But for his mortified Neapolitan friends there was no doubt about it – the evil eye had struck again.The plot revolves around a magic ring that grants the power to rule the world, forged by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich from gold he stole from the Rhine maidens in the river Rhine. Verdi wasn’t too worried he put the problems down to first night nerves. The singers, still shaken by the incident, could not concentrate, and the audience went home grumbling that the finale did not live up to the potential of the earlier acts. It was Capecelatro! Verdi’s friend had finally found an opportunity to greet the maestro, apparently bringing with him his famous bad luck. Verdi turned to the man, who was still clinging to him. He noticed just in time, and managed to jump out of its way.

That instant, a large piece of the set came crashing down onto the stage, exactly where Verdi was standing. The first two acts went without a hitch, and each was followed by rapturous applause.ĭuring the interval before the last act, Verdi was on the stage organising the singers, when a man rushed on and flung his arms around the composer. The performance began well and the audience was far more responsive than it had been for Alzira.

But like it or not, it was clear he was going to be vigilantly guarded right up to the opening night.

In fact, he and Capecelatro were old friends and got on well, at least when they had the chance to meet. Verdi was a rational man, and had little time for these superstitions.

Verdi opera originally titled the curse