Verdi's Aïda



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The works of the great Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi are considered to be the cornerstone of the Italian grand-opera tradition. Many of his choruses, including this “Triumphal March and Chorus” from Act II of Aïda (1871), contain the theme of a nation struggling for unity against foreign domination. During the 19th century, when much of Italy was under Austrian control, Verdi’s name became a powerful patriotic symbol (it spelt Vittorio Emmanuele, Re D’Italia, indicating support for Victor Emmanuel II as King of Italy), and Verdi’s death in 1901 plunged the country into mourning.

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Verdi, Giuseppe; Opera; Romanticism (music); Music; Italy

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