Overview
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There is an important decision to be made. The Cornish Foundation is thriving under the directorship of Arthur Cornish when Arthur and his beguiling wife, Maria Theotoky, decide to undertake a project worthy of Francis Cornishāconnoisseur, collector, and notable eccentricāwhose vast fortune endows the Foundation. The grumpy, grimy, extraordinarily talented music student Hulda Schnakenburg is commissioned to complete E.T.A. Hoffmannās unfinished operaĀ Arthur of Britain, or The Magnanimous Cuckold; and the scholarly priest Simon Darcourt finds himself charged with writing the libretto.
Complications both practical and emotional arise: the passion in Mariaās blood rises with a vengeance; Darcourt stoops to petty crime; and various others indulge in perjury, blackmail, and other unsavory pursuits. Hoffmannās dictum, āthe lyre of Orpheus opens the door of the underworld,ā seems to be all too trueāespecially when the long-hidden secrets of Francis Cornish himself are finally revealed.
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āDavies once again delivers the goodsāwith this solidly entertaining finale . . . Blending a characteristic knack for wit, esoterica, and snobbery, Davies charges ahead with a buoyant tale of upper-class grantsmanship and modern-day cuckoldry . . . A spry jaunt from an old masterāonce again in full command of the form.āāKirkus Reviews
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āPacked with interesting details of opera history and production . . . intelligent observations and playful allusions.āāPublishers Weekly
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āWith his wonderfully complex yet controlled plot, deft portrayal of eccentric characters, and great wit, Davies effectively satirizes the world of universities and foundations.āāLibrary Journal
This book title, Lyre of Orpheus, ISBN: 9780795352522, by Robertson Davies, published by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. (April 23, 2019) is available in paperback. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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