As one of few composers to be considered a giant in the realm of universally accepted operatic works as well as a source of national Italian identity, Giuseppe Verdi's repertoire is one of the most widely performed in history. Although much of Verdi's life remains a mystery, the composer's insistence on his peasant upbringing was somewhat untruthful; he grew up comfortably--a learned man. Detailing Verdi's confused past, this book aims to confirm the world-renowned composer's personal history as well as debunk any of the embellishments the "ageing maestro" promulgated himself.