Elly Uncomposed: A Novel Opera

by Valerie Niemerg

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper loves the opera. But she never wanted to be in one. Certainly not a real-life opera. So, when a strange magical twist of fate transports her into The Marriage of Figaro, Elizabeth finds herself swept out of the orchestra pit and into the scullery of the ruthless and domineering Count Almaviva.

Stuffed into a corset and forced to wear impractical shoes, Elizabeth meets Figaro, Susanna, and the whole cast of memorable characters, but no one is sticking to their story, and a strange, hooded villain is running through the estate, unraveling every bar line and fermata of Mozart's score! Elizabeth will soon have to summon her own inner diva to vanquish calamities from leprosy and sexual politics to revolutions in Spain. But the reticent little pianist from Kansas may just end up changing her own story as well, when she discovers that everything she ever really needed to know. . .
well, she learned it at the opera.

Genres: Ebooks, Mystery, Time Travel, Music

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2022

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a musicalgirl. My mom used to take me to see musicals targeted at kids and quite soon I grew into the more adult productions and nowadays I am the one telling her which ones we're gonna see. However, my singing voice is made for opera and I still hope to grow into that a little more now I'm getting older. So, when I saw this book on BookSirens I had to grab a review copy! It sounded amazing and like a perfect fit for me!

I have to admit that this book got a slow start. However, if you're a little familiar with opera you know that that's quite normal. All the characters need to be introduced, the setting needs to be introduced and the plot needs to be introduced. It's totally worth it to continue reading, though, because the story is getting more and more exciting with every new chapter and the finale of the book is even quite spectacular!

What I really loved is how Niemerg made sure to tell us what is happening in the original opera and what changes Elly has to fix to get the story back on track. The book therefore became both educating and entertaining at once. It basically combined the story readers might already know with some fresh elements to keep also those readers on the edge of their seat. However, this book is also perfect if you're not familiar with the story and a great way to become interested in the original tale!

Since I had quite some singing classes myself I never really needed the footnotes to understand the remarks the author made, but I am glad that the footnotes were included for readers who might be less familiar with all the terms and jargon. I'm also glad the author included all those terms and jargon. It gave the book really that opera feel and proved that it never forgot its roots and inspiration. I think it's a perfect way to make those amazing opera stories a little more well known!

And, I do hope that the little loose end is implying that there might me more stories to come! I'd love to read them!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original! Smart! Storytelling at its finest!
Alice’s wild trip through Wonderland began after she fell into a rabbit hole. Hank Morgan’s normal life in 19th century Connecticut was disrupted when he awakened one day to a death sentence decreed by King Arthur. Poor Dorothy and Toto became tornado debris, traveling that quirky, dangerous Yellow Brick Road. It’s time for Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain and Frank Baum to drop down a rung and make room for Elly’s creator, Valerie Niemerg, atop this exclusive literary ladder. Elly’s adventure has them all beat. For pure reading pleasure, rollercoaster thrills, and laugh-out-loud responses to this author’s sense of humor. All of it packaged together in the most unlikeliest of places,18th century Seville. This is one of those rare page-turners that once started, it can’t be put down until the final word is read.
A 21st century university employs Elly as the piano accompanist for its Department of Opera. A mysterious happening suddenly transports Elly back 3 centuries where she finds herself a major player in Mozart’s comic opera “The Marriage of Figaro”, alongside all of the opera’s actual characters. Elly knows the opera well and it’s story as fiction. But it’s unfolding with her in all the action and in real time. Only not following the libretto and heading for a disastrous finale. Not just for the opera’s characters, but for Elly as well. Niemerg’s debut novel tells this tale of Elly and her efforts to get the opera’s story to play out as only she knows it was written. And she tries her darnedest, but a dangerous villain lurks about foiling her every move. The story is not just well written. More importantly, it is well told. So both opera aficionados and non-opera fans alike will be equally enthralled with Elly, her exciting & humorous adventure, and the exceptional literary talent of Valerie Niemerg. For those of you in that non-opera fan camp, don’t worry about missing ingredients ruining your taste for this delicious tale. Everything you need to know to enjoy it has been brilliantly baked into the story by its author. When it’s over you will run to the box office for “Marriage of Figaro” tickets the next time it plays anywhere near. Bravissimo Ms. Niemerg.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love opera and I have often thought that more of those stories would deserve a modern retelling, so when I saw this book up for review I knew I had to read it!

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper is a coach and accompanist who loves music, playing the piano, and helping young opera singers find their voice. After receiving some devastating news and receiving a mysterious book, she somehow finds herself thrown straight into The Marriage of Figaro.

