Whispers of Vivaldi, A Tito Amato Mystery~ by Beverle
Graves Myers
What a rollicking
good read! Whispers of Vivaldi is a
murder mystery that is set in the gloriously flamboyant Venice of 1745; and the
protagonist, Tito Amato, is former star opera castrato who has lost his voice
and has a nose for investigating.
The tale involves
the competing interests of two rival opera houses to present the perfect
opera, the extreme measures directors of
the theaters would take to gain the advantage, and the reliance of the artists
upon the whims of the elite for political and financial support.
Amato stumbles
upon the libretto for an opera written by an unknown that reminds him of the
lyrical beauty of Vivaldi’s finest work. But the Teatro San Marco needs the
approval of the cultural officer to stage the production. Amato gains approval,
but only if the Teatro San Marco is able to procure Angeletto, a newly
discovered castrato sensation in Milan, to play the lead role. Rumors abound
about whether Angeletto is a true castrato or an imposter. A beloved Venetian
maestro is murdered and Amato is the prime suspect. He must use all of his sleuthing skills and
resources to save himself and discover the real killer.
This is the 6th
book in the series but the first I’ve read. The author paints a delicious
portrait of Venice in the waning days of its glory. Tito Amato is an engaging
character and the story is well plotted. It is also clear that Ms. Myers has
performed a great deal of research on 18th Century Venice. I am
eager to read the other offerings in this series.
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