A must see
The transfer is poor, apparently it was cut, and nevertheless this is a must seen by anyone who enjoys Verdi and, maybe, by whoever enjoys good cinema.

Verdi was not only a tremendous composer, but also a great man. He was not flawless or a saint. But he was a fairly good hearted man, with nice intentions and down to earth. Verdi was far from being the racist and bigot as other nationalists of his time as, for example, Wagner.

This production is really amazing. They did a wonderful job to reconstitute the 19th century Europe and we really fell like we are living that moment. Ronald Pickup, the actor that plays Verdi, deserves all the praises in the world. Whenever I see or imagine Verdi, I think about his portrait. The same can be said about Carla Fracci, the actress that gives life to Strepponi, and about everybody else.

I could never imagine that I could watch a movie that lasts 10 hours in 2 days, but when it finished I wanted even more.

Verdi's Biography
Giuseppe Verdi borrowed liberally from writers Victor Hugo and William Shakespeare, and so it's ironically appropriate that Verdi's life has all the earmarks of a Shakespearian tragic hero, complete with tragic flaw. Music is his strength, but also his weakness. He has the passion to feel love, but not passion enough to boldly go after love. Opera lovers will find themselves absorbed by the operatic treatment of Verdi's life, which includes many scenes performed from Verdi operas: Nabucco, Ernani, Rigoletto, Trovatore, Traviata, Aida, Otello, and Falstaff.

The plot is really second to the music, and I don't mean the standard background fare. Substantial operatic performance clips and background music of Verdi's operas wash over you as you watch. Verdi's musical education began at an early age, although it is not known exactly when he began formal study. It is known that he was captivated by music and that his parents early on decided to give him an instrument of his own, a little spinet piano. Verdi was born to a poor family in a tiny Italian village. He began studying music in a nearby town Busseto, where he was taken into the home of a wealthy patron who later also supported his education in Milan. When he completed his studies, he became municipal music director in Busseto and married his patron's daughter; three years later he returned to Milan with the score of his first opera, Oberto. Oberto was produced at La Scala and had a modest success which brought Verdi a contract for more operas. Then disaster struck. Verdi's wife and their two children died within a very short time. Verdi managed to complete his next opera, but it was a failure and in despair he persuaded himself that there was no consolation in his art and vowed to never compose again.

A few years later the film shows when Verdi composed Rigoletto and La Traviata. Although the public loved them, critics were often scandalized by their subject matter. They seemed to condone rape, suicide, and free love. But Verdi was fiercely independent and himself lived openly with his second wife for ten years before marrying her. Verdi composed not for the musical elite but for a mass public whose main entertainment was opera. He wanted subjects that were as Verdi said "original, interesting and passionate; passions about all!" Almost all his mature works are serious and end unhappily; they move quickly and involve extremes of hatred, love, jealousy, and fear and his powerful music underlines the dramatic situations.

By the end of the film, opera lovers will have felt as if they had just attended a "highlights" concert combined with a sometimes somber treatment of the composer's semi tragic life. Those who aren't so familiar with opera will come away with a better sense of the music. If there's one surprise, it's that apart from the performance clips there's very little in the way of dramatic score. Most of the scenes that drive the plot are presented in silence, although music is used for transitions and to heighten emotional moments. People in this day and age aren't exactly known for being opera lovers, on the whole. They generally get their arias from tv commercials and movies. Ask someone to hum a few bars of Verdi's "Libiamo ne lieti calici" and you'll get a blank stare or a laugh. Play a few bars for them, and many of them will beam, "Hey, I've heard that from a commercial on television." Even if you are not an opera fan, but you're a fan of musical biographies, you'll like this film.

An exciting insight into an exceptional composer.
I didn' know quite what to expect with this video, as movie versions of other composer's lives have been less than true-to-life. Impresive producton, excellent performances and valuable insights into the life and works of a master.

Life of Verdi DVD
I saw the series when it was shown originally on PBS TV many years ago.
The edition I purchased is technically somewhat dated and has been slightly edited, with some interesting scenes -such as the account of Verdi's last hours from his faithful friend and libretist Arrigo Boito- deleted. The movie was filmed largely on location, which makes for a very realistic setting. For example the scenes done in Busseto, which aside for modern conveniences is as charming as it must have been a century ago are particularly moving.
There is no option to select language sub-titles, and die-hard italianophiles will have to settle for English. The performance by all actors is superb, and after a while one forgets they are not speaking Verdi's mother tongue.
The film Life of Verdi is a must-have for Verdi aficionados.

Apparently quite shortened. There is a better transfer.
People should be aware that the original Italian run for 14 hours. Considering that any buyers of this item are surely an opera and Verdi entusiast seaking real information, will be shortchanged with this set. The version once presented by PBS few years back, was 10 hours.
First, the movie is from 1984 for those inquiring. And YES it is posible to have a superb transfer to DVD. With 11 hours (still shortened), no Burt Lancaster and excellent video and sound (Dolby Digital 2.0). Just secure the transfer from Euromedia Vision (c/ Diputacion 288 bajos, 08009 Barcelona. www.euromediavision.com). English (BBC/male) and spanish. Seven DVD. One problem for most of you which do not have an all-regions/all-systems DVD player, is that the set is Region 2 and PAL. There is only one thing wrong with this set. At the completion of episodes 2 to 6, they actually use only the credits of the 7th episode only, thus depriving us of the information of who sings what. Not nice.
There are three episode in Verdi's life that I regret were not presented. 1] The pre-premier delivery of all the music parts (including the tenor) of La donna e mobile, to prevent the leaking of such contagious tune by musicians and workers. I can only imagine the stress. 2] The missed early oportunity of even a glance betwen Verdi and Toscanini, in the second chair of the cellos at La Scala orchestra during rehersals and premier of Otello. He eventually saw him conducting, recommending him to the baritone Maurel, who recomended to Leoncavallo, eventually resulting in Toscanini conducting the premier of Pagliacci. 3] His role in 1899 as arbitrer betwen tenor Tamagno (original Otello), in favor of Toscanini, about tempis. Well, I suppose you can't include everything, but we can hope for a "director's cut"......of the italian original.