Giuseppe Verdi was, above all, a musician for the theatre, a musician for the stage. For this reason, the National Orchestra and Choir featured the monumental appearance given by the palace itself in what was their lead conductor¿s first visit to the festival. A Requiem composed by the non-religious Verdi to honour the memory of his great friend Alessandro Manzoni, who was in fact very religious, a immense piece that requires a large cast of musicians and an extensive vocal endeavour, all inside an impressive venue. Both the National Orchestra and Choir as well as the soloists contributed to make the performance a success.