Maestro Robert Butts
(SURF CITY, NJ) -- In one amazing two-year burst of inspiration, Giuseppe Verdi composed three of the world’s most beloved operas that set a new path for the art form and secured his place in the opera pantheon. Maestro Robert Butts will discuss "Verdi's Trilogy: Il Trovatore, Rigoletto and La Traviata," on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at the Ocean County Library Long Beach Island Branch. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Maestro Butts will discuss the importance of these masterpieces to Verdi’s career and to the international opera world. The discussion of these pivotal works is a worthy introduction to the worldwide 2026 celebrations of Verdi’s life and career.
Debuting between 1851 and 1853, Verdi’s works quickly became audience favorites for their individual feelings, settings, characterizations, and aesthetics. To this day, their popularity remains as strong as it was 170 years ago.
Il Trovatore is rooted in the bel canto traditions popularized by Bellini and Donizetti. Rigoletto captures the romantic fervor of the 19th century. La Traviata is an early example of the growing trend towards realism. Maestro Butts has conducted Il Trovatore in Constanta, Romania and he conducted Rigoletto and La Traviata here in New Jersey, in concert and staged productions.
Please register at tinyurl.com/VerdiLBI to attend this free program sponsored by the Italian Cultural Society of LBI.
For more information, visit the OCL Long Beach Island Branch, 217 South Central Avenue, Surf City, or call (609) 494-2480. See the full schedule of Library programs in the online Calendar of Events.
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