VIVA VERDI!
Feature Documentary
Director, Producer
La Monte Productions
Wanbli Media
SimonSays Entertainment
VIVA VERDI!, directed, written, and produced by Yvonne Russo, is a rousing and deeply emotional journey into the heart of Casa Verdi—the extraordinary retirement home founded by legendary composer Giuseppe Verdi for aging musicians in Milan. This vibrant, character-driven documentary brings to life a sanctuary where passion never fades, creativity knows no age, and music continues to shape the soul.
VIVA VERDI! has been Academy Award® nominated for Best Original Song, “Sweet Dreams of Joy” composed by Nicholas Pike.
Now available for streaming on jolt.film
Through Russo’s intimate lens, audiences step inside the daily rhythms and unexpected adventures of the remarkable residents—opera singers, conductors, instrumentalists, and lifelong artists whose stories are as rich and resonant as Verdi’s own compositions. With humor, candor, and breathtaking musical interludes, they reflect on love, loss, legacy, and the power of art to sustain the human spirit.
As young music students arrive to live and learn alongside these seasoned performers, the film captures rare cross-generational magic: mentorship, mischief, and the timeless spark that ignites when creative worlds collide.
Infused with warmth, elegance, and an unshakeable belief in the dignity of artists, VIVA VERDI! is both a celebration of life’s third act and a moving testament to what it means to age boldly and beautifully. Through her visionary direction, writing, and production, Yvonne Russo crafts a soulful cinematic experience that honors Verdi’s legacy and reminds us that music—like the human spirit—never stops singing.