7 Billion Humans | Empty Nests in the Aging Developed World: Giuseppe Verdi willed his home to care for elderly La Scala musicians

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Giuseppe Verdi willed his home to care for elderly La Scala musicians

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) willed his home to be turned into a nursing home for elderly La Scala musicians after his death. La Scala is where many of Verdi’s operas played and all the royalties from his operas were given to the Verdi foundation that supports this nursing home. If you qualify, they charge eighty percent of your pension—up to a maximum of 1,500 euros a month. Wives of musicians qualify as well. In this photograph, composer Pasquale Montesano and flute player Paolo Varetto relax before a performance for a tour group.