The Portland daily press., 1900-10-26
VERDI.
The Musician Entered His Eighty
Eighth Year Oct 10

The correspondent Of the New York
Damatic Mirror IN Rome, under date Of
Oct. 10 writes:
To-day Verdi enters his eighty-eighth
year, and is still as green, youthful and
hardy as his name. He thinks nothing
OF running from Genoa to MilaD 60 see
how things are going on IN the institu-
tlon he has founded there, and where he
nopes to be buried II the Milan munici-
PATTY viii allow. He has received hun
dreds Of kilograms from all parts OF the
fWOflu, wherever he has a friend or an
aQmlrer OF his genius, and L may say OF
MS good qualities as a man. Austere to
tnose he does not know, he Is all heart
lof tnose he does know, and his modesty
ana simplicity are prOYerbial. De has
only one hatred, and that is for the piano
MS own Is locked up for the greater part
OF the year, and once when at watering
place the hotel proprietor put a splendid
piano in his room, thinking to please
nln thereby, he locked the plano, then
LOOK out the key, took a walk and threw
tne Key down a pTecipice, to make sure
IL would not be found again during his
stay. And yet no man is or ever was
Ionoer OF music than Verdi, and no man
mas ever worked more than he, nor SO
late IN life as he. Why. It is only a few
NAol IL D1OukAD O4l OL--C-4D rELAA
alstan, two masterpieces Of a masters
nina. There was a time when he would
slt rom fourteen to sixteen hours at his
piano, and now he hates the sight Of It.
although his head still sings with ever
new melodies, he says, but be has no
longer strength enough to write them
uohn' he came OF peasant parents, Held
laDorers IN fact, but seems TO have been
dorm With music on his brain. As soon
as ne could toddle alone be would HE
nllnselI TO church to listen to the organ,
or would stop at the windows OF any
mouse where music was being played.
1nefe he would remain as long as he
could hear note. This conduct being
soon noticed, the proprietor Of a villa
SPOKE 20 MIN one day, and seeing him
stanolng like in a dream, listening to
the music which was being played with
IN tne house, the gentleman took the
peasant boy by the hand and led him in
TO the room, where his little daughter
was practicing. Years after Verdi mar.
rled that daughter, 1t was her father
who procured a scholarship for the boy,
who was shen sent to the Milan Conser-
VaUorY, Where he was told there was no
music in him, Within few years, how
ever, he was back in his native village,
as organlst IN the very church where he
useu 20 SIT entrRnced, listening to the or
gan, now his to play upon. His first
opera was failure, as also was his sec
ond opera-a comic opera, which was
missed OH the stage. But he sWoIe to
hlmself that he would write comic opera
which should be a success before he died,
and ne fulfilled this oath IN his last pro-
duoed opera, Falstaff. On the first nighU
Oh this opera the old man alluded to this,
Dy saying, 1 have gone back to my first
love, as said L would.
de lost his first wife and his two
children while still young man, and
Tor time he thought he would never
wish to write again. Fortunately time
cures all sorrows, and thus the world was
benehtted by some Of the most sublime
operas ever written,
Ferd1 is not and never was q society
man, Nothing could induce him to leave
his home for a society function. At times,
Wnen travelling, he was obliged to make
concessions, but whenever be could he
would make some excuses to keep away
from society
IN appearance Verdi is a striking per-
sonallty. His features are regular, and
MS eyes are shrOuded by very heavy and
bushy broWs. His voics is remarkably
pleasing. In his youth. he took part in
the Italian Independence wars, His
name, indeed, became a Warcry, its let
ters forming in initials the words, vic
tor Emanul, Re Di Italie' Victor Eman-
uel, King Of Italy,.
Verdi is a senator, and to give you
an idea Of his dislike to any demonstra-
tion, he came to Rome by night to take
his oath Of obedience and left the city
Immediately after his audience with the
King. He knew that a demonstration
for him was being prepared in Rome,
and SO be determined to Illustrate 1t, and
ala, much to the disappointment of his
good Roman admirers.
"Altoge 5her he is wonderful man.
May be live to be a hundred. -
Excursion to the "Hub'' on October
30.