{"product_id":"9780714544182","title":"Rigoletto: English National Opera Guide 15","description":"\u003cp\u003eEach Opera Guide contains the complete text of an opera in the original, with a parallel English translation, introductory essays, numerous musical examples, and illustrations. \"The subject cannot fail!\" exulted Verdi, when recommending Victor Hugo's play,\u003ci\u003e Le Roi s'amuse\u003c\/i\u003e, to his librettist. But the censors made every effort to stop it, and the baritone was not easily convinced that a hunchback role would suit him. Jonathan Keates gives a vivid insight into the composition of a masterpiece. Verdi long afterwards thought it was his best work, and Roger Parker explains why. Peter Nichols, author of several best-selling books in Italy, picks out some of the peculiarly Italian attitudes and characters in the opera which make it timeless and unnervingly modern.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oneworld Classics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47025163600112,"sku":"9780714544182","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780714544182_p0.jpg?v=1763623864","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780714544182","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}