Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Roncole, Italy

Giuseppe Verdi was the son of an innkeeper. As a child he demonstrated talent on the organ. Verdi was refused admittance to the Milan Conservatory for he was inadequately trained. As a young man, Verdi's operas had the characteristics of Italian bel canto. As his knowledge of music grew, he developed his own individualistic taste from this fundamental bel canto and experimented with harmony and orchestration. His work and techniques are in a plethora of standard repertories of operas in the status quo. For example, one of his greatest works Rigoletto, shows his artistic expression at its best. In 1871, upon the premier of Aïda, Verdi decided to retire. However, three years later upon the death of Italian poet Alessandro Manzoni, what is considered one of his best works by critics, Messa de Requiem was constructed. Today, Verdi can be considered one of the greatest opera producers of Italy. He had many who attempted to follow his footsteps, and Verdi influenced even the Verismo School of opera. Verdi's work was so appealing because he had a balance of bel canto with drama. His work was beautiful to the ear and warming to the heart.

Works
Opera
- Macbeth (1847)
- Rigoletto (1851)
- Il trovatore (The Troubadour, 1853)
- La traviata (The Lost One, 1853)
- Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball, 1859)
- La forza del destino (The Force of Destiny, 1862)
- Don Carlos (1867)
- Aida (1871)
- Otello (1887)
- Falstaff (1893)
Vocal music
- Requiem Mass (1874)
Chamber music
- String quartet in E minor (1873)

Additional Information
Verdi's Operas In Detail - http://www.r-ds.com/verdiana.htm

Sources:

Sony Classical. Sony Music Entertainment. 2001. <http://www.essentialsofmusic.com/eras/romhist.html>