To Join This Club, a Member Must Die. And You Must Adore Verdi.

They did not sing “Happy Birthday.” At least, not at first.Instead, they celebrated Giuseppe Verdi’s birthday last month with a rendition of “Va Pensiero,” a chorus from his opera “Nabucco.” The song is so beloved that there have been proposals to make it Italy’s national anthem.The choir consisted of men from all walks of life — bankers, a surgeon, a lawyer, a neuroscientist, a vegetable vendor — and with one burning passion in common: adoration for the 19th-century composer.They are all members of Club dei 27, an exclusive club based in Parma, not far from Verdi’s birthplace, whose members take the name of a Verdi opera when they join.How exclusive is Club dei 27? Men (yes, only men) can join, and only when a member dies or retires.Naturally, there is a waiting list.“When we get a new request, we touch wood,” as a way to ward off any premature deaths, said Enzo Petrolini, the president of the club, half joking.Club dei 27 is not to be confused with the 27 Club, which refers to a number of famous musicians — Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and others — who died at age 27.

For these Italian opera lovers, longevity is key.“For the 211th time, happy birthday to Maestro Verdi,” Mr.Petrolini said on Oct.

10 by way of a toast at this year’s birthday celebration.His words were greeted with cheers of “Viva Verdi.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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