VERDI 190 VEBDIGBIS VERDI, GIUSEPPE, an Italian com- posei-; born in Roncole near Busseto, Italy, Oct. 9, 1813. At 10 years he was organist of the small church in his na- tive village; at IG he was provided with funds to prosecute his studies at the conservatorium at Milan; but at the en- trance examination he showed so little evidence of musical talent that the au- thorities declined to enroll him. Noth- ing daunted, he pursued his studies un- der Lavigna from 1831 to 1833, when, according to agreement, he returned to Busseto to take the place of his old teacher Provesi, then deceased. After five unhappy years in a town where he was little appreciated, Verdi returned to Milan. His first opera, "Oberto, Conte di S. Bonifacio," is chiefly indebted to Bellini, and the next, "Un Giorno di Regno" (which fulfilled its own title, as it was only once performed), has been styled un Bazar de Reminiscences." GIUSEPPE VERDI "Nabucodonosor" (1842) was his first hit, and in the next year "I Lombardi," was even more successful — partly owing to the revolutionary feeling which in no small degree was to help him to his future high position. Indeed, his name was a useful acrostic to the revolution- ary party, who shouted "Viva Verdi," when they meant "Viva Vittorio E'ma- nuele, Re D'/talia." "Ernani," produced at Venice in 1844, also scored a success, owing to the republican sentiment in the libretto, which was adapted from Victor Hugo's "Hernani." Many works fol- lowed in quick succession, each rousing the enthusiasm of the audiences chiefly when an opportunity was afforded them of expressing their feelings against the Austrian rule. Only with his 16th opera did Verdi win the supremacy when there were no longer any living com- petitors; and "Rigoletto" (1851); "11 Trovatore," and "La Traviata" (1853) must be called the best, as they are the last of the Italian opera school. "I Ves- pri Siciliani" (1855) and "Simon Boc- canegra" (1857) were not so successful as "Un Ballo in Maschera" (1859) ; and none of them any more than "La Forza del Destino" (1862) or "Don Carlos" (1867) added anything to the fame of the composer of "II Trovatore." Only now begins the interest which the stu- dent of musical history finds in Verdi's life. Hitherto he had proved a good man struggling with adversity and pov- erty, a successful composer ambitious to succeed to the vacant throne of Italian opera. But the keen insight into dra- matic necessity which had gradually de- veloped and had given such force to otherwise unimportant scenes in earlier operas also showed him the insufficiency of the means hitherto at the disposal of Italian composers, and from time to time he had tried to learn the lessons taught in the French Grand Opera school, but with poor success. Now a longer interval seemed to promise a more careful, a more ambitious work, and when "Aida" was produced at Cairo (1871) it was at once acknowledged that a revolution had taken place in Verdi's mind and method, which might produce still greater results. The in- fluence of Wagner and the music drama is distinctly to be felt, and the andvan- tage of more deliberate work. But Verdi was apparently not yet satisfied. For 16 years the successful composer main- tained absolute silence in opera, when whispers of a great music drama roused the expectation of musical Europe to an extraordinary pitch ; nor were the highest expectations disappointed when "Othel- lo" was produced at Milan in 1887. The surrender of Italian opera was com- plete, and Verdi took his right place at the head of the vigorous new school which has arisen in Italy and which promises to regain for the "Land of Song" some of her ancient pre-eminence in music. A comic opera, "Falstaff," was produced in 1893 by the composer; a Requiem Mass (1874) is his only im- portant non-operatic work. He died in Milan, Italy, Jan. 27, 1901. VERDIGRIS, or VERDEGRIS, in chemistry, a green pigment prepared in the S. of France, by exposing thin plates of copper for some time to the action of the refuse of the grape from which wine has been made. In the United States it is sometimes prepared by placing copper plates in contact with woolen cloths, which have been soaked in pyroligneous acid. It is soluble in
