Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most 1 composers of the 19th century. His works are frequently performed in opera houses throughout the world, transcending the boundaries of the genre.
1813 was also the year of birth of Richard Wagner. The two composers, 2 music and subject matter could not have been more different, revolutionized the opera and continue to influence it even today. Wagner was 3 with myths and gods whereas Verdi was more interested in human beings and their problems.
After his opera Aida, Verdi rearranged Simon Boccanegra and Don Carlos. In their new form, both works 4 the direction Verdi intended to take in order to create a new type of opera. In 1887, he put his ideas into practice with the première of Othello in Milan. Verdi's new style was marked by a refined interplay between orchestra and canto. The text accentuated the psychological and musical dimension. For Othello, Verdi has been 5 accused of copying Richard Wagner.