Conversation so far:
What were the first operas?
In 1837, the young composer asked for Massini's assistance to stage his opera in Milan.
Why did he ask for assistance?
The La Scala impresario, Bartolomeo Merelli, agreed to put on Oberto (as the reworked opera was now called, with a libretto.
What was oberto?
CANNOTANSWER.
What other operas did he perform?
While Verdi was working on his second opera Un giorno di regno, Margherita died of encephalitis at the age of 26.

Question: Who was margherita?
Self-contained rewrite: Who was Margherita to Giuseppe Verdi?