I haven't read many time travel stories recently, and I certainly enjoyed that element. So many of the situations Elizabeth finds herself involved in as a modern woman stuck in 18th-century Spain were equal parts terrifying and hilarious. I particularly enjoyed all the humourous elements that were laced throughout! The setting felt very real and the descriptions helped bring the daily routine on Count Almaviva's estate to life.

I also really enjoyed Elizabeth's flashbacks to episodes from her real life as they helped me to truly understand her and give depth to her character and appreciate her growth. There is a big cast of secondary characters, both from the original and some new entries. I liked the character dynamics playing out between most of them, and a few made it all the way to favourites of mine, but I would have liked to see a little more depth to some of the characters who came across as a little one-dimensional.

I had loads of fun with the plot! I was familiar with the story of the original opera, so I wasn't thrown by the large cast, and I really enjoyed seeing all the ways in which the story playing out on page was veering off track… and all of Elizabeth's attempts at bringing it all together. Some scenes were absolutely hilarious, but there was plenty of time for reflection and enough space was left for the painful experiences. There is a healthy dose of musical jargon in here, which I really liked as it helped lend authenticity to Elizabeth's thoughts but, even if you're less familiar with it, fear not for the author included some very helpful notes to guide readers! The major plot points in the original opera are also fleshed out here, so even readers who are unfamiliar with the original or don't remember all the details can fully enjoy this without fear of missing some crucial element.

Although I ended up enjoying the book, I had some serious issues getting into it at first. The pace starts off very slow and there is a lot of setting the scene and introducing the characters in which not much else happens. The book then starts to suddenly pick up the pace until almost flying through the explosive ending. This does tend to somewhat follow the structure of an actual opera, but ended up making some sections very hard to read and struggled to hold my attention for a while. There were also quite a few repetitive passages throughout that contributed to this.

Overall, Elly Uncomposed is a highly original and very pleasant read sure to delight both opera lovers and non-fans!

I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

For more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

[KayLynn Zollinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed emotions on this book. I'll start with what I liked. I really liked the historical fiction aspect. I learned alot about a time period I know basically nothing about. Like...Barbers in the 1700s didn't just cut hair. They did...like..ALL the things. Very interesting. I learned a ton about opera. Way more than I probably ever wanted to know, and I sometimes found it hard to follow. And much to my surprise, I actually had heard some of the music from Figaro, the opera in this book. Who knew. I actually had no idea I had heard any opera at all. Unless you count 'Phantom of the Opera' - which I do not. I both liked and didn't like Reggie's coming out story. I like it because we absolutely need more queer representation in literature and his story wasn't an unusual one. I don't like it because it makes me really sad that so many people get hurt because society doesn't allow people to explore their sexuality when they are younger and get into committed relationships. I liked Ellie as a protagonist for the most part. She was smart and talented, but like so many of us was stuck in a less than ideal dynamic. Getting sent back to the past to 'fix' the opera plot certainly pushed her out of her comfort zone. I realize she was sorta in the book and sorta there to fix the story but it was so irritating that she refused to acknowledge what was going on around her because it wasn't how the opera went. I can even give her that, because I guess that was her purpose. HOWEVER, continuing to tell the people of the 1700s that they were making the wrong choices because that is not how the opera went, was a total effort in futility. Yet she persisted. They didn't have the script, honey. And they don't even know WTF you're talking about 9/10 times. So just...don't?
Anyways, overall a cute book with a good ending. Probably read the footnotes as you read the book, which I did not. I feel like that would have made it easier to follow. Lesson learned.

Quotes
Music was the tool with which she would guide each young person to look inward and then spread themselves across the score and the stage.

“Faith is not seasonal, Elizabeth. You can’t just taste a little here and there whenever it’s convenient. You either believe in something completely, or not at all.”

Her dreams of tiaras and long, shiny synthetic wigs were fast crumbling. For no matter how hard she worked, Katie could never change her fate. She could never change what she was. She would have to learn to fall in love with something else. Something that she could be.
[I adore this.]

