Viva Verdi

At Milan’s Casa Verdi retirement home, elderly opera stars and musicians mentor young students while sharing their remarkable lives.

2024 | Running Time: 1 Hour 18 minutes | Rating: NR

VIVA VERDI! offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians living out their “third act” at Milan’s Casa Verdi retirement home built in 1896 by the most influential Italian opera composer of the 19th century, Giuseppe Verdi. With aging bodies and timeless passion, these distinguished “guests of Verdi,” ranging in age from 77 to 103, prove age hasn’t dulled their love of music or relentless drive to create: They are still actively creating, performing and mentoring the 16 gifted music students from around the world who study and live among them. Filmmakers: Yvonne Russo and Christine La Monte

“Verdi’s vision is not just alive but thriving—a testament to how music touches us deeply and how fostering artistic expression can bring joy that transcends age.” 

–Christine La Monte, Producer

“After performing on the world’s greatest stages, from La Scala to the Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera, these distinguished ‘guests of Verdi’—though marked by age—continue to embody an enduring passion for music. Their love for the art and their drive to create never fade.”

–Yvonne Russo, Director