The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-19
HIS EARLY CAREER.
Met with Ill Luck at First, but Soon
Started OF the Road to Fame.

Met with Ill Luck at First, but Soon
Started or the Road to Fame.
Giuseppi Verdi. in the Musical Courier.
In 1888 or 1884 there existed at Milan So
ciety of friends of music, under the direc-
ton of a conductor named Masini. He was
no great musician, but he had that indis-
pensable requisite for a society of dilet-
tanti-a good stock of patience. Haydn's
Creation was in preparation, and my
teacher, Professor Lavigna, asked me
whether / was inclined to assist at one or
other Of the rehearsals. i gladly assented.
knowing how much 1 still had to learn. No
human being gave thought to the lad who
had modesty stuck himself away in cor
ner. The rehearsals were conducted by
three capellmeisters, Perelli, Bonoldi and
Almasio. BY accident one day all these
conductors were absent, and Maestro Ma
SIM, who found it impossible to play the
accompaniment from the score, requested
me to undertake the accompaniment AS
he had no great confidence in my musical
requirements, he added, 1T will be enough
to play the simple bass accompaniment
throughout" l had just ended my studies,
and the most thick bodied score could not
terrify me, SO I assented, took my seat at
the piano and the rehearsal began. l still
not repress their smile when they saw the
beardless. thin STRIPPING in his anything but
careful attire appear before them. The re-
hearsal began. The grandeur Of the music
had a powerful effect on me. My cheeks
glowed; could not be content with play
ing the accompaniment merely with my
left. 1 raised my right and began to con-
duct THE Creation" according to all
the rules of the art. / had a great success,
all the more as it was quite unexpected.
After the rehearsal ] received congratu-
Iatlons from all slides, including, naturally,
Counts Pompeo Beigiojoso and Renato Bor-
romeo. do not know and do not care to
inquire why the three conductors were alb
sent. merely mention the fact that the
whole direction of the concert was intrusted
to me- The performance was such a sue
cess that it was repeated some days later
before the Archduke Rainier at the Noble
Casino. Soon afterward Count r, Borro-
meo commissioned me to write a cantata
for orchestra and voice for the marriage of
one of his relatives. / accepted and left the
profits to the Philharmonic Society. Macs
tro Masini seemed to have equal confidence
in the young composer, and suggested that
l should compose for the Philodramatic
Theater an opera on a librettO written by
Solsra. This was my first opera, "Oberto
di San Bonifacio." l accepted with delight
and returned to Busseto, where / was or
ganist remained three years at Busseto.
Milan with the whole orchestral score. l
had myself taken the trouble of writing out
the soil, chorus and orchestra parts
HIS DISBURSEMENT.
Then began the difficulties. Masini was
no longer director of the Philodramatic 1t
was impossible to give my opera. 1 met
Masini and complained of my i'll luck He
seemed to have no slight confidence in me-
for he had wished to show his gratitude
as 1 had so often, after 1.-The Creation,
taken up the baton and led countless re-
han co1c
of "Cenerentola') without ever asking for
pay. He inspired me with courage, and
promised to do everything to have my
opera given at La Scala Count Borromeo
and the state attorney, PaSetti, promised
their assistance. Finally the first perform
ance took place, In the spring of 1889, which
was double advantage to me-frst, to
have my premiere at La Scala for the bene-
mt OF the Pho Institute; secondly, to be able
to have at my disposal Strepponi, Moriani
G. Ronconi and Marini The parts were
given out, the rehearsals begun Then Mo-
RIM fell sick. The rehearsals had to be
stopped; there was no use thinking about
my opera / was thinking of returning to
Busseto. Then one day an attache of La
Scala came to me and asked, rather
Are you the maestro from Parma, who
has an opera for the Institute Pho? Come
wants to Sc you
rs it possible? Must go there?"
certainly, signor: the impresario has or
dered me to bring back the maestro from
Parma.
| accompanied him. The impresario at
that time was Bartooneo Morelli. He had
one evening overheard a conversation be-
tween Strepponi and Ronconi, in which they
spoke In high terms of my "Oberto d San
Bontfacio. / presented myself to Moreli
who without any decentralization said that
he was ready to produce it next season. He
added only one condition, that the solo parts
must De adapted to the artists at his diSpo-
sition. Here was an offer! Young, I'M
known, l had found an impresario who
would venture to produce the work of a
newcomer without asking for any pecuniary
have made
Morell himself took the risk of the mount
ing. He proposed that we should divide the
profits II, after a successful performance, /
could sell the opera to publisher. This
was very good, acceptable offer for a be-
g1nner. The opera, in fact, was sold imme-
diately after its favorable reception to Clio
vanni Ricordi for 1900 francs. "Oberto di
San Bonifacio'' was therefore produced Nov
H. 1899. 1t had no great success, but il was
good enough to encourage me. 1t had. how
ever, so many more performances than Mo
relli expected that he determined to prolong
the season. The opera was sung by the
mezzo-soprano Marini, the tenor Salvi and
had to alter the parts for the artists and
write new number quartet, for dramatic
effect. So Morelli insisted and l followed his
advice Solera wrote the lines, composed.
and the quartet was the brilliant number of
the opera.
ORDER FOR AN OPERA.
MOTeil mace me proposition which for
those iong-past days must be called brill
liant. He offered a contract for the compost
ton of three operas which l must hand In
every eight months for La Scala and the
Imperial. Theater at Vienna. / was to re-
ceive for each work 1900 francs, the profit
from the sale Of the scores after a success
full premiere to be divided equally between
US. accepted at once. Marelli handed me
the sketch of a libretto which he had or
dered from; Rossi.
Rossi brought me his libretto I'll Pros
crito. As did not like ii l did nothing
with 1t. Morelli returned from Vienna in
January, 1S40, and said he must have, at any
price, a comic opera for the autumn season.
as wish had been expressed in the high
est quarters that he must enlarge his rep
ertory in that direction. must write the
comic opera first. the tragic one afterward
read a whole library Of librettos. / read
and read, and read-nOt one single libretto
pleased ME. At last took what seemed the
best. II F1nto Stanislao,' which received
the name Of I'm Giorno Ill Regno."
Verdi then describes with touching sim
plciTy how, just he was beginning to
work. he was attacked by rheumatism
which confined him 10 his bed: how his wife
had TO pawn all her valuables TO pay the
rent or their poor lodging: how. when he.
had recovered, his eldest son died. and his
death was followed BY that o. his daughter