. c. 1889); 2. "Stabat Mater", for four-part mixed choir and orchestra (op. c. 1897); 3. "Le laudi alla vergine Maria" (text from Dante's Paradise), for four voices female choir unaccompanied (late 80s); 4. "Te Deum", for double four-part choir and orchestra (1895-1897). First performance 7 April 1898 in Paris.

Chamber instrumental music

E-moll string quartet. First performance 1 April 1873 in Naples.

Chamber vocal music

Six romances for voice and piano. to the words of G. Vittorelli, T. Bianchi, C. Angiolini and Goethe. Op. in 1838
"The Exile" ("L'Esule"), ballad for bass and piano. to the words of T. Soler. Op. in 1839
"Seduction" ("La Seduzione"), ballad for bass and piano. to the words of L. Balestra. Op. in 1839
"Nocturne" ("Notturno"), for soprano, tenor and bass with obligato flute accompaniment. Op. in 1839
Album - six romances for voice and piano. to words by A. Maffei, M. Maggioni and F. Romani. Op. in 1845
"The Beggar" ("Il Poveretto"), romance for voice and piano. Op. in 1847
“Abandoned” (“L’Abbandonata”), for soprano and piano Op. in 1849
"Flower" ("Fiorellin"), romance to the words of F. Piave. Op. in 1850
"The Poet's Prayer" ("La preghiera del poeta"), to the words of N. Sole. Op. in 1858
"Stornel" ("Il Stornello"), for voice with piano. Op. in 1869 for an album in favor of F. M. Piave.

Juvenile writings

Several orchestral overtures, among them the overture to The Barber of Seville by Rossini. Marches and dances for the city orchestra of Busseto. Concert Pieces for Piano and Solo Wind Instruments. Arias and vocal ensembles(duets, trios). Masses, motets, laudi and other church compositions.
"Lamentation of Jeremiah" (according to the Bible, translated into Italian).
"The Madness of Saul", for voice and orchestra, to words by V. Alfieri. Op. before 1832
Cantata for solo voice and orchestra in honor of the marriage of R. Borromeo. Op. in 1834
Choruses to the tragedies of A. Manzoia and "Ode on the Death of Napoleon" - "May 5", lyrics by A. Manzoni, for voice and orchestra. Op. in the period 1835 - 1838.

Anyone who knows even a little about classical music, the name of D. Verdi is familiar. Operas (a list of them will be discussed in this article) by the great Italian composer are still on the stages of world theaters. Verdi is often called the Italian Tchaikovsky.

Let us consider in more detail the art of this musician.

Composer's youth

Verdi was born in a small city in 1813, but at that moment its territory was considered part of France. His parents were poor, so they could not allow their son to study music seriously, although they believed that Giuseppe would still succeed.

The boy’s childhood and youth were spent in the struggle for the right to be educated as a musician, but he often faced failure in this field: for example, he was not accepted as a student at the Milan Conservatory (which today bears the name of this greatest composer).

Verdi was lucky: he found a patron in the person of the merchant Antonio Barezzi. Antonio asked the young musician to become the teacher of his daughter Margherita. The young people fell in love and got married. However, the fate of their marriage was sad: Margarita gave birth to two children who died in infancy, and soon she herself died.

At this time, the young composer was working on his first opera.

First operas

Milan's La Scala staged the composer's first opera, which was called Oberto, Count Bonifacio. The production was acclaimed by both critics and the public. The theater management signed a contract with the composer to write two more operas. Verdi's operas, written thanks to this contract, were called "King for an hour" and "Nabucco". The first was received rather coldly, which caused an attack of depression in Verdi, but the second (its premiere took place in 1842), on the contrary, was again greeted with loud applause.

From the moment of the first show on the stage, the triumphal procession of this Verdi opera around the world began. It was staged about 65 times at various theatrical venues, which brought real fame and material wealth to the young composer.

Subsequent creative work

Verdi hastened to start creating new operas. They were the operas Lombards on a Crusade (later renamed Jerusalem by the author) and the opera Ernani.

"Jerusalem", first shown in 1847, also received wide acclaim. After these two musical creations, Verdi's operas became popular all over the world, and the composer himself received what he had dreamed of all his difficult childhood and youth: the opportunity to write music and find a response in the hearts of the public.

Opera masterpieces

The popularity of Verdi's works (operas, the list of which was growing) brought him honor and prosperity. At the age of 30, love came to him again. His chosen one was the singer Giuseppina Strepponi. Verdi decided to retire, but before that he wrote and staged an opera in the theater, which brought him worldwide fame.

This opera was called Rigoletto. Its plot was taken from the famous French writer V. Hugo.

Another work of the master was the work, which also brought him great success. It was called "La Traviata" and was created based on the works of A. Dumas.

