Bachtrack logo

Giuseppe Verdi (1818-1901)

Giuseppe Verdi, portrait by Giovanni Boldini, 1886 © Public domain
© Public domain
Find Verdi events around the world
Top reads
Giuseppe Verdi, portrait by Giovanni Boldini (1886) © Public domain
Bachtrack top ten: Giuseppe Verdi
Of all the 19th-century Italian opera composers, one stood head and shoulders above the rest. But Giuseppe Verdi was more than just an opera composer. He became a political figurehead. Our playlist includes nine of his most famous operas and his Requiem, described as “an opera in ecclesiastical garb”.
Fact file
Year of birth1813
Year of death1901
NationalityItaly
PeriodRomantic
Upcoming eventsSee more...

TallinnOpera: OtelloNew production

© Kalle Veesaar
Verdi: Otello
Arvo Volmer; Vincent Boussard; Estonian National Opera; Kaspar Mänd; Rasmus Rembel

RotterdamVerdi's Requiem

© Marek Piwnicki
Verdi: Messa da Requiem
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra; Lahav Shani; Aleksandra Kurzak; Annalisa Stroppa; Dmytro Popov; Georg Zeppenfeld

BarcelonaAida

© No credit
Verdi: Aida
Antonello Manacorda; Shirin Neshat; Gran Teatre del Liceu; Josep Gil; Christian Schmidt; Tatyana van Walsum; Felice Ross

PragueLa traviata

Prague National Theatre
Verdi: La traviata
Jiří Štrunc; Arnaud Bernard; The Czech National Opera; Anna Pozidis; Alessandro Camera; Maria Carla Ricotti; Patrick Méeüs

ParisGautier Capuçon et les Capucelli

© Benoit Godet
Barnes, Blache, Shostakovich, Delibes, Dubugnon, Dunckel, Dvořák, Martínez Campos, Piazzolla, Ravel, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Escaich
Gautier Capuçon; Anouchka Hack; Léo Ispir; Charlotte Miles
Latest reviewsSee more...

Quinn Kelsey dazzles in the Met Opera’s new Macbeth

Quinn Kelsey (Macbeth) and chorus © Marty Sohl | Met Opera

The American baritone delivers a career-defining performance of the title role in Louisa Proske’s post-apocalyptic setting of Verdi’s first Shakespearean opera, which opens the company’s new season.

****1
Read more

Tradition reclaimed in Liliana Cavani’s lavish Traviata at La Scala

Nadine Sierra (Violetta) and ensemble © Brescia e Amisano | Teatro alla Scala

Reaching a milestone 100th performance, Liliana Cavani’s grand staging of La traviata returns in fine form, featuring a luminous Nadine Sierra as Violetta.

****1
Read more

A solid Traviata revival at Canadian Opera Company

Kathryn Lewek (Violetta) and Long Long (Alfredo) © Michael Cooper

The COC’s revival of Verdi’s La traviata features fine singing, especially from Kathryn Lewek’s Violetta, but has perhaps lost a little of the edge of previous runs.

***11
Read more

Noa Naamat’s powerful Aida opens the season in Helsinki

Monica Zanettin (Aida) © Emma Suominen
Finnish National Opera and Ballet’s season opens with an earthy new production of Verdi's perennial favourite, Aida, given a contemporary setting where even the victors suffer. 
****1
Read more

Zurich Opera’s brooding Ballo in maschera comes to Edinburgh

Un ballo in maschera © Jess Shurte

Gianandrea Noseda conducts his Zurich Opera forces as Adele Thomas' 2024 production arrives in Edinburgh with a cast led by Stephen Costello and Elena Stikhina. 

****1
Read more