The Diva's Mouth: Body, Voice, and Prima Donna Politics

The diva has always been at the center of gay male sensibility. From Madama Butterfly to Madonna, from Jenny Lind to Judy Garland, gay men have admired, adored, and even occasionally admonished the fabulous female star. In The Diva's Mouth Susan Leonardi and Rebecca Pope place a feminist spin on the diva that repositions her from simply being enjoyed to being empowered. With references that range from Geraldine Ferraro to George Eliot, from Trilby to Annie Lennox, The Diva's Mouth explores the ramifications of a woman controlling the stage and the imagination of an audience. Lucidly written, full of information--both arcane and useful--and rivetingly argued, The Diva's Mouth is cultural criticism at its best.