Verdi's Shakespeare: Men of the Theater

In this dazzling work, Pulitzer Prize winner and lifelong opera devotee Garry Wills explores the writing and staging of the three operas that Verdi adapted from Shakespeare: Macbetto (Macbeth), Otello (Othello), and Falstaff. An Italian composer who could not read a word of English but who adored Shakespeare, Verdi devoted himself to operatic productions that incorporated the playwright's texts. Wills delves into the fast-paced worlds of these men and the hands-on life of the stage that at once challenged them and gave flight to their brilliance. With fascinating portraits of the artists and their entourages, Verdi's Shakespeare takes readers on a spell binding Journey through opera, music, literature, history, and the nature of genius itself.