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Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer, was known as the greatest Italian musical dramatist. Verdi was born in Roncole, Italy, a small town of few inhabitants in 1813. He was from peasant stock. His father, Carlos, was an innkeeper, and his mother a spinner. From a very young age, Giuseppe showed an interest in music. “His happiest hours were on Sunday, when he heard the organ at the parish church” (Thomas pg.149). Although he never showed any signs of talent his parents were aware of his fascination with organ music, and purchased him an old spinet. At the early age of seven, Giuseppe became an alter boy at the local church of San Michele Arcangelo. Soon after his parents bought him the spinet, he was studying and helping the church organist. Soon he was substituting for the organist and at age nine took the position permanently. In 1823, after realizing that a small town such as Roncole could never provide the education his young talented son required, Verdi’s father sent him to school in nearby Busseto. Busseto was a heavily populated city, filled with art and culture, for it was the home of the Philharmonic Society and a musical school. Every Sunday Guiseppe walked back to Roncole to continue playing the