Giuseppe Verdi
Greatest Italian opera composer
Most quoted
"I adore art... when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds, and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my inspiration are so great that I have to sing them out loud."
— from Letter, 1871
"I adore art... when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my joys are too much to bear."
— from Letter to Countess Maffei, 1875
"Of all composers, past and present, I am the least learned. I mean that in all seriousness, and by learning I do not mean knowledge of music."
— from Letter to Arrivabene, 1871
All quotes by Giuseppe Verdi (398)
Politics and music should never mix, yet they often do.
A good libretto is half the opera.
I compose not for fame, but for the joy of creation.
Humor in music lightens the soul's burdens.
The voice is the instrument closest to the divine.
Friendship is the harmony that sustains life's discord.
Innovation comes from respecting tradition.
Sorrow and joy are the twin notes of existence.
The conductor's role is to breathe life into the score.
I regret nothing; every note was worth the effort.
Love in music is eternal, unlike in life.
Critics are like sparrows; they chirp but rarely soar.
The muse visits only those who labor.
Patriotism sings in the heart of every Italian.
Rest is the composer’s greatest enemy.
A melody once heard never fades from memory.
Wisdom comes not from years, but from suffering nobly borne.
The stage is a mirror of human folly and grace.
I laugh at those who call me a genius; I am merely persistent.
Family is the true orchestra of life.
Contemporaries of Giuseppe Verdi
Other Musics born within 50 years of Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901).