Who's who in Verdi - Jonathan Lewsey

Concentrating exclusively on the dramatic content of Verdi's opera, Jonathan Lewsey illuminates the characters and plot scenarios that inspired one of the greatest composers of opera. - - Organised alphabetically, this reference volume contains over 250 entries covering each of Verdi's operas and their characters. Detailed synopses of each work are provided together with details of the source of the libretto, first performance and cast list. Particular emphasis is given to the motivation of each character at any given moment in the opera. - - Words, argues Lewsey, are not just an integral part of the musical design of Verdi's operas, but responsible for it. This book seeks to highlight the importance of the texts that stimulated the composer to write music for them. In this sense, it is as much a tribute to his librettists as to Verdi himself.