Adelina Patti: Queen of Hearts

In this exemplary biography, Cone ( First Rival of the Metropolitan Opera ) explores the career of legendary diva Patti (1843-1919), who was acclaimed as the most brilliant soprano of her time. Born into a family of Italian opera singers, Patti made her debut in New York City at the age of eight and rose, seemingly effortlessly, to become a world-renowned superstar commanding enormous fees for her performances. She caused an uproar in Victorian society when she left her first husband for the tenor, Ernest Nicolini, himself married and a father; but she was unscathed by the scandal, and became a friend of royalty, heads of state and the world's elite, many of whom she entertained in the private theater at her sumptuous estate in Wales. Cone paints a lively picture of Patti's operatic triumphs, her rivalries with other singers and her relationships with the great opera houses of her day. He enhances the narrative with a wealth of photographs, including many of Patti wearing the glamorous costumes and jewels for which she was famous. A chapter on her recordings and a chronology of her appearances round out a book that is an opera buff's delight. (Nov.)