Verdi was one of the greatest, the most successful and the longest-lived of all composers. Nearly a century after his death, many of his operas remain in the standard repertory, and some, such as Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata and Aida, are among the most popular of all operas. Written with the collaboration of the Verdi family and drawing on a wide range of sources, this is an authoritative account of a long, vigorous, and varied life. The author captures Verdi's complexities involved in the composition and production of his operas. She also explores his possessive love for his home region and his tireless devotion to his farmlands, and examines Verdi's professional and personal relationships, particularly with Guiseppina Strepponi, his mistress and later his wife. Mary Jane Phillips-Matz is a contributor to Opera News, Musical America and Musical Quarterly.