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

by William Berger

Everything you could possibly know about Verdi and his operas, from the brilliant and humorous author of Wagner Without Fear .

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.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Art

512 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2000

About the author

William Berger was born in California and studied Romance languages and music at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He worked for five years at the San Francisco Opera Company, where he acquired for the company’s recorded music collection. He is the author of Wagner Without Fear: Learning to Love–and Even Enjoy–Opera’s Most Demanding Genius and Verdi With a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera. He is a frequent lecturer and radio commentator and has recently been a regular host for New York Public Radio’s Overnight Music. He has written libretti, performance pieces, and articles on a wide variety of topics including architecture, religion, and, of course, music. He is a music host for WNYC radio and lives in New York.

Reviews

[Gary the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to the life and work of Giuseppe Verdi. The first section is a biographic sketch. Written in breezy prose, it provides a historical context for his compositions and it succeeds as an energetic guide to what makes Verdi so unique. This is followed by a plot summary and brief discussion of each of the operas. These are presented chronologically and with humor. Mr. Berger's enthusiasm is infectious and his scholarship is illuminating. Even if you are not an opera fan there is much to savor here. If you are a fan, he recommends recordings and DVDs. It ends with suggestions for more reading and a useful glossary of music terminology.

[J.J. Rusz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Berger’s “Verdi With a Vengeance” is a delightful guide to all the composer’s operas and his Requiem as well. Reading it is like sitting with a friend who’s willing to share the inside scoop on just about everything Verdi—without cant, banality, or humbug. Organized as a reference tool, the book is nonetheless a page turner: I found myself as intrigued by Berger’s discussions of operas I’ll never get to see (or even hear) as of those I know well.

Published in 2000, "Verdi with a Vengeance” is a trifle dated now in its concluding sections, which review Verdi recordings, productions, books, and films. But knowledge, insight, taste, and humor never grow old. Highly recommended! And now on to “Wagner Without Fear.”

[Christine Wallbom · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Berger makes opera approachable for the masses.

[Marfita · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining book - both light-hearted and serious by turns, this book shows a real love for the "King of Opera." I have to admit that I read this whole thing just to get to the material on one of my favorite operas, Falstaff, which would be his last one. The historical information on Verdi himself was an easy read, but the in-depth review of each and every opera dragged out, especially over operas I was not familiar with. Although I am familiar with quite a few Verdi works and can picture them in my mind's eye or ear when reading about them, there are still plenty I've never heard, much less seen. This, therefore, is not a book for sitting and reading through the whole thing as I tried to do. I recommend reading Verdi's background and then dipping into the operas as needed. This would require purchasing the book to have on hand.

Berger also recommends some recordings and has some pointed (but amusing) remarks to make about how some opera singers perform or, perhaps, how fast some conductors move it along, but I'm afraid that regardless of what anyone else says, the first version of any opera you see or listen to will almost always be your gold standard and rarely will you find any to surpass it. [And I will grant you that Maria Callas was an outstanding actress and a great singer - but she still sounds like she's singing with a mouthful of fruit which, to me, means she is singing for herself and not us. She did not sound like that on her earliest recordings, so I can only imagine that she developed that muffled, fruity sound later when she was an undisputed diva and no one had the nerve to tell her what it sounded like because she was beautiful and talented. Then, of course, she also proceeds to do what she likes with her roles. Thus endeth the rant.:]

I love operas the way I love cats: with a passion that allows me to also laugh at them. This, I am sure, has caused some not slight consternation from Baltimore, MD (Where I was the only one laughing at Bardolpho - I suppose everyone else was reading the damn supertitles) to Newberry, SC (where my husband and I almost hurt ourselves when don José polished his rifle and then his sword to Carmen's Habanera). Books like this key into my need to study and laugh. Perhaps I should just buy the damn thing.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fortunate to see two seldom performed Verdi operas recently-- Ernani (Lyric Opera of Chicago) in October and the Met HD Live Simon Boccanegra (with Placido Domingo in the baritone role of the Doge). Then I heard William Berger on a radio show and his book was mentioned. I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to explore Verdi furhter. It is amazing to realize that there was a time when Verdi was out of fashion. Fortunately, that is obviously no longer the case. I like Berger's less academic, actually sort of irreverent approach and some of his "reviews" of the operas are really good.
Quite enjoyable!

[joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw "Falstaff" this weekend and I had wanted to read up on Verdi before I went. The intro to this book is very entertaining and the overview of Verdi's life has a lot of good information. His life was so bound up with Italian nationalism and I'd not read a good summary of the Risorgimento before. The section on Falstaff, the last opera Verdi wrote made me wish I had read it before I saw the opera. A lesson for next time.

On the other hand, Berger goes on about what a bad rap Verdi got from the critics, and I have to admit I am not a Verdi fan, but his writing is amusing.

I didn't actually read the whole book but I will put it on the READ shelf.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore these books. Berger has the wonderful ability to explore opera's most fascinating composers in a way that's thorough but accessible. I've been an opera fan since I was about 9 years old, but until reading these three books by Berger I don't think I ever really appreciated the complexity of the art form. He has been able to take my passion and emotion for opera and turn it into a complex exploration of meaning. I wish so much that he would write more of these! A book on Mozart, on Beethoven, on Bizet... I would eat those up. Bravo for another incredible book.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were interesting parts to this book, but I enjoyed Berger's book about Puccini more. I recommend the chapters that review Verdi's opera works as helpful pre-requisites to attendance of his operas since the story lines and plots are clearly laid out.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining books on Verdi I have ever read.

[Courtney]

La Traviata is one of my favorites. Time to learn more about Verdi.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and readable. Sample: "Another rip-snorter from Verdi."