{"product_id":"9780375705182","title":"Verdi with a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera","description":"\u003cp\u003eEverything you could possibly know about Verdi and his operas, from the brilliant and humorous author of \u003cb\u003eWagner Without Fear\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you want to know why \u003cb\u003eLa traviata\u003c\/b\u003e was actually a flop at its premiere in 1853, it's in here.  If you want to know why claiming to have heard Bjorling's Chicago performance of \u003cb\u003e Il trovatore\u003c\/b\u003e is the classic opera fan faux pas, it's in here.  Even if you just want to know how to pronounce Aida, or what the plot of \u003cb\u003eRigoletto\u003c\/b\u003e is all about, this is the place to look.  From the composer's intense hatred of priests to synopses of the operas and a detailed discography of the best recordings to buy, it can all be found in \u003cb\u003eVerdi with a Vengeance\u003c\/b\u003e.  William Berger has given another improbable performance, serving up a book as thorough as it is funny and as original as it is astute, an utterly indispensable guide for novice and expert alike.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47012858888432,"sku":"9780375705182","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780375705182_p0.jpg?v=1769913496","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780375705182","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}