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a hoot and a half! Elizabeth is a rehearsal pianist, happy with her life and her friends, and, of course, her music. When her father dies, she discovers a book he has left for her, with instructions inside to “read carefully.” It’s about the opera The Marriage of Figaro. She falls asleep reading in her cozy chair, but wakes up transported to the 18th century, and in the opera. Sort of. She is there with the characters of the opera, but things aren’t quite right. There are extra people, and not everything is as it should be. She keeps reading the book, but even it keeps changing! She knows, at least she hopes, that if she can make everything that should happen in the opera, happen again now, she will return to the 21st century, and back to comfortable clothes and shoes, and to flush toilets. But her adventures, or maybe misadventures, just adds to the chaos. She plays some beautiful music that catches the ear of the countess, but those composers haven’t even been born yet! It’s an exciting adventure, and very well written. Readers don’t need to know the opera to enjoy the story. The author has included a glossary to aid with some musical terms. The present and past segments are easily followed and understood, and are cleverly separated by fermatas and double bar repeat signs, which are also explained. Humor is liberally sprinkled throughout the tale, and other parts are quite thrilling. But it’s an opera, folks, so don’t expect everyone to have get a happily ever after ending. I loved the book from the beginning to the very last page. I only hope that Elly will find her way into another opera. Can you imagine her with Tristan and Isolde or Orpheus and Eurydice! Highly recommended, this well written tale with its delightful characters hits the zenith for its imagination and entertainment value.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you come across a book and instantly know that it’s the book for you. Let’s see… we have a musical heroine (check!) called Elizabeth (check!) who works as an accompanist (check!), loves opera (check!) and ESPECIALLY loves The Marriage of Figaro (check!). If anything, the premise was a little too true to my life!

📚Find this and more reviews on my blog!📚

I have long thought that the plot of Figaro deserves as many retellings as your average Shakespeare, and Niemerg absolutely delivers. The characters, farcical nature, and social commentary all remain intact, with just enough twists to keep you guessing. There are plenty of winks to the opera-loving reader, but plenty of context woven in so anyone can follow along and enjoy the adventure.

I love stories where a modern hero gets lost in a famous tale, and this was a great example of that trope. Similarly to shows like Lost in Austen, the main character is drawn into a beloved story but her very presence there disrupts the plot. Elizabeth was a great protagonist for it too, with enough determination to see the story through, but humanised by self-doubt and a little bit of bitterness. She made for a fun – and very interesting – heroine. We also had some flashbacks (flash forwards?) to her life before she got lost in a Mozart opera, which helped to flesh out her character even more.

This is a must-read for any opera fan, for anyone who wants to know more about opera, or just anyone who loves a soap-opera-style story about weddings, affairs, and “You’re not my mother!” “Yes I am!”-style reveals.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper loves the opera and loves to play the piano for the opera. She is completely caught off-gaurd when she is sent back in time into an opera: The Marriage of Figaro. She meets the whole cast of memorable characters, but no one is sticking to their story. If she wants to return to her own time-period, Elizabeth will have to put everything right and that will take everything she has learned from the opera.

I was eager to read this one because I don't know much about any opera. I also don't read many time travel books. The idea of a modern day woman being sent into the events of an opera seemed amusing. And parts of this were funny with Elizabeth being the fish out of water.

But, there were more moments when I was very confused about what was happening. I think I grasped what happens in the opera, but there were so many times when I didn't understand the hints being shown in the story. And I was very frustrated with the persistent mentions of the historical undergarments being pulled right and how awful it was. It goes against everything I understand about dress history.

This did take me some time to get through: nearly six weeks. While parts were interesting and amusing, there were enough parts that seemed to drag and slow down that I could easily put the book down and read something else.

Overall, it was an alright read. Elizabeth was entertaining as she tries to come to terms with herself in an unfamiliar place. Readers who understand this particular opera may find this retelling more interesting than I did.

I received a free copy from the author, and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Chazzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this via Library Thing Early Readers

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper, Elly, loves opera. The story,emotion, the characters but most of all the music. Playing on her piano in the back of the orchestra pit she watches the performers bring the stories to life.

Going through her father’s possessions after his recent passing, she finds he has left her a book. It is a special book which has some strange and special power. While reading it, she finds herself transported back in time to the 18th century and the world of “The Marriage of Figaro.” Instead of being a pianist, she is a scullery maid, dressed in a tight corset and some very impractical shoes.

Elly finds the characters are the same as in Mozart’s opera, but they are not behaving as per the original script. She also finds it is up to her to somehow get things back on track, or else she may be stuck where she is forever! This means finding the villain (probably a baritone) who is causing problems. She also has to do this without their finding out she is from the future!

Missing indoor plumbing, warm baths, comfortable clothes and other modern amenities, Elly finds she is stronger than she things and has learned many tactics from opera that help her straighten things out.

The characters are delightful and the descriptions and actions put life in the story without slowing it down. There are references to opera terms, but it doesn’t bog things down as there is a list of definitions in the back of the book. The action and humour and writing style make this a fun read!

