Italian Music World rallies for the purchase of Villa Verdi

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The project has the support of Rai Cultura, the event's media partner.

discettato di idealismo e positivismo e si è detto contento se

The Italian Ministry of Culture launched a programme of extraordinary concerts for the acquisition and valorization of the house-museum of Giuseppe Verdi in Sant'Agata di Villanova sull'Arda, near Piacenza, where the famous composer spent 50 years of his life creating “La Traviata” and many other celebrated operas.

The big villa, owned by four Verdi’s descendants and worth from 20 to 30 millions euros, is for sale and the Ministry wants to collect the money necessary for the purchase. The project, in collaboration with the Italian lyricsymphonic theatres, supports the preservation, promotion and valorization of "Villa Verdi".

Retail revenues of 14 performances of Verdi's music and operas that involve the 14 lyric-symphonic foundations from 10 February to 15 June 2023 will be donated to the purchase of the site and its belongings.

Further resources may be devolved through donations by bank transfer to the following IBAN code

"I am proud of the extraordinary response of the Italian theatres - stated the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano - in two months, an intense Verdi programme has been setted up to support the acquisition of a very valuable identity asset to the heritage of the State. Thanks to RAI, this virtuous commitment will have its rightful place in the public service schedule, making a cultural mobilization in order to achieve a priority target: acquiring for the public heritage a place that is strongly linked to national identity. Villa Verdi is not only a physical place, but a place of collective memory. Gianbattista Vico would have described him as a place of common feeling. An important piece of national identity that it is the duty of the Republic to honour”.

“Music - said the Minister's music advisor, Beatrice Venezi - has enormous power because it can be a vehicle of values, of identity, of a collective imagination, as is the case with Giuseppe Verdi's music. The acquisition of a symbolic place where one of the fathers of Italian music lived and worked for a long time is an operation of great value that further enhances the bond with our roots”.

“This is a beautiful Italian story. The performing arts world unitedly welcomes this important initiative that has the merit of enhancing the figure of

Giuseppe Verdi as an identifying element of Italy's cultural heritage. Many theatres continue to join in promoting the initiative of the government and the 14 opera foundations. The world of show business is here to contribute to safeguarding the identity of our country,” said the Superintendent of the Fondazione Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Capitale, Francesco Giambrone.

The Teatro alla Scala joined the Ministry of Culture’s initiative to safeguard Villa Verdi in Sant’Agata: on June 15th the rehearsal of Macbeth will be open to the public to raise funds. The opera is conducted by Giampaolo Bisanti with Luca Salsi and Ekaterina Semenchuk in the main roles. Davide Livermore's production returns to La Scala after the success of last Season’s opening. Tickets on sale from April 6th.