Verdi: A Biography

In this monumental study, Phillips-Matz, a cofounder of the American Institute for Verdi Studies at New York University, illuminates the life of Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), the Italian composer of enduring sacred works and operas including Rigoletto , La Traviata , Don Carlos and Aida . Drawing on papers in public and private archives, as well as original documents and interviews provided by Verdi's descendants, Phillips-Matz attempts to separate legend (much of it fostered by Verdi himself) from fact, providing perspective on the more sensationalistic aspects of his life, such as Verdi's numerous love affairs, his legal separation from his parents and his feuds with the citizens of his home town of Busseto. Although not stinting on his creative output, Phillips-Matz recognizes that music was just one aspect of Verdi's life; he was an avid farmer, active in the management of his large estates, a supporter of various charitable and political causes and, because of the popularity of his operas worldwide, a national hero. Involved in the turbulence of the Risorgimento , Verdi had close ties to major nationalistic figures like Camillo Benso Cavour. Quotations from many of the composer's letters as well as those of his friends, family and his second wife, Giuseppina Strepponi, add to the value of this exhaustive, superb biography. Photos not seen by PW . (Oct.)