[Nadine Keels]

Overall, I liked the story's quirky style and the originality of the basic situation.

However, the pacing was slow for me, and the development of the story felt somewhat disjointed. I'd have a little trouble following what was going on sometimes, and as I read, I didn't sense a clear purpose for the events. That is, I was watching the story but couldn't exactly see the plot. I'm sure it would all eventually come to light—the reasons why this peculiar operatic journey matters for the heroine's life—but after I read a third of it, I didn't see enough "why" yet to keep me interested from one scene to the next.

Now, although I technically may not have needed to know anything about the opera to follow this book (and the glossary is great!), I suspect I might have felt at least a little more invested in the story if I'd had an established interest in the opera in question. That interest might have held me until I got a hold on the "why" concerning the heroine.

Also, I ran into some punctuation errors in the novel, including some incorrect punctuation in the absence of dialogue tags.

Even so, though I decided not to finish the novel, its droll and original quality was certainly worth checking out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an honest review.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. I grew up watching operas, and I loved all the references. It helped to know the story of the opera for sure, but I think someone unfamiliar with the Marriage of Figaro could figure it out. The author, though Elizabeth, did a good job of describing the original opera and pointing out the differences that Elizabeth had to overcome. I definitely got swept up in this book and may have snuck away to read during work. I found the writing style to match the story, and I was rooting for Elizabeth the whole time. I figured out who her opponent was fairly early, but I enjoyed watching her struggle to figure it out and had to race to the end to see how she dealt with it. The mechanism and magic around the book were incredibly vague, which isn't too bad since Elizabeth herself didn't know, but it left a lot of unanswered questions, like where it came from, which affected my satisfaction with the ending. I didn't fully understand her opponent's motivation and how that connected with the book, but I enjoyed their role in the story.

It's a fantastic book, and I really hope there are more in the future. There are a lot of operas, so plenty of material.

[Kylie Cantwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elly Uncomposed came with an interesting synopsis, one I could not pass up, and I was not disappointed. It is a retelling of the operatic story of The Marriage of Figaro, and it does help to have at least a passing acquaintance with both the opera's storyline, and classical music. Of course, the tale as told in the opera is not quite what happened in real life, and it's up to Elizabeth to put things right.

Although the pace of the tale seemed a little slow, and it took me a little while to get into the story, Niemerg gives at once a commentary on the status of women in an era where sexual assault by the peerage was often dismissed, a cautionary tale of "be careful who you trust" and she shows us the value of friendship in Elizabeth's life. All were enjoyable, as was Elly playing music that hadn't been written yet for the Countess, having given up trying to remember more Bach! Overall, an enjoyable tale and one worth reading.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly Schuknecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that you enjoyed so much it made you want to go back and lower the 5-star rating you gave a few other books? That was this book for me.

I loved this story! In the first chapter, I wasn’t sure that was going to be the case. The main character, Elizabeth (Elly), is a rehearsal pianist. And the first chapter started out with a lot of music references. I wasn’t sure I was going to understand a lot of it, but it wasn’t that way through the whole book.

At the end of the first chapter, Elizabeth’s dad dies. He leaves her a book, and when she starts to read it, she finds herself IN the story. The story—and most of the book—is based around the opera The Marriage of Figaro. I didn’t know anything about that opera, which was totally fine, but I did end up watching it just out of curiosity.

So we follow Elizabeth through the story of the opera as the plot goes off track multiple times and she tries to fix it. I just felt totally engrossed in the story whenever I was reading it. I loved the main character and all of her somewhat funny, somewhat serious experiences throughout the book. In the end, the story is about Elizabeth finding herself and discovering what is really important to her.

If you tend to enjoy literary fiction, check this book out. I absolutely loved it!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative and Smart. Grounded in both Art and History.

Elizabeth (“Elly”) finds herself suddenly transported from her modern-day life as a pianist into a fictional vision of 18th century Spain as depicted in The Marriage of Figaro. So begins a magical realist adventure in a story slowly changed by a character who knows the plot. We immediately empathize with Elly, and along the way, the author subtly and deftly asks us to reflect on our common human experience.

Elly Uncomposed makes imaginative use of characters who first joined the world over two centuries ago. Lest that sound too weighty, be assured that as someone who admires Mozart, and knows opera intimately, author Valerie Niemerg keeps us delightfully entertained as we travel the twists and turns of this improbable, heartfelt story.

I recommend most highly that you join Elly and a fascinating variety of supporting characters on this imaginative and utterly enjoyable journey.

