The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-02-03
y. VERDI. 6&

spent many hours daily before this instru-
ment and thus had occasion to constantly
meet my patrons daughter. Marguerite.
with whom / fell violently in love. She
became my wife. When Bar
ezzi recognized my talents, he commissioned
the leader Of the town orchestra. Signor
Provost. to instruct me at his expense. He
was a good teacher. but after three years
confessed that his pupil had learned all he
ProvesD knew himself.
Next Barezzi prevailed upon the authori-
ties of Busseto to grant me a stipend of 60
francs for the next two years to complete
my studies at Milan. i was then IS. and
the fact that l didn't look like a musician,
according to prevailing notions. was against
me. l was a nervy fellow with muscles like
steel and of an earnest, determined DISPOSE
ton. My face was seldom lighted up with
enthusiasm, and 1 had more the appearance
of a plodding student than of an artist. The
first impression l made upon the director of
the Milan conservatory was therefore not
a happy one, and at the examination he re-
marked. without taking the trouble of in
curing into my talents: Il am astonished
that anybody should spend money on such
a duffer as you. II you were to study for
fifty years you would never amount to any
thing" This fool of a master fatty refused
TO allow me to enter the school.
L NEW MASTER.
But. nothing daunted. 1 went to Maestro
L~avigno. a composer of note. aking with
me the pieces l had composed. Lavigno
saw at once that there was something i'm
me and promised to teach me all he knew.
Six months later L directed a performance
Of Haydn's o~ratorio. 1.-THE Creation" in
place Of Lavigno. who was i'll. l had never
before seen the music, but instinct or good
luck enabled me to bring out its beauties.
This feat gained me many admirers. and |
gave myself up entirely to composing;
marches. symphonies and songs followed
one another in quick succession. inter-
spersed now and then by cantatas and also
by a Stabat Mater. Some OF these early
works I used afterwards with much effect
In the opera lombard
FIRST MARRIAGE.
In 1884 l had acquired enough money to
marry Marguerite Barezzi. held the post /
of teacher OF music In the schools of Bus
seto at the time. and also was organist Of
the Church of San Francisco. which soon
became the Mecca of music-loving people in
the neighborhood. Frequently, after hnish- |
ing mass on Sunday In my own church, L /
found carriages waiting to convey me to
another church. where mass had been post |
poned in order that l might play the organ.
In 1886 l moved my wife and two chill
dren to Milan. where L Erst met Soliro. then
IA young man Of - years of age. who had
already published a book of poems. and had
written the book Of several operas that
were produced at La Scala. Soliro was I'M |
questionably a genius. and We became fast |
friends. Soliro wrote the libretto of my |
first lyrical work. '-Oberto Conte de San
II was produced in 1887. and
achieved so much success that the director |
of La Scala entered into a contract with
me to compose three more operas. The first |
of them. an. opera bouffe, was one of the
most decided failures the Scala had ever |
While working on it the first great |
grief came into my life. In two months |
both my children. and soon afterwards |
my wife. whom 1 loved tenderly, was car |
ried of by brain fever. But in all the tur-
MOL and sorrow 1 had to continue with nv |
work. 1 finished it a few DAYS after my |
funeral. |
A HERMIT. |
When all was over 1 begged the manager |
10 relieve me from the contract, sold my |
house and furniture. sent the piano before