Review by Library Journal Review
A story that started with a personal obsession (the author's passion for opera and, more specifically, its 19th-century impresarios) becomes a highly readable, even entertaining historical work about music and culture in Italy during the 1800s. Author Eisenbeiss, heart in hand, displays admirable research and analytic skills as he makes sense of an almost-unheard-of opera impresario, Domenico Barbaja. Barbaja, writes Eisenbeiss, revolutionized the way Neapolitans enjoyed music and opera, including the performances' costuming, singing styles, impact on society, and the halls themselves. Besides that, he was a womanizer, a gambler, and a charming bully. Readers get a firsthand look at the cultural and political fabric of Naples, Vienna, and Paris, including a discussion of the Bourbons vs. the Hapsburgs. The opera that grew and developed during this time would foster later composers such as Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. Includes appendixes about singers, currencies, and operas. Verdict A rich look at an overlooked figure in opera history.-Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Library Journal Review
