Seven Verdi Librettos

The listener, to understand the opera fully, should understand the situations, the shades of emotion, the nuances of characterization described in the music. William Weavers translations of seven of the greatest Verdi operas are designed for maximum fidelity to the immediate word. Eschewing artistic renderings, Mr. Weaver offers, on facing pages, exact translations and the corresponding Italian text. The operas chosen for this edition represent Verdis major achievements in each of the significant periods of his creative life: the first trio of masterpieces, <em>Rigoletto</em>, <em>Il Trovatore</em>, and <em>La Traviata</em>; <em>Un ballo in maschera</em> and <em>Aida</em> from the middle period; <em>Otello</em> and <em>Falstaff</em>, the great late works. The music student as well as the opera buff will find this volume a very useful guide to Verdis world.