The Life and Times of

Compiled by Zoë Ludski

1813 w Verdi is born on October 10 in , . 1842 w Verdi’s third opens in triumph. The chorus “Va pensiero” from this opera w Americans capture York (Toronto) during the becomes the hymn of Italian patriots and War of 1812. freedom fighters.

w McGill University is founded. w The Canadian/U.S. border is defined in the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. 1836 w Verdi marries Margherita Baressi and has two children in the next two years. w Ether is used for the first time as a surgical anaesthesia. w Dickens writes Pickwick Papers. 1849 w William Bond obtains the first photograph of w The first Canadian railroad opens, between the Moon through a telescope. LaPrairie and St. Johns, Quebec. 1851 w premieres at , . Verdi w Charles Darwin returns to England aboard and Giuseppina Streponi, a gifted soprano, the HMS Beagle after a five-year expedition move into Sant’Agata together, much to the collecting data that he later uses as the basis disapproval of the locals. for his Theory of Evolution. w Sojourner Truth addresses 1st Black Women’s w Hans Christian Andersenv writes The Little Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Mermaid, on which Dvorák’s opera is later based. 1854 w A year and half after its first, disastrous, outing, triumphs in Venice. 1839 w Verdi’s opera , Conte di San Bonifacio premieres at La Scala. He begins a life-long w The first electric light bulb is invented in association with the publisher Ricordi. Germany.

w Verdi’s two children die suddenly from illness. 1858 w Verdi and Giuseppina Streponi are married in Savoy, . w The bicycle is invented in Scotland. w is born in Lucca, Italy. 1840 w Verdi’s wife Margherita dies suddenly of encephalitis and Verdi’s second opera Un 1859 w premieres in Napoli giorno di regno is considered a failure at La and is judged Verdi’s biggest success since Il Scala. Trovatore

w Upper and Lower Canada are united by an act w Blondin crosses Niagara Falls on a tightrope. of parliament. w Charles Darwin publishes “On the Origin of w The first recorded bowling match takes place Species”. in the U.S. in Knickerbocker Alleys, New York City.

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Study Guide 2008/2009 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2307 1867 w Verdi’s premieres in Paris. 1893 w premieres at La Scala. Verdi is made an honorary citizen of Rome. w The Dominion of Canada is established by the British North America Act (The Canadian w Art Nouveau emerges as an art style in constitution). Europe.

w Black Americans vote for the first time in the 1896 w Giuseppina, Verdi’s second wife, dies. South. w Puccini’s opera La Bohème premieres in Turin, 1871 w The premiere of in Cairo is delayed Italy. because of the Franco-Prussian war. It finally opens on December 24. w The first modern Olympics are held in Athens.

w Rome becomes the capital of Italy. w The Klondike gold rush begins in Bonanza Creek, Canada. 1874 w Messa da first performed in Milan. Verdi is nominated to the Italian Senate. w A. H. Becquerel discovers radioactivity.

w , ’s only 1898 w China leases Hong Kong’s new territories to opera, premiers in St. Petersburg to “hostile” Britain for 99 years. reviews. w Yukon Territory of Canada organized, Dawson 1883 w dies in Venice. chosen as capital.

w The Brooklyn Bridge opens after 13 years of w Verdi moves into a hotel in Milan to supervise construction in New York City. the building of the Casa di Riposo.

1887 w premiers at La Scala; Verdi is made an 1901 w Verdi suffers a serious stroke on January 21 honorary citizen of Milan three days later. and dies on January 27th.

w First transcontinental train arrives in w Guglielmo Marconi sends the first transatlantic Vancouver, BC. wireless message from England to Newfoundland. w Sherlock Holmes appears in print for the first time.

1889 w Verdi decides to compose Falstaff and buys a Zoë Ludski is education associate in the COC’s education and outreach department. site in Milan for a musicians’ retirement home (Casa di Riposo).

w The Eiffel tower is built for the Paris World Exhibition.

w Adolf Hitler is born in Austria.

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Simon Boccanegra Study Guide 2008/2009 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2307