Teatro Giuseppe Verdi (Busseto)

A jewel-box opera house built between 1856 and 1868 inside the Rocca Pallavicino, the 13th-century fortress that dominates Piazza Verdi in the centre of Busseto. The irony of its story is delightful: the people of Busseto built the theatre to honour their most famous citizen, but Verdi himself opposed the project — he considered it an unnecessary expense and was furious at the constant interference of the townsfolk in his private life. When the theatre was solemnly inaugurated on 15 August 1868, with all the ladies dressed in green and the men wearing green ties in his honour, the Maestro was conspicuously absent.

The theatre is intimate and exquisite: 300 seats arranged in horseshoe-shaped tiers of boxes, decorated in red and gold, with a painted ceiling. Guided tours run regularly and include the auditorium, the foyer with Verdi memorabilia, and sometimes a short musical performance. The theatre still hosts a regular concert and opera season — check bussetolive.com for the programme.

Outside, Piazza Verdi is dominated by the 1913 bronze monument to the composer by sculptor Luigi Secchi: Verdi sits calmly on a chair, watching over the town. Around the square you'll also find Casa Barezzi and the historic Salsamenteria Baratta, a delicatessen that Verdi himself used to visit.