Giuseppe Verdi
1813-1901 · Italian (Le Roncole/Milan) · Romanticism / Italian Opera
Known for: Supreme master of Italian opera - Aida, La Traviata, Rigoletto, Otello, and Falstaff
Verdi was a farmer's son who became Italy's national hero - his name was an acronym for the Italian unification movement. He was gruff, practical, and private. He lost his first wife and two children within three years.
His late masterpieces Otello and Falstaff, written in his 70s and 80s, showed he could still revolutionize his own art. He built a retirement home for musicians that still operates today.
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