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Libretto
Journalist Allyn Crosbie, who travels the globe to write about the esoteric world of opera, comes to central Italy in pursuit of a quick story about a production that's in danger of falling apart. In the ancient city of Perugia, she becomes entangled with the lives of Elaine Bishop, a brilliantly inventive stage director who's trying to save the production, and Vincent Norrie, a composer battling a life-threatening illness, who's struggling to complete his first operatic score. The three of them join forces to prevent an ill-intentioned librettist from sabotaging Elaine's premiere, but they are distracted by the mysteries of the city—and by one another.
About the Author
Ann Wadsworth's first novel, Light, Coming Back (Alyson, 2002), was short-listed for the Ferro-Grumley Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, and the Stephen Crane First Fiction Award. German and French translations are available with the title Mrs. Medina. She has been a MacDowell Colony Fellow and the recipient of a Wellspring Grant from the Boston Athenaeum. She lives in Boston. Follow her on annwadsworth.net.
Endorsements
"A leisurely, moving tale of intimacy and art, with a lovingly drawn Italian setting."--Kirkus Reviews
"Ann Wadsworth writes forcefully, gracefully of characters in the ineluctable grip of passion—whether for love, art, or place." —Dori Hale, author of Disorientation and the Weather
"The sheer beauty of Wadsworth's spare and elegant placement of words, and their telling impact, is striking and awe-inspiring." —Dia Tsung, The Ink Brain
"Ann Wadsworth is a masterful stylist of intelligence, subtlety, and grace." —Helen Eisenbach, author of Loonglow
About the Author
Ann Wadsworth's first novel, Light, Coming Back (Alyson, 2002), was short-listed for the Ferro-Grumley Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, and the Stephen Crane First Fiction Award. German and French translations are available with the title Mrs. Medina. She has been a MacDowell Colony Fellow and the recipient of a Wellspring Grant from the Boston Athenaeum. She lives in Boston. Follow her on annwadsworth.net.
Endorsements
"A leisurely, moving tale of intimacy and art, with a lovingly drawn Italian setting."--Kirkus Reviews
"Ann Wadsworth writes forcefully, gracefully of characters in the ineluctable grip of passion—whether for love, art, or place." —Dori Hale, author of Disorientation and the Weather
"The sheer beauty of Wadsworth's spare and elegant placement of words, and their telling impact, is striking and awe-inspiring." —Dia Tsung, The Ink Brain
"Ann Wadsworth is a masterful stylist of intelligence, subtlety, and grace." —Helen Eisenbach, author of Loonglow
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2022
About the author
Ann Wadsworth
4 books4 followersAnn Wadsworth was born and raised in St. Louis, and now lives in Boston. She has degrees in English from Berea College, the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and a certificate of proficiency in Italian language and literature from the Italian University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy.
Her first novel, Light, Coming Back, was shortlisted for the Ferro-Grumley Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, and the Stephen Crane First Fiction Award, and was a Book of the Month Club selection. Her most recent novel, Ferragosto, was supported by the MacDowell Colony and the Boston Athenaeum. Her short stories have appeared in Christopher Street Magazine (including its anthology Aphrodisiac), and Blithe House Quarterly. She currently lives in Boston.
Her first novel, Light, Coming Back, was shortlisted for the Ferro-Grumley Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, and the Stephen Crane First Fiction Award, and was a Book of the Month Club selection. Her most recent novel, Ferragosto, was supported by the MacDowell Colony and the Boston Athenaeum. Her short stories have appeared in Christopher Street Magazine (including its anthology Aphrodisiac), and Blithe House Quarterly. She currently lives in Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 14, 2026
Ann Wadsworth’s *Libretto* is an evocative literary novel that brings together the enchanting world of opera, the beauty of central Italy, and the complicated emotions that shape human relationships. Set in the historic city of Perugia, the story draws readers into an artistic community where ambition, creativity, personal struggles, and unexpected connections intertwine.
The narrative follows Allyn Crosbie, a journalist who travels to Italy to cover an opera production threatened with collapse. What begins as a straightforward assignment soon becomes a far more personal experience as she encounters Elaine Bishop, an inventive stage director determined to save the production, and Vincent Norrie, a composer facing a life-threatening illness while struggling to complete his first operatic score. Together, they must confront the threat of deliberate sabotage while navigating the mysteries of the city and the growing complexities of their relationships.
One of the novel’s most appealing qualities is its fusion of artistic tension and emotional depth. Opera provides more than a backdrop; it creates a world shaped by creative ambition, collaboration, vulnerability, and the pursuit of something meaningful under pressure. The characters’ shared passion for their craft brings them together, while their individual challenges introduce questions of love, loss, grief, and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
The setting in central Italy adds another compelling dimension. Perugia’s historic atmosphere and distinctive surroundings provide an evocative landscape for a story in which place and personal experience become closely connected. The impending premiere also gives the narrative a sense of urgency, balancing the intimate character dynamics with the suspense of a production that could be derailed.
For readers who appreciate literary fiction centered on the arts, complex relationships, and the emotional consequences of creative ambition, *Libretto* offers a richly layered premise. Wadsworth brings together the drama of the operatic world and the intricacies of human connection in a story that invites reflection on how art, love, and loss can shape our lives.
The narrative follows Allyn Crosbie, a journalist who travels to Italy to cover an opera production threatened with collapse. What begins as a straightforward assignment soon becomes a far more personal experience as she encounters Elaine Bishop, an inventive stage director determined to save the production, and Vincent Norrie, a composer facing a life-threatening illness while struggling to complete his first operatic score. Together, they must confront the threat of deliberate sabotage while navigating the mysteries of the city and the growing complexities of their relationships.
One of the novel’s most appealing qualities is its fusion of artistic tension and emotional depth. Opera provides more than a backdrop; it creates a world shaped by creative ambition, collaboration, vulnerability, and the pursuit of something meaningful under pressure. The characters’ shared passion for their craft brings them together, while their individual challenges introduce questions of love, loss, grief, and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
The setting in central Italy adds another compelling dimension. Perugia’s historic atmosphere and distinctive surroundings provide an evocative landscape for a story in which place and personal experience become closely connected. The impending premiere also gives the narrative a sense of urgency, balancing the intimate character dynamics with the suspense of a production that could be derailed.
For readers who appreciate literary fiction centered on the arts, complex relationships, and the emotional consequences of creative ambition, *Libretto* offers a richly layered premise. Wadsworth brings together the drama of the operatic world and the intricacies of human connection in a story that invites reflection on how art, love, and loss can shape our lives.
August 28, 2024
I loved her first novel and had high hopes for this one as well, but it fell a little flat. The dialogue felt repetitive and the narrator was at times insufferable. The romance and the relationships between the characters was quite nice.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews