Leonard Flama

GIUSEPPE di MONTEFIORE of Mottarone and the Lakes Leonard Flama

On leaving the idyllic mountain setting overlooking the splendour of Lake Maggiore where he has grown up, in order to pursue his operatic training in the bustling city of Milan, Giuseppe could never have imagined the dramatic circumstances that would lead him through Florence, Venice, Baden-Baden in Germany, and across the Atlantic to Philadelphia. Set primarily in Italy in the 1950s, this is the story of an extraordinarily talented young man who, endowed with a great natural voice, eventually fulfils his dream of becoming a successful tenor singer. It conjures up the world of opera, vividly portraying the personal and professional lives of singers. Through keen observation and lively dialogue, we get to know a range of fascinating characters from all strata of society. You don't have to be a lover of opera to enjoy this book, but reading it may lead you in that direction!