A book a day: Andrea Camilleri: Vigàta’s opera

Original language: Italian

Original title: The Preston Brewer

Year of publication: 1995

Translation: Juan Carlos Gentile Vitale

Valuation: recommended, at least

The popular adage already says it: “One Camilleri a year does no harm.” Two, in fact, because I recently reviewed in this sacred blog the conversations of the Sicilian writer with his colleague and friend Manuel Vázquez Montalbán (here). Which, in fact, is the book that has led me to reread this other one, since in the first Camilleri recognized the influence that the novel had had on him The pianistfrom MVM, or, rather, its structure, since it had given him the solution to compose this Vigàta’s opera and avoid the flatness that a more conventional type of narration would have given it. Specifically, the story does not follow chronological order and the different episodes are alternated in time (like the movie Pulp Fictionto understand each other). It is not the first novel to use this technique nor will it be the last, but, in any case, Camilleri was wise to adopt it, since, certainly, it is what gives greater interest to an already suggestive story. Furthermore, each chapter begins with a phrase taken from a literary work or even a famous opera, or that accentuates the tone of derision that the author intended to give to this novel.

But, in all this, what is it specifically about? Vigàta’s opera? Well, from an opera, of course; specifically, The Preston Brewer (The Preston Brewery) by Luigi Rizzi, whose representation the prefect of Montelusa, the somewhat obtuse gentleman Dr. Bortuzzi, imposed in 1874 on the inhabitants of neighboring Vigàta – which, as every reader of Camilleri will know, would become this writer’s Macondo; a transfer from his native Porto Empedocle -, against the general will, for the inauguration of his theater. As can be expected, due to this resistance on the part of the Vigatenses, everything ends like the rosary of the dawn (I already said that the chronological order of history is disrupted, so revealing the ending cannot be considered here as a spoiler). The plot, although it may seem exaggerated, is inspired by real events that occurred in the Sicilian town of Caltanissetta, due to the imposition of that same opera.

As can also be assumed by anyone who has read this writer before, Camilleri takes the opportunity, in addition to giving us a very entertaining time, thanks to his mastery of humorous resources and, above all, his characteristic ability to alternate the fine line with the thick, with hilarious results, offer us a whole panoply of the most diverse characters, which can be assumed to be characteristic of both nineteenth-century Sicily and, even (and perhaps above all), of that of the late 20th century; We find both common people and aristocrats, liberal professionals, priests, gangsters – they couldn’t be missing -, authorities of different ranks… in fact, Camilleri takes the opportunity to make a dissection – always very entertaining – of power and how it is exercises, in which political power, representative, at that time of a still very young Italian state, does not fare too well (I don’t know if it would fare better today and not only in Italy, because the incompetence and even Negligence on the part of responsible authorities is far too common everywhere, I fear, as can be seen in the management of natural disasters, for example).

In this way, we meet the doctor Gammacurta, Mrs. Concetta, widow of Lo Russo and his lover, the young Gaspàno, the dockworker Turiddru Macca, the engineer Hoffer, the delegate Puglisi, the fearsome commander Restuccia, the canon Bonmartino… and many other characters that will delight the reader who decides to read this book. Which, as I said, may have a slight initial difficulty due to the chronological disorder (alternative order, it would be more correct to say), but after a few pages it is something that gives a plus to the novel and turns it, even more, into memorable.

Many more books by Andrea Camilleri reviewed here