The Open Book series: discussion of Rita Dove's "Sonata Mullatica"

Samuel Amadon will host a discussion of Rita Dove’s “Sonata Mullatica” at 6 p.m. in Capstone campus room.

In her remarkable “Sonata Mulattica,” Rita Dove imagines the life of the biracial violinist George Bridgetower, best remembered as the first performer and the dedicatee of Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata. The New Yorker describes this amazing book as “A virtuosic treatment of a virtuoso’s life, the poems use all registers—nursery rhymes, diary entries, drama—and are stuffed with historical and musical arcana. Yet the book remains highly accessible, reading much like a historical novel.” The Los Angeles Times concurs: “Sonata Mulattica brims with passion for the music, the era and its major and minor characters, resulting in a complete portrait of Beethoven, Bridgetower, and their milieu. But more important, Dove’s masterful collection illuminates the life of a musical genius who might have been lost forever in the braying cacophony of our celebrity-driven times.”

The Open Book is a literary series and community read rolled into one. The 2017 Series will run Mondays and Wednesdays for five weeks: March 27 – April 26, 6-7 pm. Each Monday will feature host Elise Blackwell (or a guest speaker) discussing that week’s book, followed by the author’s talk on Wednesday. Author visits conclude with a book-signing reception.

Sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences, The Open Book is free and open to all.