The Life and Operas of Verdi

by Robert Greenberg

The Great Courses Lecture Series

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook

25 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Robert M. Greenberg is an American composer, pianist and musicologist. He has composed more than 50 works for a variety of instruments and voices, and has recorded a number of lecture series on music history and music appreciation for The Teaching Company.

Greenberg earned a B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from Princeton University and received a Ph.D. in music composition from the University of California, Berkeley. He has served on the faculties of UC Berkeley, Californiz State University, East Bay, and the San Franciso Conservatory of Music, where he was chairman of the Department of Music History and Literature as well as Director of the Adult Extension Division. Dr. Greenberg is currently Music Historian-in-residence with San Francisco Performances.

Reviews

[Irena Pasvinter · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, Robert Greenberg is knowledgeable and passionate about the topic of his lectures: Giuseppe Verdi's long life could make a fine plot for an opera, and his musical genius and fascinating personality provide plenty of reason to vax passionate about. Still, I had an impression that in this course professor Greenberg outdid himself.

For example, in the six(!) lectures on Falstaff at the end of the course, most of the time was spent on Robert Greenberg's setting the scene for musical excerpts from Verdi's last opera by retelling the relevant part of libretto, and almost each time the professor's delivery was so passionate that he managed to outshine the opera itself -- which made me think that Robert Greenberg would himself make a fine Falstaff, "my dear friends" (to quote the professor).

Instead of spending the bulk of the six lectures with Falstaff, I would have preferred to hear a bit more details about the life and music of Verdi, but well (not that there were not plenty of details already, but still).

All in all, it was a very interesting and informative course, in spite of the professor getting carried away on a few occasions.;)

[Ola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Robert Greenbergs stuff, but this course just got too panegyric, too much boggled down with domestic detail, and too long. Six entire lectures on Falstaff is just too much. When Greenberg is good, he is just the best music lecturer on the Internet. This time around, he didn't manage to win me over.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As anyone who has sampled his Great Courses lectures knows, Professor Greenberg is entertaining to a fault. His jokes and impersonations are almost vaudevillian at times, which can be either hilarious or annoying, depending on your point of view, but he supplements his act with a lot of relevant information, so all is forgiven. Verdi lived a long productive life and transformed Italian opera. In some respects, Verdi is Italian opera, and Greenberg demonstrates why. This is a long series and almost all of Verdi's operas are covered in detail, sometimes too much detail. The last lectures on Falstaff find Greenberg practically acting out the opera himself over a two hour span. Aside from this instance of over-exuberance, I can recommend the series for anyone with a more than incidental interest in the life and opera of Maestro Verdi.

[Sharone Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

How satisfying it is to finally finish this long audiobook! Verdi's life is incredible!

Robert Greenberg is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It's going to take me quite some time to go over all my bookmarks and notes. What I didn't like about him is his comparisons of situations in the old operas to modern, common, sometimes crass things, most times for a laugh. Maybe he thinks they're necessary in order to keep the modern student of opera interested.

I have discovered that I love Verdi's old, classic operas, his greatest hits so to speak, which was no surprise. Greenberg obviously adores Verdi's last opera, Falstaff, since he devoted the last FOUR lectures to it, while giving insufficient time to the fabulous Don Carlo and no time at all to the masterful Simon Buccanegra! In my opinion, the music of Falstaff is too modern and the story is too fluffy. I much prefer the dramas of La Traviata, Il Trovatore and Rigoletto. You won't find yourself humming a Falstaff aria while exiting the opera house because there aren't any, which to me is not only a huge miss but seems sacrilegious! However, if you're a Verdi fan, you will definitely enjoy this course.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* I am a total beginner when it comes to the opera, and I learned so much I’ll continue this lecture series in spite of the professor making me want to throw the phone at the wall at times. 5* for the lecture itself, 1.5* off for the casual sexism, ableism and not so funny dad jokes.

[Nina Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2003

[Tarik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Verdi. This book reignited my interest in my Italian heritage and the great musical traditions that are a part of it.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Arashk Azizi · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are two parts in this book.
first is about verdi's biography and his style of music. and this part is so great.
but the second part which is about his operas, is not so good. prof. greenberg mosley reviews the operas only and doesn't talk about it's musical contents.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greenberg's great. He covers all the sexy issues, adds lots of background information, and tells corny jokes the whole time (he's aware they're corny, so he's forgiven).

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this course, and learned a great deal. Kudos to Professor Greenberg!

[Sergey Georgievich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great course by Robert Greenberg, one of my favourite.