Customer Reviews

Puccini Without Excuses: A Refreshing Reassessment of the World's Most Popular Composer

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This is an amazing book, at least an amazing book for me, because of what it's done for me. I must admit right now that I'm not a major opera fan, not that I don't like it, and not that I haven't listened to quite a bit of it over the years - it's just that my musical tastes lean more toward Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Charlie Parker's Reboppers. But Berger's book was so informative and so entertaining and, best of all, so enthusiastic, that the bug he is trying to infect us with regarding the operas of Giacomo Puccini has infiltrated my system and sent me reeling.

Berger is a radio host on NYC's PBS station (which I unfortunately have never heard), and his book reads exactly like what a well-informed, passionate d.j. would sound like as he waxed fervently about his musical loves. The book reads as if it were spoken and meant to be heard. This is a delightful and most enjoyable aspect of the book. As he recounts the story behind each opera, Berger interrupts himself with commentary, as if speaking over the performance at hand or hitting the pause button on the CD player. And his comments are highly personal, though not arbitrary or off-the-wall, meant to keep us on target and focused, but not school-marmish. He "speaks" to us like an old friend sharing what he knows and feels.

The book is a fairly thorough account of the man and his music: we get a brief biographical sketch, the operas (8 of them) in detail, recommended recordings, dvds, and books, Puccini in the movies, a glossary of opera terms and how they apply to Puccini's work, and more. And everything, even the glossary, has the Berger stamp of authority and élan to it.

So I've already started making a list of CDs based on Berger's recommendations and until I can get some of them, have put my LP version of MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Erich Leinsdorf conducting Anna Moffo and Cesare Valletti (not on Berger's list) on the turntable. That's what Berger's book has done for me: brought me back to the music of Puccini once again. Pops and Bird will just have to wait.

William Berger has written a book for operatic neophytes (as he did in his previous books 'Wagner Without Fear' and 'Verdi with a Vengeance') who want to learn more about opera in general and about Puccini in particular, and yet who have little background with which to understand a full-length book about the life and works of a single composer. I am no operatic neophyte, but I learned much from this book and was completely engaged throughout, even when I was disagreeing with some of the author's points. Make no mistake, Berger has a charming, informal, chatty style that sweeps the reader up into Puccini's world. My only real complaint about the book is that Berger seems to protest too much about Puccini's worth. He takes up the cudgels against those pedantic critics and musicologists who cast aspersions on Puccini's artistic value. It strikes me that the neophyte is not all that interested in this battle in the first place and that this is a battle long since won anyhow. No matter, Berger gets in plenty of blows for Puccini, probably more than Puccini actually needs these days.

The book has several sections. After a somewhat tendentious introduction, we get a chatty yet informative life and times chapter which also includes a description of what was going on in the wider world of opera and classical music during Puccini's life. There are fascinating comments about, say, the relationship between Puccini and Toscanini in this section.

Then we get a chapter by chapter discussion of each of the mature operas, beginning with Manon Lescaut and ending with Turandot. Each opera's chapter has an exhaustive discussion of each scene of the stage action, followed by really quite wonderful ruminations on the musical and production issues of each scene. Berger's comments are generally witty and almost always spot on. He also manages to include some of the gossip extant about various productions, singers, stage directors and conductors.

Then comes a section called 'The Puccini Code' which focuses on the myth of Tosca (one of the weaker chapters in my opinion), 'what one might expect to see' in various productions, and a little coda called 'Puccinian Permutations' which comments on influences the various operas (and the Puccini style) have had on popular culture; think of 'Rent' and 'Moonstruck', for instance.

Finally, there is a section in which Berger discusses recordings of the major operas, with comments about various singers, conductors (and he pulls no punches here) as well as some mention of DVDs and videotapes. He ends this section with a listing and comments about important books on his subject. The book ends with a glossary of terms (helpful for the neophyte, certainly, but without a pronunciation guide, which he had earlier supplied for the names of the operas; that might have been helpful. Can you pronounce 'morbidezza' or 'Regietheater'?). The book contains a fairly full index. Editing and production values are quite good (although I suspect director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and baritone Simon Keenlyside might have preferred their names be spelled correctly). The paperback's cover features a blow-up of a photo of the young Puccini taken from a 'musical celebrities cigarette card series.' (!)

I would recommend this book not only to the newcomer to opera but also to grizzled opera veterans who think they already know everything there is to know about Puccini.

Scott Morrison

Rebeccasreads highly recommends PUCCINI WITHOUT EXCUSES as one of the more unusual books you'll read about the popular culture of the late 19th & early 20th centuries. It is neither heavy-handed nor trivial because William Berger has a delightful sense of humor & an engaging way of expressing his passion - opera!

If you're a movie buff, you'll have heard snatches of a Puccini aria or musical interlude from THE GODFATHER III to MOONSTRUCK, & if you listen to any of this genius' legacy: LA BOHEME, MADAME BUTTERFLY, TOSCA, & his other five operas, you'll find the music quite familiar.

You'll find out why William Berger thinks Puccini is relevant in today's world in his analyses of the eight operas, the last of which is the unfinished TURANDOT. & you'll also find that Puccini's life was itself worthy of... a soap opera.

