GIUSEPPE VERDI MONUMENT IN NEW YORK

In the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, between 72nd and 73rd Streets along Broadway, there is a small square that houses an artistic tribute to an infinite and international figure such as Giuseppe Verdi: Verdi Square, dominated by the Giuseppe Verdi Monument. This work, inaugurated on 12 October 1906 on Columbus Day, is one of the most important and significant symbols of Italian culture in New York, as well as a demonstration of how the Maestro and his great music have spread universally.

The idea of erecting a monument dedicated to the composer came from Carlo Barsotti, editor of the daily newspaper Il Progresso Italo-Americano and a tireless promoter of Italian culture in the United States. Barsotti wanted to celebrate Verdi not only as a musical genius, but also as a symbol of national identity and pride for Italian immigrants who, at the beginning of the 20th century, had found a new home in the Big Apple. Once the funds had been raised, the editor immediately announced an international competition to select the artist. The winner was a little-known Sicilian sculptor, Pasquale Civiletti Suteri, who proved capable of translating the expressive power of the Swan of Busseto into Carrara marble and Montechiaro limestone.
The monument was inaugurated in front of 10,000 cheering citizens, numerous bands and a choir of 300 children.

The complex depicts Verdi standing in a solemn pose, placed on a high pedestal adorned with four sculptural groups dedicated to the protagonists of his most famous works: Falstaff, Leonora (from La Forza del Destino), Aida and Othello. These figures, sculpted with great realism, represent the variety of Verdi’s universe, where themes such as passion, heroism and humanity coexist.

In addition to its artistic value, the monument has a profound civic significance. In a global and multicultural city like New York, it bears witness to the centrality of the Italian community in the urban fabric of the metropolis. Located above one of the busiest underground stations, the memorial thus becomes an integral part of everyday life, reminding passers-by how Giuseppe Verdi’s greatness has transcended cities, oceans and generations.