The Life and Operas of Verdi

By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Greenberg

The Italians have a word for the sense of dazzling beauty produced by effortless mastery: sprezzatura. And perhaps no cultural form associated with Italy is as steeped in the love of sprezzatura as opera, a genre the Italians invented. No composer has embodied the ideal of sprezzatura as magnificently as Giuseppe Verdi, the gruff, self-described "farmer" from the Po Valley who gave us 28 operas and remains to this day the most popular composer in the genre's 400-year-old history. His operas are produced more than those of any other composer, and one source claims that his La Traviata (1853) has been staged live somewhere around the world every evening for the past 100 years!

This series of 32 lectures from one of music's most acclaimed teachers combines biography with a variety of musical excerpts to reveal the treasures of creativity that account for this popularity. It explores in depth and detail both the famous and not-so-famous Verdi operas, as well as his one great concert work, the Requiem Mass of 1874; his early songs; and his very last composition, a setting of the Stabat Mater. You trace his development from a more or less conventional composer of operas in the traditional Italian bel canto (beautifully sung) style to a creator of truly innovative musical dramas in which the power of music to intensify and explore human emotion is exploited to the fullest degree.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great Courses

Bravo, Verdi! Bravo, Greenberg!!

Greenberg‘s lectures on music from the Teaching Company are always golden. This in-depth dive into the life and operas of Verdi is one of his best. Greenberg is habit-forming for any concert music lover. Very highly recommended.

The Life and Operas of Verdi

I came late to an appreciation of opera, and found this course to be a fantastic adjunct to my growing knowledge. Sometimes I think the professor was a bit snarky and tried too hard to be funny, but that is merely a quibble. He provided an amazing amount of detail about Verdi's life, and much valuable information about the major operas. I did think he dwelt too long on Verdi's last opera, Falstaff, but that is quite understandable, since it was a radical departure for Verdi (whose operas tended toward the tragic). Now I want to go visit Buzetto and see Verdi's home, and I can hardly wait until June, when La Traviata will be performed at Masada.

Wonderful

Once again professor Greenberg does an awesome job teaching this course. I intend to listen to all of his courses. Viva professor Greenberg, Viva .

Greenberg enthusiasm is off the charts!

At 55, never having seen or heard an opera…. A whole world opened up, because of Greenberg’s consummate storytelling! Can’t say enough of how wonderful this experience was!

Great insight and great music

Greenberg is not for everyone, but if you like a bit of pomp with your lectures, you’ll love this. I was familiar with Verdi before this course, but I learned a tremendous amount. Well worth it.

Brilliant narration but too much focus on the man

Where does The Life and Operas of Verdi rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It would be among the top 5. It is well narrated but too much focus is on the man and not soo much on his music.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Life and Operas of Verdi?

The episode of the creation of Otello and Verdi's passion and patience with composing.

Which scene was your favorite?

Same as above

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

At moments it made me feel sad with the way the author defined the pains of Verdi.

The over acting from the narrator was a shame

The shouts and screeches hurt my ears quite often. Besides the over acting and screeching loudly, I do recommend it, just be prepared to lower the volume whenever he starts acting out the opera.

Viva Opera!

Marvelous! Well worth every penny. Loved the biographical portions as well as music! Sense of humor injected in every lecture!

The Passion of Verdi vs the wit of the Borscht Bel

This series, originally given in the 90s, is hard to fully evaluate. You will either find Greenburg's OTT somewhat contrived informality irritating and distracting, or--as I did--a welcome counterbalance to the detail-laden treatment of Verdi's life and development as a composer. I am something of a Verdi scholar myself, and thought I had a pretty thorough knowledge of his works etc. - but Greenburg's use of correspondence from other people, early biographies, contemporary newspaper articles informs us and gives us a wider understanding of Verdi than would be true if we were left with Greenburg's own reverent passion for him--which is seldom critical and often drenched in operatic hyperbole. Even so, again, as an audio course, i have suffered through too many lifeless lecture series to really whinge on about this guy. I learned a lot, and rediscovered a pleasure in experiencing some of Verdi's middle operas that I had long forgotten. If you can get past or get along with the Borscht Belt bits, you will come away knowing a good deal about Verdi and his operas. I don't write many reviews (no time) but I do want to draw attention to this worthwhile course in what is otherwise an often mediocre product from the "Great Courses" company.

Superb

Once again Professor Greenberg has given a superb summary;this time of the life and operas of Verdi.It is long and detailed,just as it should be.Bravo Robert Greenberg