Even as I was enjoying the read, I learnt a lot -- about the history of the times, music, collaborations & domestic drama. Bravo!

Finally, someone has validated Puccini's worth as a composer! While other attempts have been made at this, they tend to take an approach that is very objective and scholarly. While this is one way to approach an analysis of music, this book's straightforward, at times downright blunt, approach is a refreshing antidote to the overly cerebral tone of many other books. Puccini knew all the 'rules' of composition and chose to ignore or modify many of them in order to get to the raw emotions of his characters and audiences alike. It has long been my feeling that anyone who claims not to enjoy Puccini's works is either too caught up in academic snobbery or too afraid of his/her emotions to feel the beauty of his works. This book is a vindication for not only Puccini and his operas but for his fans and those who perform his works.

I would only recommend this book to someone beginning to explore Puccini who was desperate for a guidebook. With the exception of the useful biography in the beginning there is not much in here that one could not discover on their own by listening to recordings of the operas.
I found most of the commentary shallow.
Potential buyers should know that most of this book is a summary of Puccini's major operas (Edgar is not included).
Part Three, "The Puccini Code" is quite disappointing. I had hoped I would gain some deeper appreciation for Puccini but I came away unsure that there was anything I did not discover on my own.

Sometimes, Berger could not help taking unwarranted strikes at Wagner. This is strange for someone who wrote a book about Wagner and certainly knows better than to resort to clichés about his operas. At one point he even suggests that racial purity is a theme in Wagner's opera. If there are arguments to be made here, they should be made and not stuck in, unjustified, in a book on Puccini. He levels a similarly unjustified charge of racism on some of Puccini's critics. Mispronouncing "Turandot" . . . "slightly racist."

My advice, save your money and buy recordings or tickets. Puccini's brilliance is there. You do not need Berger to hold your hand through the process.

Make no mistake about it, this is an absolutely delightful, informative book! It is wonderful reading for the opera neophyte as well as the opera expert.
Opera has always been my favorite musical form. I've studied it many years and in all humility, consider myself more than qualified to discuss this subject. Case in point:I have fully illustrated several complete opera librettos in the style of the graphic novel; one of which is Puccini's Madama Butterfly, recently published and now available on Amazon. The Fully Illustrated Libretto of Puccini's Madama Butterfly (Madam Butterfly or Madame Butterfly) (Graphic Novel) (Illustrated Opera Librettos and Graphic Novels, Volume 1)
Although I thought myself to be familiar with Puccini and all his operas, Mr. Berger's book gave me an entirely new perspective and now look forward to listening again as if it were the very first time!
Berger's writing style is informal, easy to understand and direct. The first section deals with Puccini's life, times, and the artistic matrix of Italy in which he lived. The next section deals with the individual operas in chronological order. First a list of the characters and a short psychological study of each one, then the plot interspersed with the author's own comments laced with humor and wit. Part 3 of the book is called 'The Puccini Code' and deals with 'Issues in Puccini and the Perception of His Works'. It begins with the Myth of Tosca...other reviewers found this section to be superfluous, but I found it to be one of the most fascinating parts of the book. It begins with a history of the Italian culture starting with the Byzantine Pope Gregory I all the way to the Napoleonic era. The reason for this digression is to explain to the reader how all this history affected the psychology of the characters in Tosca and why they relate as they do. It also points out the symbolic elements of this opera such as wine and blood including the tidbit of Maria Callas, who's fingers walked on the table as she followed the trail of spilled wine which led her directly to the knife with which she stabs Scarpia. Wow. I recommend to anyone unfamiliar with Tosca, to listen to the opera first, then read this section.
Following this is another delightful and entertaining section of famous productions of Puccini's operas and what you might expect to see. It was surprising that the author omitted the hilarious blunder of a performance of Tosca at the Met, when Zinka Milanov threw herself over the castle wall, only to bounce back up on stage!!
The book continues with author's opinions of singers and available recordings. It is interesting to know what Mr. Berger thinks, as I do not always agree 100%. For example, he feels that the Nielson-Corelli recording of Turandot is by far the best. While it is true that Corelli was one of the most handsome, appealing tenors that ever lived, I cannot imagine that any recording could surpass the earlier Bjoerling recording, also with Nielson. Oh well, personal opinions are always personal opinions; not facts.
All in all, a superb book which I highly recommend to anyone and one of the very few books I plan to read again.

Loved this book! I have been a fan of Puccini since my mom first played Taddei singing 'Tre Sbirri, Una Carrozza' from the Karajan conducted Tosca. Love, love Puccini opera's! This was a very nice book to accompany my love for his opera's. Recently, I bought tickets to see Sondra Radvanovsky sing Tosca at the Met, and this book was a helpful, interesting read before seeing the opera. If you enjoy Puccini and want to know more about his opera's then I definitely recommend this book.

I am doing research for a program to be given during a Great Operatic Moments by Puccini concert with the Heartland Chamber Chorale and this book not only helped in preparation of this program, it was fun to read and well organized. Having heard many operas, including three where the singer was mute and walked the role while the voice came from the orchestra pit, I am familiar with many performances of Puccini. This book will enhance my next time at La Boheme (Lyric Opera, Chicago). I believe this is the book which will help anyone hear Puccini for the first time and delight the experienced listener. Funny and informative.

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