Viva Verdi! Opera and the Birth of Modern Italy
May 15-17, 2026
The great composer Giuseppe Verdi was a leading artist of Italy’s reunification into a single country in the mid-Nineteenth Century, known as the “Risorgimento.” His operatic masterworks brought to the stage the values and issues of the Risorgimento, giving vivid creative expression to the ideals of his time. His stirring and melodious music provided a common bond for peoples divided by political boundaries, customs, and dialects. Verdi’s personal life—his humble beginnings, his professional triumphs and family tragedies, his moral integrity, his patriotic yearnings—became symbolic of an emerging nation’s vital spirit. We will explore Giuseppe Verdi’s life and art in their historical context and use video examples (with English subtitles) to examine in detail his magnificent music dramas, whose creative genius continues to thrill audiences everywhere. No previous opera background required. Just watch, listen, and enjoy.
Tentative Opera Schedule
Friday, May 15th
4 PM – Registration & Lodging Check-in
5 PM – Orientation & Social
6 PM – Dinner
7PM – 9 PM – Opera Course ***Opera course description to be added
Saturday, May 16th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Lunch
1 PM – 5 PM Opera Course (3 PM – Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
5:30 PM – Social
6:30 PM – Dinner
7:30 PM – Performance
Sunday, May 17th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Farewell Lunch
