Homage to Giuseppe Verdi – 200 years anniversary of his birth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musica Viva will presents a program of rarely performed non-operistic music by Giuseppe Verdi

When? Saturday 23.11.2013 at 8 PM.

Where?  Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong.

How much? 100, 150 HKD.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901) was born poor in Busseto, a small village near Parma, where his father, Carlo, was a modest innkeeper and his mother, Luigia Uttini, was a wool spinner. Verdi is to this day the most admired Italian music composer in Italy.  But there is hardly a day passing by without his music being performed in theatres and auditoria in Italy and around the world. His creations are so popular, I believe, because he was not only a great artist but also a sincere, honest and passionate man.

I can still remember the 1990 Hollywood hit Pretty Woman where we find a beautiful Julia Roberts being taken for the first time at the Opera, La Traviata and being overwhelmed by tears and emotions. This is a proof that he can still speak to us, modern men and women, as he was speaking to our forefathers.

Indeed he had an inborn musical talent but he achieved success because he toiled and worked very hard for all his life, triumphing over personal tragedy and bitter misfortune. He fought as a patriot for the liberty of Italy, and never forgot his humble roots. Being a careful administrator of his estate, Verdi made it flourish bequeathing after his death all his money to a home for aged musicians, which even today is taking care of about 100 elderly who are fed and lodged with dignity.