The following operas became less popular, but the public attended them with constant interest, since the name of Verdi was already on everyone's lips. These are such works as "The Sicilian Supper", "Troubadour", "Masquerade Ball".

Verdi's operas (the list of these works is very long) were even written by order of Russian theaters. Thus, the opera The Power of Destiny, which premiered in 1862, was written for the Imperial Theater in St. Petersburg.

Operas from Egyptian history and Shakespeare's work

IN last years his life Verdi becomes not just famous composer, whose name silences the world's leading musicians, but also a recognized genius of musical art.

He creates works that are still considered unsurpassed classics. These words can be attributed to several of his later works - the opera Aida, which premiered in Cairo in 1871 (the opera was written in honor of the opening and the opera Othello (1887).

Operas by Giuseppe Verdi, the list of which is presented above, struck contemporaries with the power of passion, love and faith in human capabilities. These creations tell about how difficult it is for heroes to be given the right to happiness and how often tragic circumstances make them lose everything that was once valued.

Composer's last work

Among latest works maestro can be called the opera "Falstaff" in 1893, created by Shakespeare's play. 8 years after its premiere, Verdi died at a respectable age from a general stroke. He was buried in Milan with great honors. His students completed several more opera scores he had begun.

Let's briefly consider the plots of these operas.

Verdi operas: a list based on motives and their plot

Consider the plots of the most popular works of the composer.

Opera "Nabucco" - tells about biblical events: about how the king of Babylon set the captive Jews free.
The opera "Ernani" was written based on the works of V. Hugo. In it, in a romantic vein, the love story of a robber is retold.
The opera Joan of Arc is based on Schiller's play The Maid of Orleans. It is a little-known work by Verdi (the list of operas we are considering includes a total of 26 works by the composer).
The opera "Macbeth" is also based on literary work. In this case, this is Shakespeare's work about the Macbeth couple, who decided on a bloody and terrible crime for the sake of power and wealth.
The opera "Rigoletto" tells about tragic history the life of the duke's old and ugly jester, with whom his master played a very cruel joke.
The opera La Traviata conveys the plot of A. Dumas' Lady of the Camellias. The work tells about the fate of a fallen woman.
The opera "Aida" is one of the most powerful works of the composer. Tells about the love between an Ethiopian beauty princess and the commander of Pharaoh Ramses.
"Othello" conveys the plot work of the same name Shakespeare.

Verdi's operas (the list with the content of these creations was given above) still remain the standard of musical art. Centuries pass. However, the maestro's works, as they were popular, remain so popular. Scientists are still studying the unique style of the composer. And ordinary viewers just enjoy Verdi's music.

Verdi gave a lot of energy to his work. The operas, the list of which we have reviewed in this article, have become calling card maestro.

Name: Giuseppe Verdi

Age: 87 years old

Activity: composer, conductor

Family status: widower

Giuseppe Verdi: biography

Giuseppe Verdi ( full name- Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi) - great italian composer. His musical works are "treasures" of world opera art. Verdi's work is the culmination of the development of Italian opera in the 19th century. Thanks to him, the opera has become what it is today.

Childhood and youth

Giuseppe Verdi was born in the small Italian village of Le Roncole, near the city of Busseto. At that time, this territory belonged to the First French Empire. Thus, in official documents, the country of birth is France. He was born on October 10, 1813 into a peasant family. His father Carlo Giuseppe Verdi ran a local inn. And mother Luigia Uttini worked as a spinner.

The boy showed love for music as a child, so at first his parents gave him a spinet - a keyboard stringed instrument similar to a harpsichord. And soon he began to study musical literacy and learn to play the organ in the village church. His first teacher was the priest Pietro Baistrocchi.

At the age of 11, little Giuseppe began to act as organist. Once in the service he was noticed by a wealthy city merchant Antonio Barezzi, he offered to help the boy get a good musical education. First, Verdi moved to Barezzi's house, the man paid for the best teacher for him, and later paid for Giuseppe's education in Milan.

During this period of time, Verdi became interested in literature. Gives preference classical works , .

Music

Upon arrival in Milan, he tries to enter the Conservatory, but is immediately refused. He is not accepted due to the insufficient level of piano playing. And the age, at that time he was already 18 years old, exceeded the established for admission. It is noteworthy that now the Milan Conservatory bears the name of Giuseppe Verdi.

But the young man does not despair, he hires a private teacher and learns the basics of counterpoint. He visits opera performances, concerts of various orchestras, communicates with the local beau monde. And at this time he begins to think about becoming a composer for the theater.

Upon Verdi's return to Busseto, Antonio Barezzi arranged for young man the first performance in his life, which made a splash. After that, Barezzi invited Giuseppe to become a teacher for his daughter Margherita. Soon, sympathy arose between the young people, and they began an affair.

