Falstaff (opera) knight, Sir John Falstaff, to seduce two married women to gain access to their husbands' wealth. Verdi was concerned about working on a new opera at his advanced age, but he yearned to write a comic work and was pleased with Boito's draft libretto. It took the collaborators three years from mid-1889 to complete. Although the prospect of a new opera from Verdi aroused immense interest in Italy and around the world, "Falstaff" did not prove to be as popular as earlier works in the composer's canon. After the initial performances in Italy, other European countries and the US, the
Giuseppe Verdi good stead. These included an introduction by Lavigna to an amateur choral group, the "Società Filarmonica", led by Pietro Massini. Attending the "Società" frequently in 1834, Verdi soon found himself functioning as rehearsal director (for Rossini's "La cenerentola") and continuo player. It was Massini who encouraged him to write his first opera, originally titled "Rocester", to a libretto by the journalist Antonio Piazza. List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi In mid-1834, Verdi sought to acquire Provesi's former post in Busseto but without success. But with Barezzi's help he did obtain the secular post of "maestro di musica". He taught, gave