Great
Classical Music
Composers

Giuseppe VERDI

9 October 1813 - 27 January 1901 (age 87)

Portrait by Paul Helm ©
click on image for more info

Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian 19th century composer. One of the most influential opera composers of all time and one of the most popular.

Family

Born: Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi,
Birthplace: Roncole, province of Parma, Italy (but was France then).
Father: Carlo Giuseppe Verdi, innkeeper
Mother: Luigia Uttini, spinner
1st Wife: Margherita Barezzi (pupil) Died shortly after the death of their children.
Children: daughter and son, both died in infancy
2nd wife: Giuseppina Strepponi, a soprano

2012 Opera Calendar

Available now.

This calendar has 12 of my portraits, all of opera composers, including Giuseppe.

Also Puccini, Mozart, Berlioz, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Rossini, Wagner, Bizet, Bellini, Donizetti and Offenbach.

Available from Etsy

There is also:
a 2012 Calendar of Italian Composers

Works

28 operas, including:
- Aida
- Don Carlos
- Falstaff
- Il Trovatore
- La Forza del Destino
- La Traviata
- Macbeth
- Nabucco
- Otello
- Rigoletto

Vocal music, including the iconic Verdi Requiem

Quotes

- “You may have the universe if I may have Italy”

- “Our mistake, you see, was to write interminable large operas, which had to fill an entire evening. And now along comes someone with a one or two-act opera without all that pompous nonsense - that was a happy reform.”

- “I adore art...when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my joys are too much to bear.”

- "How wonderful operas would be if only there were no singers!"

- "It is better to invert reality than to copy it."

- "The success of our operas rests most of the time in the hands of the conductor. This person is as necessary as a tenor or a prima donna."

La Traviata in Valencia Market

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Amazon stores

Amazon.com (USA)

Nabucco

Giuseppe's facebook

Click on the facebook logo, become a fan, share your views and comments with the world!

If you find a good, relevant facebook, myspace, or other social media page please let me know and I may feature it here.

Aida in Verona's Arena

Every year the Verona Opera Season in the Roman amphitheater known as the Arena includes the spectacular Aida. The 2010 season was produced and directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

See the next program at the 2011 Opera Season

Verdi and Wagner
An interesting essay by Peter McKenzie-Brown comparing the similarities and differences in the lives of these two composers born within a few months of each other.

Verdi on eBay

On eBay you will find bargains galore but more interestingly there is a treasure chest of old items. Out of print books, old recordings no longer available, memorabilia and goods no longer sold on the High Street.To see what is currently on offer take a look at: