| Abstract |
Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Aida, Otello, Falstaff--such are the operas which mark Giuseppe Verdi as one of the most successful of all operatic composers. He knew personal tragedy and frustration in the course of his long life (1813-1901), some of his early operas failed, and in his later years he found his reputation overshadowed by that of Wagner, yet few musicians have been so universally acclaimed and rewarded as Verdi. Today his talents are taken far more seriously by critics than they were fifty years ago, and his operas are immensely popular. The remarkable development of his small-town organist and choirmaster, who at nearly sixty produced the imposing and ever popular Aida, at seventy-four the intensely dramatic Otello and at eighty the comic miracle of Falstaff, is now recognized. But Verdi was more than a great musician. He was a singularly lovable and human person, a formidable businessman, an ardent patriot. He knew and corresponded with all the great men of his day--musicians, artists and statesmen. Princes and peasants were his friends. Life on his farm at Sant'Agata was as dear to him as the applause at the world premiere of one of his operas. Carlo Gatti, who has spent a lifetime in the study of the maestro, has told his story in masterly fashion. His biography gives not only a full account of Verdi's activities as composer, but also describes his intimate life and the background of the stirring times in which he lived. It is a full, carefully detailed, heartwarming portrait, an inspiring study of a well-spent life. For many years one of Italy's leading music critics, Carlo Gatti is the author of several other musical biographies, including a life of Catalani. His 'Verdi' may be considered the standard biography. Originally published in 1939 and acclaimed throughout the music world, an English version is overdue. The present translation has been done by Elisabeth Abbott. |
