First class lecture series from Robert Greenberg

What did you like best about this story?

Verdi was quite the character and this series of lectures is an excellent introduction to both the significant experiences of his life, his professional relationships, and the development of his music.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Professor Greenberg wants us to get a sense of Verdi's personality and characteristics as a window to his music and his passion and sincerity lend colour and verve to these lectures. Dry this material is not!

Any additional comments?

Professor Greenburg's soapbox moments are a real highlight. Agree or disagree there's something about a passionate opinion, eloquently expressed, which captures the attention and rewards the listener. Bravo!

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Absolutely loved this unexpected find/

This thorough study of Verdi's life & music I found absolutely fascinating and very rewarding to listen to. The man, his music, his passions, his environs and the age he lived in brought to life. Enjoyed enormously the references & asides to americana & in the american vernacular - many of which I did not know exactly what the allusion was to but you could get the modern day sense of it. Was it forms of torture?- an English sense of humour - laughed out loud.

I've read the critical reviews and the accusations contained in some of them and would say just go with the flow of this wonderful, humanising, affectionate and comprehensive narrative on the life & times of, what I now know after listening to this hugely enjoyable "biography", was a truly great composer and, what's more, a fascinating multi layered human being.

I'm now off to listen to everything Robert Greenberg as to say about music. Thank you Robert for doing what you do.

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Comprehensive picture of music and society

Would you listen to The Life and Operas of Verdi again? Why?

Yes, I discover new enjoyable moments every time I listen to

Who was your favorite character and why?

Giuseppina Strapponi, a supporting wife

Have you listened to any of Professor Robert Greenberg’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Yes, for me as an enthusiastic but amateur listener this book helps to understand dimensions I did not access before

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. You have to return to it from time to time. But this is worth to do it.

Any additional comments?

I can only recommend it to everybody.

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1 person found this helpful

Disappointing

This could have been very good. Clearly Mr Greenberg knows the subject well and is enthusiastic about it. But he also has ambitions as a comedian and unfortunately he isn't a very good one. The silly voices he puts on when explaining the plots of the operas are painful to listen to and the facetious tone continually belittles the great works he is describing (even though he tells us over and over that he considers them to be great works). Also he could have taken a little more trouble to learn the correct pronunciation of the Italian words he pronounces. He continually gets the stress wrong; for example, the names Cesare, Modena and Foscari should all be stressed on the first, not the second syllable.

It's a pity, because without these irritating distractions the narrative is fascinating. The lectures, of course, contain wonderful excerpts of great music.

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Elmer Fudd explains Verdi

What would have made The Life and Operas of Verdi better?

A narrator who did not belittle every opera he discusses by assuming the voices and characteristics of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Some synopses may be problematic, but to adopt a pseudo-comic voice and kindergarten slang is unnecessary and inappropriate to a 'college-level' lecture series.

What will your next listen be?

Probably the Naxos Verdi audiobook, which, although shorter, will be unlikely to wallow in flippancy.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Professor Robert Greenberg?

Anybody else: maybe one of the narrators of the Modern Scholar series, who take their lectures seriously.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Life and Operas of Verdi?

Lengthy retelling of the story of each operas should be cut, with more college level musical information in its place (narrated properly, of course). Biographical information is fine as is, as are the musical extracts.

Any additional comments?

This could have really been a 'great course'. Pity.

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3 people found this helpful

Not enough music

This is the third series I have listened too by Robert Greenberg and definitely the worst. There is far too much detail on some of the operas, especially Rigoletto and Falstaff where Greenberg spends literally hours just going through his spin on the story in his excited voice. There is very little music in these lectures, a lot lower percentage than there was in the other series. If there is not to be music I'd rather hear about Verdi's life than listen to a blow by blow account of the librettos.

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