Helen Bauer

If you're a music teacher, a student or Opera buff, you'll appreciate this great music resource immensely. The biographical information is well-written and truly the book is a labor of love. Many of us know that Verdi wrote opera, choral and chamber compositions, plus songs that tell a story. We've listened to his famous works of Requiem, La Traviata, Aida and Otello. But who was Giuseppe Verdi that 200,000 people came to his service? I had to know.

The study of great music and the life of Verdi will not disappoint. Learn of Verdi's personal loss and grief that motivates and compels him to write more successful works. As you discover Verdi's constant desire to monitor the political scene, the reader comes to know the composer's love to unite his country Italy, and the charities he created from his concern for others less fortunate.

As a piano teacher and grandmother of 5, I especially like that the book is for ages 9 and up. 10 activities are provided all through the book, like making homemade pasta, playing bocce ball, creating pizza party invitations, costume designing and planting a tomato sauce garden. Not only is this a fun book for singing like a Diva but learning about Leitmotif and the kiss motif, too. It's a wonderful and valuable music resource with beautiful illustrations, offering a timeline, glossary and list of additional resources with end notes.

5/5 stars. Bravo! Highly recommend.… (mehr)