Julian Budden was a British opera scholar, radio producer, and broadcaster. His scholarly work primarily delves into the operas of Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini. Budden's writing is recognized for its insightful analysis of musical dramaturgy and the historical context surrounding these operatic masters. Readers appreciate his ability to make the complexities of the operatic world accessible and engaging.
The second part of a three-volume survey of the operas of Verdi, this study covers those works written during the decadence of the post-Rossinni period. It examines each opera in detail, with an account of its dramatic and historical origins and a critical evaluation.
This is a revised and updated edition of Julian Budden's monumental survey of the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. Hailed on publication for its extraordinary comprehensibility, it examines each of the operas in detail, giving a full account of its dramatic and historical origins and a critical evaluation. The text is supported by a wealth of musical illustrations.
From Don Carlos to Falstaff
The third part of a three-volume survey of the operas of Verdi, this study covers roughly a quarter of a century, in which Verdi produced his four last operas. It examines each opera in detail, with an account of its dramatic and historical origins and a critical evaluation.
Julian Buddens berühmtes Standardwerk über Giuseppe Verdis Leben und musikalisches Schaffen erschien 2007 in einer von ihm umfangreich überarbeiteten und verbesserten dritten Auflage. Für den Band im Reclam Sachbuch wird der erste Teil des monumentalen Werks ausgekoppelt. Er zeichnet das Leben des größten italienischen Komponisten des 19. Jahrhunderts von seinen eher bescheidenen Anfängen in Busseto bis zum Weltruhm nach. Budden (1924 – 2007), der einer der besten Kenner Verdis war, bedient mit seiner wissenschaftlich fundierten, aber dennoch einfachen und eingängigen Darstellungsweise jedes Verdi-Interesse.