Verdi

Composer of La traviata and Aida, a giant of Italian opera.

Life

Rejected applicant

Verdi came from a family of small innkeepers near Parma. As a youth he failed the entrance examination for the Milan Conservatory, and went on to become largely self-taught.

Nabucco

In 1842 his opera Nabucco was a great success; its chorus "Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate" ("Fly, thought, on golden wings") was seen as voicing the Italians' longing for unification, and "Viva Verdi" (Viva VERDI) became a coded way of saying "Long live Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy." He went on to write such celebrated works as Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata, Aida and Otello.

La traviata

In his later years he founded a retirement home for musicians. He died in Milan in 1901, and hundreds of thousands of people attended his funeral.

Legacy

Verdi was one of the greatest opera composers of the 19th century, and his works remain among the most frequently performed in opera houses around the world.

Major works & achievements

• Nabucco
• Rigoletto
• La traviata
• Aida

Did you know? He was once elected a deputy to the first Italian parliament.

Key dates

• 1842Nabucco premieres
• 1851Rigoletto premieres
• 1853La traviata premieres
• 1871Aida premieres
• 1887Otello premieres
• 1901Died