For many people when they hear the word opera they immediately think of Italy and the soundtrack playing in their head will undoubtedly be by Verdi. He was writing in the mid-19th century – an extraordinarily exciting period for Italy – and Verdi’s music became the song of an emerging nation. From a relatively poor background in the Parma region Verdi was lucky to have a supporter in Antonio Barezzi who footed the bill for his studies and commissioned music from him. Indeed, having secured some modest success as a jobbing conductor he married Barezzi’s daughter and they settled down to have a family. But Verdi hankered after the big stage in Milan – La Scala. A rising young soprano, Giuseppina Strepponi, liked his music – particularly for the soprano – and lobbied the management at La Scala to put on his first opera, Oberto. It was a huge success and La Scala immediately offered him more work but his triumph was cut short when tragically his wife, son and daughter all died.

It looked like his career would spiral downwards after his next opera failed miserably at the box office. His depression and tragic circumstances, however, began to find an outlet through his music and the style of his work took a more expressive turn. His opera Nabucco, a biblical story with strong political undertones appealed directly to the downtrodden Italian people who identified with it very strongly. His name actually became the rallying cry of the people who would shout “Viva Verdi” at performances of his music – this was a kind of secret code for Vittorio Emmanuele, Rè d’Italia – Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy. Verdi’s music united the people of Italy in their quest for an independent and united country. This was opera as the popular soundtrack of the people.

The most significant person in Verdi’s life who rescued him from despair and became his inspiration was Giuseppina  Strepponi who had helped him at the beginning of his career. She became his companion and lover but as an unmarried couple there were sections of Italian society who shunned them completely and Verdi was bitterly angry at the way that Giuseppina was excluded from society, having previously been the most popular soprano on the operatic stage. La Traviata – probably his most popular and expressive opera – is partly a portrayal of the treatment he and Giuseppina had to live through. His lasting great gift to opera was to bring a new emotional realism and drama to the stage. The characters were real people in real situations and with real emotions beautifully expressed through Verdi’s music. Originally written for the great opera house, La Fenice in Venice the storyline of the La Traviata caused a controversy with the censors who made every effort to have the opera changed. Fortunately, after intensive lobbying from his supporters only the setting was changed – from Verdi’s present day 1853 to 1700. The subject matter was just too close for comfort. Social hypocrisy, family arguments, sexually transmitted diseases and sex for money were not considered to be suitable subjects for opera.

Despite the tricky start in life La Traviata has become probably the best-loved opera by Verdi. The human story behind the opera is one that people can relate to and understand – these are real people and have real emotions. Verdi’s sweeping and beautiful music for these flawed characters gives us an insight into what is going on behind the façade of the party life and celebrity culture – not so very far away then from our own times.