Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) after being rejected by the Milan Conservatory for “ Privo di talento musicale” or “Lacking in musical talent”, went on to become one of the greatest operatic composers in history. There were many others that dedicated themselves to opera, but Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner (1813-1883), “the Italian and the German”, truly stood alone.

Verdi wrote some thirty operas, but his fourth, “Aida” written in 1871 is that which most historians and operatic enthusiasts wou...