When, on 9 March 1842, the premiere of Nabucco at La Scala in Milan erupted in triumph, decreeing the success of Giuseppe Verdi, the composer of Busseto had just experienced terrible family bereavements and little appreciation of his first two operas. In previous years he had lost both his two children and his first wife Margherita Barezzi. 

On the golden wings of Nabucco, which was represented all over Italy and half of Europe, Verdi worked tirelessly and declared: From Nabucco onwards I have not had, one can say, an hour of quiet. 16 years in jail”. In this period he composed thirteen operas, including Rigoletto, Traviata, Ernani and in the following decade he reached the peaks of Aida and Falstaff.