Verdi With a Vengeance
An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera
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If you want to know why La traviata was actually a flop at its premiere in 1853, it's in here. If you want to know why claiming to have heard Bjorling's Chicago performance of Il trovatore is the classic opera fan faux pas, it's in here. Even if you just want to know how to pronounce Aida, or what the plot of Rigoletto is all about, this is the place to look. From the composer's intense hatred of priests to synopses of the operas and a detailed discography of the best recordings to buy, it can all be found in Verdi with a Vengeance. William Berger has given another improbable performance, serving up a book as thorough as it is funny and as original as it is astute, an utterly indispensable guide for novice and expert alike.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 23, 2010 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780307756336
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780307756336
- File size: 2295 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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September 15, 2000
Berger follows his successful Wagner Without Fear: Learning To Love--And Even Enjoy--Opera's Most Demanding Genius (LJ 10/15/98) with an equally engaging look at Giuseppe Verdi, the towering figure of Italian musical life in the 19th century. This overview of his life and work is not thorough but is thoroughly informed. Berger, a librettist and frequent commentator on National Public Radio's At the Opera, provides a brief overview of the composer's life and times and examines the connections between contemporary politics and Verdi's creative output. There are scene-by-scene plot descriptions along with witty commentary--he describes Nabucco's Abigaille as "one of opera's most outstanding bitches, not so much in what she says as in the number of octaves she takes to say it." A glossary and recommended recordings, films, and soundtracks are included. Informative and eminently readable for the novice and scholar alike, this book would not be out of place in academic libraries, yet its personal approach and accessibility make it an excellent choice for public libraries.--Kate McCaffrey, Onondaga Cty. P.L., SyracuseCopyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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