GRAND HOTEL ET DE MILAN

The connection between Giuseppe Verdi and Milan was profound and lasted throughout the Maestro’s entire life. It began in 1832, when the young Verdi applied for admission to the Milan Conservatory, only to be rejected. Ironically, a century later, that very institution would be named in his honor.

For Verdi, Milan was far more than just a city, it was both the cradle and the stage of his artistic triumphs. At Teatro alla Scala, he made his debut in November 1839 with Oberto, Count of San Bonifacio, beginning an unbreakable bond with Italy’s most prestigious opera house. Just a few steps from the Scala is the Ricordi Archive, which holds the original manuscripts of 23 out of Verdi’s 28 operas, along with a remarkable iconographic collection of their early productions.

Starting in 1872, Verdi regularly stayed at the Grand Hotel et de Milan on Via Manzoni during his visits to the city. From there, he also oversaw the construction of the Rest Home for Musicians, which he described as “my finest work.” During those years, divided between moments of solitude and bursts of creativity, he composed masterpieces such as Otello and Falstaff.

Suite n° 105 at the hotel, which now bears his name, still features three balconies overlooking Via Manzoni, combining modern comforts with historic furnishings, including Verdi’s personal writing desk. After the premiere of Otello on February 5^th, 1887, the crowd, moved by affection, unhitched the horses from Verdi’s carriage and pulled it by hand back to the hotel. Verdi appeared on the balcony alongside tenor Francesco Tamagno, who sang an impromptu encore for the cheering crowd.

During Verdi’s final days in January 1901, Milan came to a standstill: straw was laid along Via Manzoni to muffle the sounds of carriages and horses, ensuring silence around the Maestro’s suite. Medical bulletins were posted daily at the hotel entrance, read quietly by hundreds gathered in the street.

Verdi passed away on January 27^th, 1901, in his beloved suite. Outside the hotel, a memorial plaque still recalls that moment with words carved into Milan’s memory:
This house was made forever memorable by Giuseppe Verdi, who was an honored guest here and drew his last breath on January 27^th, 1901. […] In lasting honor of the great man who, through celestial harmonies, stirred in Italian hearts the desire and hope for a nation.