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 The Death of Verdi
 

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(1) (2) (3) (4)

       

(5) (6) (7) (8)

       

(9) (10) (11) (12)

         

(13) (14) (15) (16) (17)

         

(18) (19) (20) (21) (22)

         
(23) (24) (25) (26) (27)

             

Giuseppe Verdi died on 27 Jan 1901 after a debilitating stroke six days earlier. A funeral befitting a king was in the planning but in accordance with Verdi's wishes he was buried, without grandeur, beside his wife Giuseppina Strepponi on a damp, foggy morning (8). However, one month later there was a great public funeral (1) when both caskets, again according to his wishes, were moved to the Casa di Riposa after State approval had been met.

It should be noted that some of the more notable biographies on Verdi give different versions and dates of the events that surrounded his death. The postcards, witnesses to those events, offer the most accurate details.


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(1) Posted the date of the 2nd funeral procession (the State burial), 27 Feb 1901.

(2) Posted the day before Verdi's death, 26 Jan 1901.

(3) Posted 27 Feb 1901. Casa pei Musicisti fondata da Giuseppe Verdi & ove riposano le salme dell'Isimio Maestro e della di lui Consorte.

(4) Posted 31 Jan 1901. Epicedio in morte di Giuseppe Verdi.

(5) Printed with the 2nd funeral date, 27 Feb 1901. "Nel Trigesimo Dalla Morte - 27 Feb 1901.

(6) Memorial postcard.

(7) Posted 3 Feb 1901.

(8) Posted 31 Jan 1901: "1st" funeral procession, 30 Jan 1901.

(9) Posted on 2 Feb 1901 to a woman named "Aida". Signed Ballerio 1901.

(10) Posted 31 Jan 1901, showing his birthplace and church.

(11) Posted 18 May 1901. Depicts people in mourning.

(12) Posted 31 Jan 1901. The names of Verdi's operas line the sides of the postcard, which also shows his birthplace, and church.

(13) Memorial Postcard. Cascina "Alle Roncole," (Busseto) ove nacque Guiseppe Verdi. Verdi's birthplace.

(14) Memorial postcard.

(15) Memorial postcard.

(16) Memorial postcard. The black in the upper left corner is the equivalent of a black armband. Posted on 3 Feb 1901.

(17) Memorial postcard feature Verdi's operas.

(18) Posted 27 Jan 01 to London. The writer of this postcard placed Verdi's death at "ora 2:50 morte".

(19) Posted 28 Jan 1901 from Milan.

(20) Posted 27 Jan 1901.

(21) Posted 26 Feb 1901.

(22) Shows hotel Milan where Verdi died. Posted 5 Mar 1901.

(23) Posted in 1901, even Caruso sent a Verdi memorial postcard - to himself.

(24) Verso of previous card, with address written by Enrico Caruso, mailed to Milan.

(25) "Giuseppe Verdi morto a Milano il 27 Gennaio 1901." Posted 5 Feb 1901.

(26) Memorial postcard featuring Verdi at age 40 and his wife, Giuseppina Strepponi (1815 - 1897).

(27) Crude memorial postcard mailed on 27 Feb 1901, the day of the State burial.