Helpful Score: 1
Mystery and egos collide during the premiere of La Fanciulla del West at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910. The cast of characters are all real people of the time: Enrico Caruso, Geraldine Farrar, Pasquale Amato, Emmy Destinn, Arturo Toscanini, impresario Gatti-Cassaza, and Giacomo Puccini himself. Like most cozies, the plot takes a backseat to the characters, but Paul's affectionate handling of the divos & divas is too fun to quibble over.