Busseto, Giuseppe Verdi church no longer in danger of closure. Urgent restoration work begun

In the church of San Michele Arcangelo in Roncole di Busseto, in the province of Parma, Giuseppe Verdi was baptized and even in the early years of his life here he practiced on the organ under the guidance of his first teacher Pietro Baistrocchi. Of early medieval origins, the church houses early 16th-century frescoes, as well as some works by Pietro Balestra from Busseto, also significant is a large 19th-century canvas depicting the Calvary made by Fidenza stage designer Girolamo Magnani. In addition, the church preserves some memorabilia belonging to the composer, as well as the baptismal font where he was baptized.

In recent days, it had been announced that the church would be closed due to the danger of collapse, and a fundraising campaign had already been launched last year to contribute to its restoration in order to preserve this unique and historically rich place strongly linked to Verdi. At the announcement, maestro Riccardo Muti said, “It is an authentic infamy, a fault that shows the whole world to what levels of barbarism Italian civic sense and culture have fallen,” and he had launched "an appeal to Minister Franceschini to intervene forcefully and decisively, but everyone must do what they can, Busseto, the bishop, the most enlightened entrepreneurs. Verdi is one of the great Italians, a genius who held our country in high regard. And we reciprocate by letting the church of Roncole, which has been declared unsafe, and the Sanctuary of Madonna Prati, which has already partly collapsed and therefore closed, decay."

MiBACT Minister Dario Franceschini responded to Muti’s appeal, stating that the MiBACT’s General Directorate of Fine Arts and Landscape, in agreement with the local Superintendency, has initiated the procedure for an emergency intervention to secure the monument, reallocating resources from the earthquake plan. “The church of San Michele Arcangelo in Roncole di Busseto, where Giuseppe Verdi began studying music while playing the organ, is part of Italy’s cultural heritage and must be returned to the local community and beyond as soon as possible,” the minister stressed.

Ph.Credit

Busseto, Giuseppe Verdi church no longer in danger of closure. Urgent restoration work begun

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