Operation "Viva Verdi", i.e. a calendar of initiatives in collaboration with Italian opera-symphonic theaters in support of the project to safeguard, promote and enhance "Villa Verdi“, the home of the composer Giuseppe Verdi. It is a house-museum full of relics that tell the life and art of the author of extraordinary works lyrical works still famous all over the world today. The building is located at Sant'Agata di Villanova sull'Arda, not far from the composer's historic home in Busseto and his birthplace in the tiny village of Le Roncole.

Operation Long live Verdi

Il Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano illustrated the series of events aimed at raising funds for opera, in order to restore and protect the house-museum near Piacenza where the 'Risorgimento composer' Giuseppe Verdi.

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The house-museum of Sant'Agata di Villanova sull'Arda

"Giusppe Verdi was a key figure of the national Risorgimento, a significant figure together with Garibaldi, Mazzini and Cavour. It is the duty of the Republic to honor his memory. When I assumed the honor of being a minister, one of the first problems that arose was that of the fate of the villa. I have never had a moment's hesitation in thinking that it should be acquired by the state: Verdi represents a key element of our national memory". Thus the minister presenting the Viva Verdi programme.

The 'swan' of Busseto

Verdi (1813-1901) comes to dominate the Italian opera scene after the era of Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini, whose works significantly influence him. In his early works, the 'Swan of Busseto' demonstrates a sympathy for the Risorgimento movement seeking the unification of Italy. He participates, briefly, as an elected politician. the choir"Go, thought" of his first work Nabucco (1842) and similar choruses in later works, very much express the spirit of the unification movement, and the composer himself becomes a representative of these ideals. An intensely private person, Verdi did not however try to curry favor with popular movements.

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Verdi at the piano in a vintage illustration

As professional success grows, he is able to reduce his operatic workload and seeks to establish himself as a landowner in his native region. He surprises the musical world by returning after the success of the opera Aida (1871), with three late masterpieces: his Requiem (1874), and the works Othello (1887) and Falstaff (1893). His operatic production reaches other important moments of success with  Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and La Traviata. His works continue to be successfully performed by great performers of melodrama.

(Commons Wikimedia images – public domain)

   

Operation "Viva Verdi", let's save the house-museum of the great composer of the Risorgimento last edit: 2023-02-03T09:00:00+01:00 da Staff

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