Verdi With a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera

I am thoroughly enjoying the conversational flow the author of 'Verdi with a Vengeance' puts into his narrative. 'Vengeance' is a very enjoyable read and can say with confidence that I would most definitely read it apart from it being a required school assignment. Thanks!

This short guide to Verdi's life and works is in indispensable gem for anyone wanting to learn more about Italy's greatest operatic composer! Berger gives a succincly informative sketch of the complex composer's life. He adds chapters on Verdi books, CD'S, Videos, staging of Verdi operas and a helpful glossary of operatic terms. The most helpful and longest part of the book deals with a brief synopsis of each opera in the Verdian canon from the obscure "Oberto" to the Master's final comic masterpiece "Falstaff." Berger lists the characters of each opera, makes witty comments on the big arias and scenes in each opera and also provides historical information on the production of each opera. I had earlier read Berger's excellent "Wagner Without Fear" and was so impressed with his writing that I eagerly turned to Berger's guide to Verdi. I understand he is now working on a similar guide to the life and operas of Puccini which will be received by this reviewer with gratitude.If you are a novice to operatic enjoyment or a seasoned Verdian this work will be a delight. I highly recommend it for your consideration!

William Beger's "Verdi with a Vengeance" is a triumph of music writing: accessible, informed and passionate. For the newcomer to the breadth of works by the great composer, this guide is a godsend, as Mr. Berger lays out the history of each opera, the story behind its plot and, most important, what makes each one special. He doesn't preach, but his enthusiasm makes a reader -- and a potential listener -- hungry to hear and see the works he so vividly describes. Mr. Berger is a master of the telling detail: he lets you know what to look and listen for in particular arias, and how these moments affect the drama. "Verdi with a Vengeance" should also delight Verdi aficionados, since Mr. Berger is so familiar with all aspects of the composer's art, his research is so deep, that he reveals new aspects of the operas (and the Requiem). His prose is free of musicological jargon, though conversant with the language of music. Mr. Berger can describe economically the emotion music can convey, and he can give a sense of the intellect behind the notes. He is a writer of wit and nuance, masterfully evoking a mise-en-scene within an opera or limning the characteristics of hammy singers. This is a book both to be savored at length and dipped into for fresh insights before attending any performance of Verdi. It is a rare book that manages to be learned as well as breezy, humorous and deeply felt.

This book is similar in format to the author's "Wagner Without Fear". Like the Wagner book, it provides a lot of information in terms of biography, plot summary, musical overview, and selected recordings. Although a very good book, it is not quite up to the Wagner book in that it discusses many more operas (27 including the Requiem) than the Wagner book did (10) in roughly the same space. The plot summaries are still very good, though often there is not quite the same level of detail and (especially) commentary there was in the Wagner book. As a result, the book is more a (very good) set of plot summaries than its predecessors. In fairness to the author, this may be approrpriate is that Verdi is a generally more accessible composer who often needs less in the way of commentary to be a appreciated. It definitely is a good resource, though a reader interested in Verdi may find himself or herself going outside of the book more than they would if they were reading the Wagner book.

I bought this book several weeks ago and have nearly worn it out. The author is not only knowledgable, but extremely entertaining - he seems to geniunely love his subject. "Verdi with a Vengence" not only covers (in a very usable manner) virtually every Verdi opera, it gives good advice on buying CD's, films, etc.I ask Mr. Berger to drop everything else and do a volume on Puccini. Then he can go on to the lesser Italian composers. I also ask him where he got his version of Correlli's Forza.If you are just beginning your study of opera, this book will make you want to step up the process.A year later after I wrote the first part of this review and I still think that especially for the beginning collector and student of Verdi, this is the best book.