The Life of Verdi by John Rosselli

From the Publisher

Verdi's long life spanned Napoleonic rule and the age of broadcasting. In this new biography, John Rosselli considers a boldly innovative artist whose twenty-eight operas still speak to us. He investigates Verdi's businesslike running of a landed estate as well as a highly successful career, and looks into his complex relationships with two women singers: his second wife Giuseppina Strepponi and his probable lover Teresa Stolz. At the same time Rosselli reinterprets the operas with novel insights showing us why Verdi still fills theaters and rouses enthusiasm.

Library Journal

This latest entry in Cambridge's respected "Musical Lives" series provides a thorough overview of the man who dominated musical life in Italy for nearly 50 years. As William Berger does in Verdi with a Vengeance (LJ 9/15/00), Rosselli (The Life of Bellini, The Life of Mozart) examines Verdi's life in relation to the political and social climate of 19th-century Italy. However, while the Berger volume serves more as a congenial guide to the operas themselves, here the man, rather than the music, is the focus. Verdi's works are examined as only one of many illustrative elements, which include his somewhat stormy personal life and his role in Italian politics. The composer emerges as a complex, often conflicted personality through Rosselli's clear, compact, and vivid prose. Carefully annotated, with some uncommon illustrations and a well-considered guide to further reading, this is an excellent choice for libraries seeking to replace or supplement volumes on Verdi. Highly recommended.--Kate McCaffrey, Onondaga Cty. P.L., NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

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• Table of Contents

Table of Contents