Weep, Shudder, Die: On Opera and Poetry

California poet laureate Gioia (99 Poems) asserts that words and the storyline matter in opera as essential partners to song, music, and visual effects. In this personal, rhapsodic reflection on the art form (Gioia’s early passion for which distinguished him from other kids), he elevates the reputation of the libretto, a compressed, unsubtle narrative poem written to inspire musical composition. Operas are essentially interdisciplinary, and it benefits when different people on a team write the libretto and music, Gioia argues. He posits that the 1983 invention of opera surtitles reinforced the significance of a libretto’s words. The book also explains what operas, operettas, and musicals share and provides synopses of lesser-known productions. Gioia also has a case to make about the (often money-losing) business of opera: a select few audience-favorites dominate the grandest stages like the Metropolitan Opera, but big opera companies should develop their brands by commissioning more new works; he hopes for greater gender diversity among composers and that, with support, more American operas live beyond their premieres.