--Pat, host of Opera For Everyone podcast and KHOL radio show

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know much about Figaro, but this book is a whole lot of fun. Follow along with the whirlwind adventure of Elizabeth, concert pianist extraordinaire who is mysteriously transported to the past - a strange time and place where the opera Figaro comes to life but not in the ways that she expected. There’s tons of musical allusions and metaphors, and a handy glossary to explain it all to the lay reader. Elizabeth is no-nonsense yet whimsical, and though she comes across a bit silly constantly letting her tongue get ahead of her in tense situations, I was rooting for her the whole way.

Don’t think too hard and enjoy the ride. Or, well, try to sleuth a little more than I did. I’m still puzzling over one of the ending reveals.

**Thanks to LibraryThing for the ARC**

[Rachelle LeBlanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of Elly Uncomposed: A Novel Opera by Valerie Niemerg in a LibraryThing giveaway.

Elizabeth "Elly" is a pianist and teacher of opera at a school. When her father dies, he leaves her everything (mostly books) including a book with her name on it. The inscription says to Read Carefully.

She starts to the read the book and is transported to the 18th century or 1778. She is transported in the opera "Marriage of Figaro." She spends the entire book turning to set the plot straight as nothing is happening according to the opera. There is also a figure that is trying to prevent her from this.

I really enjoy the story and would end up reading 100 to 150 pages without realizing I read that many. I look forward to reading more from Valerie Niemerg.

[Bridget's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to read this book thanks to Book Sirens. So, in all honesty, I didn't read the description of this book. Judging solely on the title, I thought it was a retelling of Cinderella. I was mistaken and I'm so glad I was. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being a music lover myself, I actually enjoyed all the opera references. Besides that, who wouldn't love the adventure of truly losing themselves into a book? Elizabeth was so meek at the beginning, but after her unexpected adventure in another time and place, trying to remake the plot line of The Marriage of Figaro, she found her inner strength. Definitely well worth the read!

[Mark Reidinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly conceived and cleverly written, this unique story will keep you entertained from the from the first to last page. The author seamlessly melds her knowledge of and experience in the world of opera with a sense of humor and creative flair to craft a story unlike any other you have read. Even if you can’t tell a key signature from a treble clef, or don’t even like opera, you will thoroughly enjoy Elly’s adventure.

[NV · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting

Interesting concept. For me story rambled and while there is a thread of interest in the book it was not enough. It seemed disjointed to me. The going back and forth between time lines was not enough to keep me interested.
I was not compelled to write a review. This was a I won on a Goodreads giveaway.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a wonderfully done historical novel, i enjoyed the time period and the characters that were in this world. Valerie Niemerg had a great writing style that added to the great atmosphere. I look forward to more from the author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun book from the first page to the end. And I learned about the opera Figaro in a very entertaining way. This book is a nice escape from today's realities. I definitely recommend this book. You won't be disappointed

[Kim Barrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is fascinating, bringing a famous opera to life, with plenty of unexpected twists I didn’t want to put it down until I finished it, and i am already hoping there will be another novel coming soon! Valerie crafts words like the master artist she is—brava!

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this after hearing the author was a local author. If you like opera, you would probably like this book more than I did. I felt the story dragged when the main character went back in time and was caught up in an opera that wasn't going the way that it was written.

[Saratogacutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program**

This was an eclectic and unique adventure into the world of the opera, The Marriage of Figaro.
Elly, a piano accompanist and voice teacher, lives a quiet life as part of the opera program at a local college. Her father dies suddenly but leaves her what seems to be a novel retelling of The Marriage of Figaro. However, as she begins reading, she is swept within the story, finding herself in 18th-century Spain. A musical romp through the famous opera's ups and downs ensues, with Elly responsible for ensuring the story stays on track.
For a music lover, this novel was a quirky delight, combining aspects of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and adventure. At times the story dragged, and some of the dialogue felt a bit unnatural to the supposed time period. However, it was overall a delightful cross-genre read.

4/5 stars

[JoAnn CV · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a kindle copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. A fairytale set in both modern times and during the opera The Marriage of Figaro. Suspend disbelief and enjoy this often sweet and magical book. I’m not a fan of romance novels, and thankfully for me romance was not the key driver of this story as it often is in fairytale type settings. Some of the disbelief I had to suspend surrounded what the experience of a modern person showing up in Marriage of Figaro times would be. I’d guess filled with much more anxiety and crying. But what fun is that? This was a quick read and the ending was satisfying.