When the world of opera marked the 100th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi in 2001, it became clear just how beloved this great composer is. For soprano Renata Tebaldi, Verdi's music was her "first great passion," and Pavarotti has said that "[Verdi] is simply the greatest opera composer of all time."

How did this composer create music that could touch us so?

Verdi was born in the town of Le Roncale, Italy on October 10, 1813. At an early age, Carlo Verdi, Giuseppe’s father purchased an old spinet, which gave Giuseppe a chance to train his fingers and practice beginner’s exercises. When Verdi was 10, his parents realized that he was better than the local teachers and they sent him to Busseto for further training. There he was introduced to music lover and patron, Antonio Barezzi, who took a personal interest in Verdi’s musical training.

Verdi’s interest in Barezzi became personal as well. Verdi married Marghereta Barezzi, the daughter of Antonio on May 5, 1836. Soon after the marriage, a daughter and son were born to the happy couple, but then in August, 1838 their little daughter died followed by their young son the next year. Soon after Verdi lost his young wife.

It appeared that Verdi had nobody to work for and that his personal life was at an end. Perhaps these deaths gave Verdi insight into tragedy. Perhaps his work gave him respite from suffering. In either case, he was soon to meet success.

His opera Oberto was produced in 1839 at La Scala and was a success, followed in 1840 by Un Giorno di Regno, a failure.

Through an accident, Verdi was introduced to an opera libretto by an impressario who by chance knew of this work. Verdi accepted this libretto and named his opera Nabucco, which was performed at La Scala on March 9, 1842 and acclaimed a great “hit” and was soon performed all over the world.

Perhaps in Nabucco Verdi was depicting his own tragic fate when he drew characters that cannot escape the hands of God.

In the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem around 600 B.C., the Israelites bewail their fate: Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar), king of Assyria, has attacked them with his hordes and is desecrating the city. Magnificent choruses and marches accompany the Hebrews who look to the Lord to help them to return the Temple in Jerusalem back to them. Eventually, the God of Israel intervenes and helps his people and condemns the evil.

Not long after the success of Nabucco, a group of tremendous operas revealed Verdi’s true genius: Rigoletto, Il Trovator, and La Traviata. The opera world was ready to accept his future, and perhaps greatest works, Otello and Falstaff.

Verdi’s personal happiness was later restored when he met, lived with, and eventually married soprano, Giuseppina Strepponi, a great inspiration to his life and music. Yet, if as some scholars say, that the artist’s life experience shapes his art, then opera lovers are greatly indebted to the personal loss young Verdi suffered in order to bring such music forth.

Verdi may be seen this 2005 season:
February – Nabucco
March - Nabucco and Don Carlo
April – Un Ballo in Maschera