(Enrico) Caruso: An Illustrated Life

(Enrico) Caruso: An Illustrated Life by Howard S. Greenfeld. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780943955445.

From Library Humble origins, international acclaim, inevitable scandals, a tragic death while at the height of his Carusos life was the stuff of . . . well, grand opera. Greenfeld, author of an earlier Caruso biography ( Caruso , LJ 2/15/83) offers this well-written and straightforward account which nonetheless tends toward popular hagiography. As with Toscanini, Caruso surely had his detractors, yet they are nowhere in evidence here. The superlatives become a bit monotonous after a virtually every performance would seem to have been "a triumph" or "flawless." The excellent illustrations, including period photographs and several of the tenors marvelous caricatures, enhance the text. This volume is a nice complement to Carusos extensive legacy of recordings, now available on CD. A coffee-table format, but larger music collections may want to purchase. - Eugene Gaub, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.