Verdi is the musical equvialent of the Pac-12 when it comes to University of Utah's Verdi tribute

Compared with the creation of the modern Italian Republic, the birth of the United States was fairly uneventful.After the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy was fragmented into numerous kingdoms and city-states. It was unified in 1861 after a tumultuous period of riots, wars, revolutions and excommunications known as Il Risorgimento ("The Resurgence"). The era was so contentious that people even disagreed over whether it was a "unification" or a "reunification" (if you consider the Romans the first unifiers).So, with the 150th anniversary of that event, the School of Music and the Italian section of the department of languages and literature at the University of Utah have unified to create an event almost as big as the unification of the Pac-12.Two nights of what's billed as an Italian extravaganza at Libby Gardner Hall will be dedicated to Italy's greatest opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi. Italian-language students will narrate (in Italian and English) historical background on Il Risorgimento through a series of readings and poems, while the Lyric Opera Ensemble will present Verdi's greatest hits — some of which ignited the spirit of the new country.And there's this: gelato will be served at the end of each concert?

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Viva Verdi!The University of Utah celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Italian Reunification (Risorgimento). The U.'s Lyric Opera Ensemble will perform selections from Verdi's "La Traviata," "Rigoletto,""Il Trovatore," Requiem and "Nabucco," among others.When » Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19, at 7:30 p.m.Where » Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah, 1375 Presidents Circle, Salt Lake CityTickets » $7 at 801-581-7100 or www.events.utah.edu/ (click on Music link); free for University of Utah students, $3 for other students