At the beginning of his career, Verdi wrote small works: marches, romances. The first significant production was his opera Oberto, Count di San Bonifacio, which was presented to the Milanese audience at the Teatro alla Scala. After a resounding success with Giuseppe Verdi, an agreement was signed to write two more operas. Within the agreed time frame, he created King for an Hour and Nabucco.

The production of "King for an Hour" was poorly received by the audience and failed, and at first the theater impresario completely refused "Nabucco". Its premiere nevertheless took place, however, two years later. And this opera was a resounding success.

For Verdi, who, after the failure of The King for an Hour and the loss of his wife and children, was about to leave the musical field, Nabucco was a breath of fresh air. He has a reputation successful composer. Nabucco was staged 65 times in a year, by the way, to this day it does not leave the world stages.

This period in Verdi's life can be described as a creative upsurge. After the opera "Nabucco", the composer wrote several more operas, which were also well received by the audience - "Lombards on a Crusade" and "Ernani". Later, the production of "The Lombards" was staged in Paris, however, for this, Verdi had to make changes to the original version. First of all, he replaced the Italian heroes with French ones, and secondly, he renamed the opera "Jerusalem".

But one of the most famous works Verdi's opera "Rigoletto". It was written based on Hugo's play "The King Amuses himself". The composer himself considered this work his best creation. The Russian audience is familiar with "Rigoletto" from the song "The heart of a beauty is prone to treason." The opera has been staged thousands of times in various theaters around the world. The arias of the protagonist, the jester Rigoletto, were performed,.

Two years later, Verdi wrote "La Traviata" based on the work "The Lady of the Camellias" by Alexandre Dumas the Younger.

In 1871, Giuseppe Verdi receives an order from the Egyptian ruler. He is asked to write an opera for the Cairo Opera House. The premiere of the opera Aida took place on December 24, 1871 and was timed to coincide with the opening of the Suez Canal. The most famous aria of the opera is the Triumphal March.

The composer wrote 26 operas and a requiem. In those years opera houses visited all walks of life, both the local aristocracy and the poor. Therefore, the Italians Giuseppe Verdi are rightfully considered the "folk" composer of Italy. He created such music in which the simple Italian people felt their own experiences and hopes. In Verdi's operas, people heard a call to fight against injustice.

It is noteworthy that with his main "rival" Giuseppe Verdi was born in the same year. You can hardly confuse the work of composers, but they are considered the reformers of operatic art. Of course, the composers had heard a lot about each other, but never met. However, in their musical works, they partly tried to argue with each other.

Books were written about the life and work of Giuseppe Verdi and even films were made. Renato Castellani's mini-series "The Life of Giuseppe Verdi", which was released in 1982, became the most famous film work.

Personal life

In 1836, Giuseppe Verdi married the daughter of his benefactor, Margherita Barezzi. Soon the girl gave birth to a daughter, Virginia Maria Louise, but at the age of one and a half years, the girl dies. In the same year, a month earlier, Margarita gave birth to a son, Icilio Romano, who also dies in infancy. A year later, Margarita herself died from encephalitis.

At 26, Verdi was left alone: both his children and his wife left him. He rents an apartment near the church of Santa Sabina, it is hard for him to survive this loss. At some point, he even decides to stop composing music.

At 35, Giuseppe Verdi fell in love. His lover was an Italian Opera singer Giuseppina Strepponi. For 10 years they lived in the so-called "civil" marriage, which caused extremely negative rumors in society. The couple married in 1859 in Geneva. And from evil tongues, the spouses preferred to hide away from the city - in the villa of Sant'Agata. By the way, the project of the house was created by Verdi himself, he did not want to resort to the help of architects.

The house is laconic. But the garden surrounding the villa was truly luxurious: flowers and exotic trees are everywhere. The fact is that Verdi liked to devote his free time to gardening. By the way, it was in this garden that the composer buried his beloved dog, leaving an inscription on her grave: "Monument to my friend."

Giuseppina became for the composer the main muse and support in life. In 1845, the singer lost her voice, and she decided to end her operatic career. Following Strepponi, Verdi also decided to do this, at that time the composer was already rich and famous. But the wife persuades her husband to continue his musical career, and just after his "departure" a masterpiece of operatic art - "Rigoletto" was created. Giuseppina supported and inspired Verdi until her death in 1897.

Death

January 21, 1901 Giuseppe Verdi was in Milan. In the hotel he had a stroke, the composer was paralyzed, but he continued to read the scores of the operas "Tosca" and "La Boheme", " Queen of Spades”, but his opinion on these works remained unspoken. Every day, the forces left the great composer, and on January 27, 1901, he was gone.

The great composer was buried at the Monumental Cemetery in Milan. But a month later, his body was reburied on the territory of a rest home for retired musicians, which the composer himself had once created.