VERDI GIUSEPPE: (1813-1901) Italian Composer.

A.L.S., G. Verdi, one page, 8vo, Santa Agata, 14th October 1877, to [Giovanni] Maloberti, in Italian. Verdi writes a brief letter to his friend, stating 'Here you have 120 Lire for the whole year 1878. Do not send me either the Chinese vases or the other one'. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor foxing, VG

Giovanni Maloberti (1799-1880) Italian Violinist and the Philharmonic concertmaster in Piacenza, a close friend of Verdi for more than fifty years. When Maloberti retired from playing music he became an antique dealer and, in Verdi, he found the ideal customer. The composer was, as the present letter suggests, a passionate antique collector and filled his homes with antique furniture, paintings and objet d'art.

Verdi rose to prominence in the Italian opera scene after the era of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini, whose works significantly influenced him, and is now regarded as one of the pre-eminent opera composers in history. Verdi's operas remain extremely popular, in particular the works Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La Traviata, all of which continue to be performed each year at the leading opera houses around the world.