Text, music, and staging of baritone roles in Verdi's major operas

One of the most significant developments in 19th-century Italian opera was the genesis of the Verdi baritone. The authors argue that the composer's baritone characters embody "a quintessential humanity, expressing needs and temptations, confusions and understandings, griefs and joys that transcend the particulars of time and place." The Verdi Baritone explores seven of the most fascinating roles in the repertory, revealing how they were conceived and executed. This eloquent book opens with a discussion of Verdi's early triumph, Nabucco; proceeds with Ernani, Macbeth, Rigoletto, La Traviata, and Simon Boccanegra; and concludes with his final great tragedy, Otello. Voice students, professional performers, their teachers and coaches, and opera lovers, will gain insight into Verdi's masterful use of text, music, and staging to portray each character's inner self.

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Singing actors delight when a well-written, practical, and carefully documented source for character development assists their research. . . . The Verdi Baritone offers a unique, and uniquely qualified, discourse on a much too often overlooked aspect of the operas.

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The Verdi Baritone, a thoughtful, perceptive collection, should be required reading for directors, conductors, vocal coaches, and baritones preparing to sing these roles.