Antonio Orfanò

Journey back more than 400 years to 16th century Sicily, where the small Italian islands have fallen victim to corruption, intimidation, extortion, and brutality.

Giuseppe Verdi was born in 1813 and lived until 1901, his life spanning nearly a century of political turmoil and considerable personal turmoil. This 1982 biographical television miniseries, as seen on PBS's Great Performances, dramatizes the life of this classic Italian composer known for operas including La Traviata, Rigoletto, and Aida and his Requiem.