Customer Reviews

Rossini in Restoration Paris: The Sound of Modern Life (Cambridge Studies in Opera)

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This is a wonderful book dealing with a period of Rossini's life that has not had much in depth coverage previously. Despite his fame and the perception of his musical imapct on the city, it turns out that Rossini really only composed one "original" opera for Paris... and what an opera it was, the momnumental work, Guillaume Tell. It was also to be the great composer's last opera, even though he was only 37 at the time. He lived for many more years without ever composing another opera.

The Book provides an interesting insight into Paris, and its musical personalities at a period when the city was considered the most important musical center for opera in Europe. It was also a time when Paris was going through great changes politically and culturally. It was before the other great Italian composers, Donizetti, Bellini or Verdi emerged on the scene in Paris.

All together an interesting book. Very well written, informatiave and educational for any scholar of the great operatic bellcanto period in Europe.

BASIL WALSH