Aidyn Zeinalov began sculpting this monument to Giuseppe Verdi in 2013, the year that marked the 200th anniversary of the renowned composer’s birth. His portrayal of Verdi is neither grand nor pompous. The composer seems to be captured during a leisurely stroll through the city; a hat on his head, his coat unbuttoned, his casual hand in his pocket, he stands leaning on an umbrella. This is how the dwellers of Montecatini might have seen Verdi when he took a break from composing the third act of Otello and parts of Falstaff, his two final operas.

“He held his head high, his steps were brisk, and he wore his usual worn-out Carbonari hat and a long double-breasted coat, carrying an umbrella with a rough, twisted handle. At Tettuccio, there are people from different countries and social classes, famous and unknown, but as soon as Verdi walks in, there are no more scholars, rich men, or politicians. There is Verdi, which is more important to the spa than his musical fame; he is a hero, a genius, the heart of the entire public for whom he wept and for whom he loved,” a contemporary said about the composer visiting Terme Tettuccio.

Placed on a low pedestal, the statue of Verdi blends naturally into the small square, which also houses Nuovo Teatro Verdi. Aidyn Zeinalov himself paid for the casting, transportation, and installation of the statue, which was unveiled in 2015.

Giuseppe Verdi. Montecatini Terme, Italy, 2015