Like the residents' minds, Casa Verdi is filled with endless music. If someone was practicing, chances are a group was practicing together. And regardless of the instrument, they easily joined in on the same tune. Aside from the opportunities for solitude in their bedrooms, it seemed that they were rarely ever alone. One could dream of melding into a song with friends so smoothly and effortlessly.
Through the featured residents in the film, we witness moments when music came and went throughout their lives: playing for symphonies, taking music hiatuses, and ending up at Casa Verdi. There’s so much magic behind their eyes when they reminisce about their past. Little did their younger selves know how long and much music would play out in their lives.
This movie is important because it reminds and implores us to take life by the reins and bring all your talents to a community that uplifts you. The hope gained is the most essential part, hope for a full and lively future, wherever that may bring you.
Russo—like many other filmmakers—was limited by funds to truly portray the director’s vision. Viva Verdi was no exception. Russo had to film over a stretch of years because the funding was not secured from the beginning. The project had to be broken down into chunks to secure funding for each time the crew visited Italy.
During the talkback, Russo said a big help to overcome these hurdles was finding a supportive crew who joined for the long ride. Finding a crew with the understanding of how funding was structured gave great transparency and agency for them to adequately discern joining the production. Russo rocked it as an artist and boss.
Russo offered hope and community with a resounding success. We must carry the impact of these musicians’ stories to the end of our lives.
