SAVE THE MUSEUM NOW
This is the English version of the petition opened on Change.org.
We will be very grateful if you will sign and spread it to relatives, friends and collegues!
The Giuseppe Verdi National Museum, in Villa Pallavicino in Busseto, in the hometown of the most important composer of operas in the world, is about to close due to a legal dispute between the Company (Verdi Multimedia Srl) which has been managing its business for more than 14 years and the Municipality of Busseto.
By signing the petition, you ask the Municipality of Busseto to cancel the current lawsuit as "unjustified and improper", which, in addition to the economic damage, would "hunt" the ONLY museum in the world dedicated to the Great Master, in his hometown, to prune it "to the pulp".
From the celebration of the Swan of Busseto…
Inaugurated on October 10, 2009, the Giuseppe Verdi National Museum celebrates the Man, the Works and the Myth of the most popular composer of operas in history: Giuseppe Verdi. Set up in the prestigious Villa Pallavicino in Busseto, his hometown, the 27 works of Cigno di Busseto are represented in a historical path with the reproduction of the original scenographies of Casa Ricordi, the paintings of Francesco Hayez of the time, the costumes of the Fondazione Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the immortal music, in an environment of theatrical lights that transmit The lecterns and audio guides, with texts made by Philippe Daverio, a well-known art critic, offer a historical view of the time, the facts and the characters that influenced Giuseppe Verdi in the creation of his works.
Luciano Pavarotti, a few months before his death, had asked and then joined with great enthusiasm to become the Honorary President of the new Museum dedicated to the composer whose works he had often performed in the most important theaters of the world. And that's how it remained.
In addition to the exhibition, the Museum includes the bookshop, the cafeteria, a music room with 100 seats dedicated to the projection of the Master's works on the big screen in High Definition and, outside, the large Verdi Garden of 10,000 square meters where there are concerts, events, shows for the general public
A museum compendium of great charm that for 14 years has hosted cultural and musical events of the highest level with orchestras and artists of international fame in addition to educational activities dedicated to the little ones and that in recent years has brought tens of thousands of visitors and passionate people from all over the world to visit and learn about the beauties of the Verdian lands and to discover the local food.
…To Litigation
In 2003, with a 50-year Service Contract signed by the Parties - unanimously approved by the City Council - the Municipality of Busseto granted the use of Villa Pallavicino, of municipal property, to the company Verdi Multimedia Srl - constituted for this purpose by Italian and foreign private philanthropist members, as well as a share (exempt from payments and / or investments) reserved for the Municipality.
The agreement, in summary, provided for the granting of the Villa to Verdi Multimedia Srl under the following conditions::
- the Municipality would have incurred, as owner of the property, the costs of restructuring the compendium, while Verdi Multimedia Srl would have taken charge of the entire investment for the preparation and multi-year management of the Museum.
- the property would have been granted on free loan for the first 15 years from the date of delivery “styleing a special report with relative inventory” while starting from the 16th year, by way of lease, with a minimum annual fee of 75,000 / year..
After 6 years of renovations of the compendium, on June 29, 2009 the Final Delivery Report was finally signed between the Parties - without any reservation at the expense of Verdi Multimedia srl - which formally sanctioned the beginning of the Museum's activity by Verdi Multimedia Srl.
In 2019, however, with great surprise, the Municipality starts the litigation against Verdi Multimedia Srl demanding the payment of the rent starting from the year 2018, considering the 15 years of free loan that started again in 2003; therefore in total disregard of what was defined and signed in the Service Contract and above all of the final Delivery Report of 2009.
A cause started almost in conjunction with the pandemic that then deeply marked the last 3 years of activity of the Museum (and not only, as we have all lived), forcing it to remain closed for months, with no more revenue from tickets, events or sponsors, and which, at the time of reopening, was also faced with the explosion of energy costs. Without ever receiving any contribution or help from any public institution.
At the last hearing, in February 2023, the Judge in charge of the Court of Parma proposed to the Parties to find an amicable solution to settle the dispute. And immediately the Company took action in this regard. But the Municipality of Busseto did not even deign to answer..
The petition
With this petition, therefore, the Board of Directors of Verdi Multimedia Srl, in the person of its President Cav. del Lav. Mariano Volani, intends to mobilize the passionate melomanians from all over the world as well as the citizens of the Terre Verdiane so that the Municipality of Busseto and for it the Mayor Dr. Stefano Nevicati with the City Council, cancel the unjustified and improper cause in progress that would erase forever the ONLY museum in the world dedicated to the figure of Giuseppe Verdi, in his hometown of Busseto, thwarting 14 years of cultural activities and promotion of Genio Verdiano and his lands, all over the world..
A heartfelt thanks to all the subscribers of this petition inviting everyone to join with their signature and place of residence, to save the Giuseppe Verdi National Museum from the 'pulp', to the discredit of the whole of Italy..