Tempesta's Dream

A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera

By: Vincent B. "Chip" LoCoco

Narrated by: Bob Neufeld

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Tempesta's Dream is the story of an aspiring opera singer coming of age in Milan; a tender and moving love story; a testament to the bonds of friendship; and, at its core, a tribute to the beauty, majesty, and miracle of opera.

Giovanni Tempesta always dreamed of becoming an opera tenor and one day singing from the stage of the La Scala Opera House in his hometown of Milan, Italy. But with no real training, his dream has little chance for fulfillment.

One day, he meets and immediately falls in love with Isabella Monterone, a dark-haired beauty, whose father, a very rich and powerful Milanese Judge, refuses to allow his daughter to date a penniless musician.

At the lowest part of his life, Giovanni comes upon the Casa di Riposo, a rest home for musicians established by the great opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi. It is at the Casa Verdi that Giovanni meets Alfredo del Monte, a blind, retired opera singer with a secretive past who gradually becomes his mentor.

Could Alfredo be the one person who could assist Giovanni in finding the break he needs? Or is Giovanni destined to be on the cusp of reaching his life-long dream, only to find failure?

©2003, 2013 Vincent B. LoCoco (P)2014 Vincent B. LoCoco

A Sweet Timeless Story for Opera Lovers

What did you love best about Tempesta's Dream?

I enjoyed the combination of relationship stories and the tidbits of opera facts and history.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alfredo was my favorite character. His inner strength and humor shines throughout the book.

What about Bob Neufeld’s performance did you like?

Mr. Neufeld brought the story alive. The feeling and intonation was spot on for the characters and made me feel as if I was watching the story as well as listening to it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were a couple of places that brought a tear to my eye for either sadness or joy.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a love story, not just those who like opera.

A Wonderful operatic Journey

Where does Tempesta's Dream rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is very well done. The narrator's voice perfectly fits the story that is being told.

What did you like best about this story?

It is an inspirational story that teaches one to always follow their dreams, no matter the obstacles they face.

Which character – as performed by Bob Neufeld – was your favorite?

The blind, retired tenor, Alfredo del Monte, who resides as the Casa di Riposa in Milan, and who takes Giovanni on as a student.

Who was the most memorable character of Tempesta's Dream and why?

The protagonist, Giovanni Tempesta. After all, this is his story. He is a very sympathetic character who you really find yourself rooting for throughout the story.

Any additional comments?

This is a great book to listen to.

Tempesta's Dream

Any additional comments?

Step into a world of an enchantment of dreams and love with gorgeous back drops and wondrous vivid suspense. A story with an opera theme and portraying persistent romantic endeavors. An extremely heart warming charismatic style with sophisticated and well written fullness. A young man blessed with an operatic golden voice who has dreams of becoming an opera tenor. He falls in love with a beautiful wealthy Italian woman.
Enriched with the politics of opera, obstacles to overcome and fierce competition for talent, this novel becomes very passionate as the author smoothly brings the pages to life. A spellbinding comfort of destiny that portrays powerful judgement and romantic interludes on 'Tempesta's Dream'.

Inspiring Story for Current, Future Opera Lovers

If you could sum up Tempesta's Dream in three words, what would they be?

Giovanni Tempesta's impossible dream provides the strong and captivating force for his heart warming and inspiring journey through the world of international opera. I found myself really routing for him and urging him through all the obstacles thrown in his way. The author clearly adores Italian opera and has immersed himself in the history and lore of it. I have a fairly deep knowledge myself, but still learned from him. Thank you!

What other book might you compare Tempesta's Dream to and why?

This book is akin to the bildungsroman literature, in which young protagonists go through a series of tribulations to emerge as strong young men. Of course, there is a wonderfully human love story along the way.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with his teacher, Alfredo, tug emotionally, but you can't beat the ending! Bob Neufeld, the narrator, moved effectively between vivid story telling and distinct character voices, His Italian pronunciation was spot on.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

In the Prologue, Bob Neufeld's sensitive and emotional reading of Giovanni's father telling the young Giovanni a favorite opera story at bedtime captured me and pulled me in. He kept me there throughout the book.

Any additional comments?

The uplifting story, vivid characters and the excellent narration make this a highly recommended listen for anyone who already loves the arts, especially opera. For those who want to expand their opera awareness while enjoying a story of love and conquering the world, you can't do any better than this.