Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-10

appear
S1GNoR.. VERDL-The following partic-
ulars concerning Verdi will be read with
interest
'SSignor Verdi now lives in the villa
di Santa Agata, two miles from Busseto.
His house is characteristic, as BELTS an
artist The door, which is almost hidden
by two weeping willows, is approached
by an ancient bridge, there being no
other means of access. Behind the
house is a small but well cultivated gar
den, with an artificial lake at the
further end. Beyond this extends the
Signor's property, carefully titled, with
all the most recent agricultural improve
ment from England and France, and
provided with good, substantial dwell
ings for his tenants. Everything shows
the orderly, tranquil nature of the man,
and the same harmonious blending of
art and comfort is visible in the archi-
lecture and furniture Of his house Sig
nor Verdi rarely cOmpOses except in his
bed chamber, a spacious, lofty room,
the windows of which look on to the
garden. 1t contains magnificent piano
forte, a small library, and a large desk
of eccentric form, on which are dis
played a variety of statuettes and other
fanciful works of art.
Above the piano-fOrte hangs IN oil
painting of SignOr BarezZi, most in
innate friend of the composer. In per-
son Signor Verdi is tall and vigorous,
and of strong constitution. He posses
mes firm and resolute mind, yet is read
| lily impressed with strong argument.
SO far from being spoilt by success,
those who visit him find him to be a
most affable, courteous, and unpretend-
| ing man. He rises at five, and after q
walk, and a talk with his tenants retIres
| to his room, and deyotes the remainder
of the day successfully to music, poetry,
history and philosophy. Verdi is the
son of an inn-keeper, was born on the
9th of October, 1914, at Rancola in the
| Duchy of Parma. He early showed
| his musical genius, though it was re-
/ pressed by his family Before he was
fifteen he played on the organ of aneigh-
| boring church, and at home on an old
and almost soundless spinet. He receiy-
| ed his first lessons from an OrganiSt at
| Milan, yet, strange to say, was sent
! back from the COnservatOrie of that city
with certificate of incapacity. After
| this he pursued his studies at a second
| rate institute at 5uSsetO, where he made
| great progress.
The town is naturally proud of him,
| and on solemn occasions the local band
| performs q wonderfully effective piece,
composed by Verdi when only eleven.
In 1889 he composed his earliest work
! of Importance, musical drama entitled
| Oberto San Bonifazio. This was fol
/ lowed dy the Lombard, which laid the
foundation of his fame. 1t will suffice
here mere to record the names of some
of his succeeding works, such as Nabu-
codonosor, Ernani, Attila, Macbeth,
Masnadieri, Luisa Miller, Rigoletto,
Trovatore, Tn Ballo in Maschera, and
| Don Carlos. His more recent pieces are
Giovanni a Arco, La Fora del Destino,
and Aida, performed last year at the
Scala Milan. This opera was written
expressly for the Niceroy of Egypt, and
was first represented at Cairo. Signor
Verdi was elected member of the 1tal-
ian Parliament in 1861 and in 1871 went
officially to Milan to organize the Italian
Musical Institute. He has received nu-
merous honors and decorations, both
| Italian and foreign"