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Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

#127: Jan. - Mar. 2014 (Fiction)
calaf68
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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My comments on the Prologo:

By far, this was the most revised chapter in the entire novel. It originally started as just a narration of Giovanni's life and in particular, his love of opera. His father, Franco, was mentioned, but just how he instilled in his young son a love of opera by reading opera librettos to him and how he provided him with a dream to one day become an opera singer.

For a very long time, the Prologo remained that way, even though I always disliked it. Then, one day, I had a breakthrough, and the idea of beginning the novel as if we are sitting in the room as his father reads to Giovanni from Madama Butterfly. I loved how now we got to see his father and he interact.

What has been interesting are the different reactions from readers who know opera, who immediately know the story the father is relating is Madama Butterfly and those who do not know the story, but only find out when it is said in the novel. For people who do not know the story, they really have no idea where the story is going in the beginning, which I like.

As for why I chose Madama Butterfly - and in particular this scene. For years this scene has blown me away when I have seen it live. When she says he has returned and he loves her, the audience always erupts in applause, even though you know she is doomed. I agree with Robert - LA FORZA DEL DESTINO - The Force of Destiny - (which is a complicated opera plot, but one of the best names in all of opera). I chose Butterfly as I thought for someone who knows nothing about opera, you can easily understand the plot and what the young woman's emotions are. It does provide a sense of forboding over the opera.

Click the link below to listen to the great Maria Callas sing this as the ship enters the Harbor and her hopes are raised that he has come back to her. AMAZZZZZING.
http://youtu.be/c8cqgAGDPkY

Next post will be on the meeting between Isabella and Giovanni and the Casa Verdi.

Chip LoCoco
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Crystalline
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Ahhh - destiny...I believe that one mostly makes his/her own destiny...
I love that you have included a snippet of the music in your reply...beautiful.
I don't think that many readers will appreciate it, but I may be wrong. At any rate, it may be a short introduction to operatic music to those who have never heard it. However, if one does not hear the whole aria, it will be hard to appreciate it from just a snippet. On the other hand, it may motivate them to find it and listen to the whole thing.
Just my opinion, of course. :)
calaf68
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Chapters 1- 4

Angelo's Restaurant does not exist, although I am sure you can find many such places throughout Milan, as many a singer worked singing at Cafe's awaiting their break. The basis for the restaurant was actually Victor Cafe in South Philly, complete with singing waiters and pictures of every conceivable opera singer and composer on the walls. Appropriate for a place like South Philly, as right down the street is the birth home of Mario Lanza. My wife worked in Philly before we were married, so I visited Victor Cafe many times.

Giovanni Tempesta - No matter where the story goes, the story is about his dream. Names in novels always fascinated me and how author's came up with the name. Giovanni Tempesta comes from a nickname that Giuseppe di Stefano, a great tenor from the 50s gave to a friend of my father's to make him an honorary Italian. His name was John Gehl, and di Stefano named him Giovanni (John) Tempesta (Storm/Gale). Thus, Giovanni Tempesta is my tribute to the both of them.

Isabella Monterone - the last name is taken from Rigoletto. Monterone is the father in Rigoletto who curses the Duke for seducing his young daughter setting up the plot of the whole opera.

The love that quickly develops between Giovanni and Isabella is a simplistic love. But it is one that Giovanni has dreamed love would be like. After all, his entire concept of love is the passionate stories of opera and the old Erroll Flynn movies his father would watch on TV.

I do think the balcony scene is a little tongue and cheek, as Giovanni even has to laugh at the fact that he climbed a balcony, just like Romeo. as he surmises. But then, opera takes hold, and he sings that gorgeous aria that closes out the balcony scene in Gounod's Opera, Romeo et Juliette. I am not going to provide music clips for everything, but I do think it makes for a great discussion. Listen as Rolando Villazon sings this aria. This is what Giovanni has going on in his head. This is his version of a romantic life. This is his vision of love. A with a kiss toward the window, he wishes her a goodnight.

http://youtu.be/g5yyiSBfK0U

Stunning right. Jump ahead to the meeting with Alfredo del Monte, which we will see later- this is living your life with background music.
calaf68
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Chapters 5 - 6

Signor Toscano - Crystalline sums it up best. All of us have been turned down by someone in our life, be it a publisher, agent, job, lover, etc. I was hoping to use this encounter for Giovanni as the one that finally made him realize his dream was finished. Furthermore, I hoped to provide a distinction between Toscano and Alfredo del Monte. When asked by Toscano why Giovanni wants to sing, he responds, "God gave me a gift, my father gave me the passion, and my love gives me the desire. I need to sing. Credo al destino." Toscano laughs at the comment and then tells him not to believe in destiny. Flash forward, when, in Chapter 7, Giovanni tells the same thing to Alfredo, Alfredo does not laugh, but instead remembers that was the same thing he had told his teacher, way back when. It's subtle, but I was just trying to show the reader two different reactions to the same statement.


As always, when one door closes, another opens. Such as right after Toscano's rejection, by luck (OR DESTINY) Giovanni comes across the Piazza and hears Alfredo del Monte singing at the Casa di Riposo.

The Casa di Riposo, or as it is called in Milan, the Casa Verdi, is indeed a real place. The history given is the true history of the place. The Maestro is buried there with his wife. The home, to this day, is endowed with the royalties from all of Verdi's operas.

That's all for now. I have summed up the Prologo and Chapters 1- 6. Feel free to take this discussion anywhere at this point.
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Robert Tulip

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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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calaf68 wrote:Giovanni Tempesta - No matter where the story goes, the story is about his dream. Names in novels always fascinated me and how author's came up with the name. Giovanni Tempesta comes from a nickname that Giuseppe di Stefano, a great tenor from the 50s gave to a friend of my father's to make him an honorary Italian. His name was John Gehl, and di Stefano named him Giovanni (John) Tempesta (Storm/Gale). Thus, Giovanni Tempesta is my tribute to the both of them.
Thanks Chip for all these additional pieces of background. You might find it annoying, but when I read your explanation of where Giovanni's name came from, John Gale, I immediately thought of John Galt, the hero of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. We had a good discussion of that book here last year. The story of John Galt is all about how he achieves his vision. Rand encounters a similar sort of cynicism from people who think that no one can achieve anything through individual initiative.
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Dont think I agree with you, Robert that a book has to be read in a certain way to enjoy it, but I did very much like the links that Calaf68 posted, and it got me to wondering. As I bought this book on Kindle, would it not be possible to provide links within the text? Or are there copyright problems? I think that would make a big difference to the reception of the book
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calaf68
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Heledd:

An Ebook version with downloadable clips would be fantastic, but would require major work regarding copyright issues. I also think a CD inside the print book called the Music of Tempesta's Dream would also be beneficial. But again, copyright would be an issue. I think if it sells a million copies, I will gladly begin the leg work of revising the work to add these two tools, and seek permission for the copyright use, which I would imagine will cost a pretty penny.
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Werent the links you posted copyright free?
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calaf68
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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Yes. But it is probably different if I am using it relative to sales. Not sure about all of that though.
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Re: Tempesta's Dream: Chapters 1 through 6

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I was chatting with my wife about this book, who was surprised that I liked it, since the love story looks like a potboiler penny dreadful cliche in her opinion. I suppose there is some connection between the popular bodice ripper romance genre and the sort of operatic tragic love story from The Force of Destiny. But just because this romantic motif has a universal appeal and resonance does not mean its use in cheap formulas exhausts its content. Mills and Boon is not my thing, but romance within the context of showing how and why opera is a great art form is something different.
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