Take It Back!

Ever send someone an e-mail message that you regretted the second you hit the "send" key? Even in the 19th century, it was often prudent to sleep on a message before sending off words written in the heat of passion.
On today's date in 1853, Giuseppe Verdi sent off a veritable barrage of short notes to friends and colleagues after what he felt was the disastrous premiere of his latest opera at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice.
"I am sorry," wrote Verdi to his publisher about the fiasco, "I am sorry that I must give sad news but I cannot conceal the truth from you. Let's not investigate the reason. It happened. Goodbye, goodbye."
To another colleague Verdi sent this slightly less emotional message: "It was a fiasco. My fault. Or the singers? Time alone will tell."
The next day, apparently after a little more thought, he wrote more confidently: "The audience laughed. Well, what about it. I'm not worried. Either I'm wrong or they are. I personally don't think that last night's verdict will have been the last word."
After a year thinking it over and waiting for just the right cast, Verdi allowed his new opera to be staged again - in Venice once again, but this time at a different theater. Much to his satisfaction, this time, his new opera "La Traviata" was a big hit.