THE LIFE, TIMES AND MUSIC OF
GIUSEPPE VERDI:
A BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Giuseppe Albanese

Recipient of the LLS 2000 Excellence in Teaching Award

DESCRIPTION: In anticipation of the upcoming Verdi Bicentennial (1813-–2013), Verdi’s life and compositional history will be showcased. The monumental 10-hour film, The Life of Verdi will be presented in seven sessions. The last session will include highlights from the composer’s masterwork, Nabucco. Emphasis is placed on Verdi’s position as the foremost composer of Italian opera in the 19th-Century, and his role as a political catalyst and cultural icon. This biographical film was produced with incredible historical accuracy, and is both a comprehensive review of Verdi’s contribution to the world of opera, and a loving and moving tribute. Albanese will provide interesting commentary throughout the series, and a Q-and-A period follows each class.

EIGHT LECTURES:

1. Childhood: Barezzi and Milan
   
2. Margarita: Tragedy and Nabucco
   
3. Patriotism: I Lombardi and Ernani
   
4. Giuseppina Revolution and Rigoletto
   
5. Italian Independence: La Traviata and Un Ballo in Maschera
   
6. Wagner, Teresa Stoltz and Aida
   
7. Crisis: Otello and Falstaff
   
8. Conclusion: Highlights from Nabucco

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Maestro Giuseppe Albanese attended the University of Vermont and received his degree in history in 1966. In 1989, after five years of intensive study, he developed a dynamic education program entitled the Joy of Opera. For the past 20 years, he has lectured extensively on many operatic subjects and produced numerous video documentaries on opera.