Do you know that of one of Verdi's operas the scene is laid in our country? The MASKED BALL was first entitled Gustavo III. But the authorities would not allow reference to certain political matters in it. Therefore the libretto (or story) of the opera was changed, and the scene laid in Boston, Massachusetts. One of the characters was the Governor of Boston, a humorous matter to us, for there never was any such official. Another famous opera by Verdi, the scene of which is laid in a foreign country, is Aida. It was written for the Khedive of Egypt, and first performed in Cairo in 1871, when the composer was fifty-eight years old. [Illustration: No. 12 A SCENE FROM AIDA] After Verdi had composed Aida he wrote no more operas for sixteen years. Then to the great surprise of all the world he wrote two others, the finest of them all--Othello and Falstaff. Meanwhile he was a farmer. He planted, harvested, helped his tenants, urged them to cultivate the land carefully. He bought all kinds of American farming machinery to show the Italians how to cultivate the ground to best advantage. The great man, who was once a simple little boy, died in 1901, on January 27, which day is the anniversary of Mozart's birth. All his life long Verdi had succeeded, doing a little more and a little better each year, so that, at the end of his life, he was able to do a truly wonderful thing: namely, to build a home where musicians--who had not succeeded in life--could find a comfortable abiding place in their old age. [Illustration: No. 13 VERDI HOME FOR AGED MUSICIANS] [Illustration: No. 14 VERDI'S TOMB] In this House are many souvenirs of the great Italian. Here, too, is the tomb of Giuseppe Verdi. Verdi was loved by his fellow-countrymen. His music is their joy--and ours--and will so remain for years to come; perhaps forever. The great sculptor, Vincenzo Gemito, has molded wonderful bronze busts of Verdi, which shows us how the little boy of Roncole grew to be a man of world renown. * * * * * SOME FACTS ABOUT GIUSEPPE VERDI Read these facts about Giuseppe Verdi, and try to write his story out of them, using your own words. When your story is finished, ask your mother or your teacher to read it. When you have made it as perfect as you can, copy it on pages 14, 15 and 16. 1. Giuseppe Verdi was born in Roncole, Italy, October 10, 1813. 2. He began to learn the Spinet when he was seven years old. 3. The Spinet is an early form of the piano. 4. Among the great composers who were alive when Verdi was a little boy were: Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz and Schumann. 5. He became organist at Roncole when he was ten years old (1823). 6. He went to school in Busseto and lived with a cobbler. 7. After a time he studied in Milan.