Items related to The virtuoso
Synopsis
This is a story of a love affair between a young woman and a castrato.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
In Margriet de Moor's exquisite (and exquisitely translated) The Virtuoso, a love affair with a castrato becomes the last thing one would expect: thoroughly, almost overwhelmingly physical. A bestseller in Europe, this Dutch writer's novel overflows with the sights and smells, tastes and textures of an 18th-century Naples caught in intellectual and sensual ferment. Here, thieves take shelter in churches, carriages race through the narrow streets, and aristocrats gamble, discuss Descartes, cross-dress, and swoon over their favorite male sopranos. Into this heady milieu comes Carlotta, Duchess of Rocca d'Evandro, married at 15 and a firm believer that "your body is what you are and all knowledge begins with desire."
What, then, to do with a body like Gasparo's? A native of the same village as Carlotta, at age 11 Gasparo underwent the infamous operation that would keep his soprano suitably pure. Years later, Carlotta hears him sing in the San Carlo theater and immediately falls into a fever of desire. One expects such a passion to be primarily metaphorical, and there is indeed something quixotic about her love for Gasparo, with his voice that "attests to a world beyond this world but which comes none the less from a body like every other: warm, full of obscure desires." Well, not quite like every other. A product of both prodigious natural gifts and prodigiously unnatural intervention, Gasparo is closer to a work of art than a man--but that doesn't prevent Carlotta from lusting after his bod. With some coaxing on her part, they manage to have an affair, the mechanics of which Carlotta by no means ignores in her breathless narration.
De Moor writes compellingly about beauty and art, but the book's real strength lies in her almost offhand depiction of Neapolitan aristocracy--its decadence, its playfulness, and even its casual cruelty. ("Only one boy in four fails to survive" Gasparo's operation, Carlotta breezily notes.) Reading The Virtuoso is like immersing yourself in another world entirely, one in which the central love affair makes beautiful sense. History is full of mutilation in the name of art; de Moor's triumph is to make the mutilation itself a subject of desire. --Mary Park
About the Author
Margriet de Moor studied piano and singing at the Academy of Music in The Hague. Her first novel, First Grey, Then White, Then Blue, won the prestigious Ako Prize in Holland and on publication by Picador in Britain was shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPAN BOOKS LTD (ENGLAND)
- Publication date1996
- ISBN 10 0330341154
- ISBN 13 9780330341158
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages201
- Rating
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The Virtuoso
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. The Virtuoso This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780330341158
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The virtuoso
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PAN BOOKS LTD (ENGLAND), 1996
ISBN 10: 0330341154
ISBN 13: 9780330341158
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The Virtuoso
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PAN BOOKS LTD (ENGLAND), 1996
ISBN 10: 0330341154
ISBN 13: 9780330341158
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The Virtuoso
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780330341158
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The Virtuoso. A Novel. Translated from the Dutch by Ina Rilke. Deutscher Titel: Der Virtuose.
