From Bergamo to Parma on the footsteps of Donizetti and Verdi

In Pianura Padana the notes from L'elisir d'amore mingle with Traviata, and Lucia di Lammermoor meets Nabucco. Here, in Bergamo and Parma, were born and lived some great names of music: Donizetti, Verdi, Arturo Toscanini. Start here to discover the music pieces that marked their history.

Let's start from Bergamo Alta: here there is Casa Natale of Donizetti, in Borgo Canale, one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the city of Bergamo at the time, and now a national monument and museum. From here you can see the hill of San Vigilio dominating the city with the ruins of the castle. Proceeding on Corsarola, the historic road, you find Teatro Sociale, which has been brought back to its original function and donated to the City; Piazza Vecchia, the symbolic centre of Bergamo Alta and renowned all over the world for its architectural perfection; Santa Maria Maggiore, which preserves the relics of Donizetti; Cappella Colleoni, a precious example of Lombard Renaissance; and finally the Palazzo in Via Arena 9 which houses Museo Donizettiano, Biblioteca Musicale, and Sala Piatti for concerts.
In the Città Bassa there is the imposing monument in white marble dedicated to the composer, in the centre of the small garden near Teatro Donizetti, an important stage indeed: built at the end of the 18th century, it distinguished itself from other venues for its opera performances. But the jewel of all events is Bergamo Festival Gaetano Donizetti, with an interesting programme in which Bergamo celebrates the composer from September to December. The Città Bassa is also a perfect spot to go shopping in different kinds of shops.
Moving towards Parma you find the different places where Giuseppe Verdi lived. This area celebrated the anniversary of the birth of the composer, who was born in Roncole on October 10th, 1813, a small country village near Busseto which became a national monument in 1901. Still in Busseto it is worth stopping by Palazzo Orlandi: it was acquired by Verdi at the beginning of his successful career, and here he lived with Giuseppina Strepponi provoking a scandal. The villa preserves memorabilia once owned by Verdi, but also by Arturo Toscanini who lived here almost a century after Verdi's death.
Take a tour to Teatro Verdi, which began being built in 1856 on a project by Pier Luigi Montecchini, and was inaugurated in 1868 with "Rigoletto" and "Un ballo in maschera". In S. Agata there is Villa Verdi: surrounded by a large Romantic garden, the villa still preserves the original furniture with numerous memorabilia owned by Giuseppe Verdi and his second wife Giuseppina Strepponi. Parma commemorates the composer with the Monument to Giuseppe Verdi, designed by architect Lamberto Cusani, and with the temple of music, Teatro Regio, built on the wish of Duchess Maria Louise, second wife to Napoleon Bonaparte, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza. The journey ends at Casa Natale Arturo Toscanini, now transformed into a museum.