Giuseppe Verdi is one of the most well known composers ever. He was born on 10 October 1813 in Le Roncole, Busseto, and died in Milan on 27 January 1901. During the 19th century he was the most successful composer of Italian operas. Today his works are erformed frequently in opera houses all over the world. Many of his critics, today
and during his life, critized him for catering to the tastes of the ordinary people. His work was described as simplistic, and shamelessly melodramatic by his critics.

Verdi Operas
Here is a list of some of Verdi's most famous operas:

Macbeth
Rigoletto
La Traviata
Otello
Don Carlos
Aida

The first opera Giuseppe Verdi wrote was Oberto Conte di San Bonifacio, in 1839. It was performed with success at the La Scala
Theatre in Milan. His second opera was a fiasco, Un giorno di regno
from 1840, causing much misfortune for him and his family. During
this time his wife and children died. He swore to never compose
music again. Thankfully Bartolomeo Merelli, an impresario from the
La Scala theatre, convinced him to write another opera. Nabucco
was his third opera, and made Verdi famous. What followed was
a decade filled with new operas from the maestro, such as
Ernani and Macbeth. Macbeth was an adaptation of his favourite
dramatist William Shakespeare.

Verdi was most influenced by Gaetano Donizetti, Saverio Mercadante, and Rossini.