Published by
London England, Picador, 1996
ISBN 10: 0330341154
ISBN 13: 9780330341158
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: BOUQUINIST, München, BY, Germany
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Condition: Wie neu. Englische Erstausgabe. First Imprint. 201 Seiten. 20,5 cm. Aus der Bibliothek der Gräfin Ledebur. Sehr guter Zustand. Very Good. - In Margriet de Moor's exquisite (and exquisitely translated) The Virtuoso, a love affair with a castrato becomes the last thing one would expect: thoroughly, almost overwhelmingly physical. A bestseller in Europe, this Dutch writer's novel overflows with the sights and smells, tastes and textures of an 18th-century Naples caught in intellectual and sensual ferment. Here, thieves take shelter in churches, carriages race through the narrow streets, and aristocrats gamble, discuss Descartes, cross-dress, and swoon over their favorite male sopranos. Into this heady milieu comes Carlotta, Duchess of Rocca d'Evandro, married at 15 and a firm believer that "your body is what you are and all knowledge begins with desire." What, then, to do with a body like Gasparo's? A native of the same village as Carlotta, at age 11 Gasparo underwent the infamous operation that would keep his soprano suitably pure. Years later, Carlotta hears him sing in the San Carlo theater and immediately falls into a fever of desire. One expects such a passion to be primarily metaphorical, and there is indeed something quixotic about her love for Gasparo, with his voice that "attests to a world beyond this world but which comes none the less from a body like every other: warm, full of obscure desires." Well, not quite like every other. A product of both prodigious natural gifts and prodigiously unnatural intervention, Gasparo is closer to a work of art than a man--but that doesn't prevent Carlotta from lusting after his bod. With some coaxing on her part, they manage to have an affair, the mechanics of which Carlotta by no means ignores in her breathless narration. De Moor writes compellingly about beauty and art, but the book's real strength lies in her almost offhand depiction of Neapolitan aristocracy--its decadence, its playfulness, and even its casual cruelty. ("Only one boy in four fails to survive" Gasparo's operation, Carlotta breezily notes.) Reading The Virtuoso is like immersing yourself in another world entirely, one in which the central love affair makes beautiful sense. History is full of mutilation in the name of art; de Moor's triumph is to make the mutilation itself a subject of desire. --Mary Park. - - Margriet de Moor (* 21. November 1941 in Noordwijk als Margaretha Maria Antonetta Neefjes) ist eine niederländische Schriftstellerin. Leben: Margriet de Moor ist eines von zehn Kindern eines Lehrerehepaares. Ihre Schwiegermutter war die Schriftstellerin Anna Margaritha Annie de Moor-Ringnalda. Sie studierte zunächst am Königlichen Konservatorium in Den Haag Klavier und Gesang. In ihrem Zweitstudium belegte sie Kunstgeschichte sowie Archäologie in Amsterdam, das sie mit Klavierunterricht finanzierte. Mit ihrem Ehemann eröffnete sie 1984 in 's-Graveland bei Hilversum einen Salon für Künstler. Für den Salon machte sie eine Reihe von Film- und Video-Portraits der ausstellenden Künstler. Nachdem die Subventionen für die Filmprojekte eingestellt worden waren, begann sie mit dem Schreiben. Ihr Debütwerk war der 1988 erschienene Erzählungsband Rückenansicht, der gute Kritiken erhielt und als am besten verkauftes literarisches Debüt mit dem Goldenen Eselsohr ausgezeichnet wurde. Für ihren ersten Roman Erst grau dann weiß dann blau (1991) erhielt sie den AKO Literatuurprijs. Dieser Roman wurde 2016 Ein Buch für die Stadt Köln und Umgebung. Margriet de Moor war mit dem Bildhauer Heppe de Moor (19381992) verheiratet, aus der Ehe gingen zwei Töchter hervor. De Moor spricht fließend Deutsch. Ihre Tochter Marente de Moor (* 1972) ist Slawistin, Zeitungskolumnistin und debütierte 2010 mit einem Roman. Die Schriftstellerin lebt und arbeitet in Amsterdam. . . . Aus: wikipedia-Margriet_de_Moor. Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 350 Schwarzes Leinen mit farbigen Vorsätzen und Schutzumschlag. Hardcover. Seller Inventory # 43044
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The Virtuoso
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The Virtuoso
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dirty marks on edge of pages Sun damaged/yellowing pages outside . Next day dispatch. International delivery available. 1000's of satisfied customers! Please contact us with any enquiries. Seller Inventory # mon0000195312
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The Virtuoso
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1st in this edition hardback with dustwrapper very good / very good translated from Dutch, no inscriptions, not price clipped, clean, tight, bright copy. Seller Inventory # 044856
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The Virtuoso
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Black hardback cloth cover. First UK Edition. 200mm x 140mm (8" x 6"). 201pp. With dust jacket. VG : in very good condition. Pages browning. Seller Inventory # bbd131
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The Virtuoso
Published by
Picador, London, 1996
ISBN 10: 0330341154
ISBN 13: 9780330341158
Used
Hardcover
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good +. Dust Jacket Condition: Dustjacket Very Good. First British Edition. 201 pages. Unclipped dustjacket has light surface-wear, samll creases to spine-ends. Hardback binding has light wear to boards' corners and sp[ne-ends. Pages very clean, very nice condition. Seller Inventory # 064345
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