Rosa Ponselle - A Centenary Biography (Hardcover) (Opera Biographies (Amadeus))

The centennial of the great American soprano's birth brings a gossipy yet affectionate biography. Comments by associates paint Rosa Ponselle as a classic diva, capricious in business dealings (most notably when she abruptly retired in 1937), capable of responding with fury to perceived disloyalty, bitingly honest in her assessment of her own and others' work. Reprints of interviews with Ponselle reveal her enormous charm and offer an intimate glimpse of the creative process employed to interpret Aida, Norma, and other signature roles. A performance chronology, discography, and photographic portfolio round out this delicious volume.