GIUSEPPE VERDI
Nothing makes a good story better than great music. Giuseppe Verdi
was the finest Opera composers of his time. He was famous for setting
great music to great stories and conducting them in Italian opera
houses. I chose Verdi because his melodies are beautiful and
memorable.
Verdi was born in 1813 and grew up in the tiny Italian village of Le
Roncole. As an altar boy in church, Verdi loved listening to the organ. He
loved the sound so much that he took lessons to learn how to play. He
was very talented. At 10 years old, he was the village organist. In his
early 20s, he married his childhood sweetheart, Margherita, and had 2
children. While writing his 2nd Opera, his wife and children fell ill and
died. His music wasn’t popular and his family life was ruined.
A couple years later, Verdi was asked to write an opera for the story,
Nabucco. The opera is about the biblical story of the Jews. This opera
was very successful and it made Verdi very famous. Later in his life,
Verdi wrote other famous operas, like Aida and La Traviata. By the
1850s, he was Italy’s greatest opera composer. In addition to music, he
was also a senator for Italy’s government. His biggest concern was to
put free music education in schools.
Today, many opera houses have been named after Verdi and his music
has influenced countless composers. During his funeral, many fans of his
music showed up and sang music from his operas. While he may have
died in 1901, at the age of 87, his music will live on forever.
REFERENCES:
1. Lives Of The Musicians, by Kathleen Krull & Kathryn Hewitt
2. Classics For Kis: Verdi’s Biography
http://www.classicsforkids.com/composers/bio.asp?id=60