What's Opera, Victoria? An Interview & Giveaway

I'm so happy to welcome Victoria Hamilton back to the blog today. Victoria writes the Merry Muffin Mystery series, among others. Death of an English Muffin, the third book in the series will be released Tuesday, July 7th. Today Victoria and I talk about a favorite subject of mine: opera!

Kathy: In Death of an English Muffin Merry and her friends decide to put on a show. But no ordinary show, an opera! Why choose an opera, and why Die Zauberflote in particular?

VH: There is much more opportunity for comic scenes with an amateur company putting on an opera than, say, an Arthur Miller play, or even a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. I was looking for an opera that had an aria with a high degree of difficulty; Die Zauberflote fills that bill. And I must admit a fondness for all things German. I am somewhat of a Teutonophile… is that a word?


Kathy: The Queen of the Night sings my favorite aria, one that I studied years ago, " Der Holle Rache" (Hell's Vengeance). Not every soprano is capable of singing this role, as she must reach an F above high C. Are you able to tell us which of Merry's friends has this role? Is she up for the challenge?

VH: I certainly can tell you that it is Janice Grover who performs that exceptionally difficult part. And no… what fun would it be if she was up for it? But I didn’t do it just to have fun at Janice’s expense; it is actually an opportunity for another character’s redemption, in some way. You’ll see. It also introduces a particularly nasty aspect of The Legion of Horrible Ladies, who you will meet in the book.


Kathy: I am a huge opera fan. Are you? If so, how did you come to enjoy it?

VH: Okay, confession time… until recently I knew virtually nothing about opera, and I still know little. But I’ve become fascinated with it lately, and look forward to exploring it more, if only ‘virtually’.


Kathy: Do you have any favorite operas or composers?

VH: Composers, yes. I love Satie, Pachelbel, Rachmaninoff, Mantovani and Copland. This series, the Merry Muffin Series, is the only one that I actually listen to music while I write. I’ve used some music to give me mood, when I write, like Copland’s Hoedown, or Satie’s Gymnopédie.


Kathy: Have you seen any of the more recent operas? (Ones composed in the past 50 years or so) What are your thoughts of those as compared to the more old standbys?

VH: I have to plead resolute ignorance on this topic… maybe you can give me some examples I can look up? What I need is an opera mentor, someone who won’t mind giving me some ideas for a self-guided tour on great opera.


Kathy: Tenors have long been the rage (my favorite opera singer is Jonas Kaufmann) but the Barihunks are staging a takeover! Mariusz Kwiecien is another favorite and he’s my favorite baritone (who is also a hunk!). Do you have any favorite opera singers?

VH: I have an absolute fan girl crush on the sublime Luciano Pavarotti. (I know, I know… he’s passé and passed on. I can still fan girl out) His Nessun Dorma brings tears to my eyes. And I absolutely adore the horribleness of his duets. He went through this phase of singing with anyone and everyone, like John Denver and Celine Dion. Hearing him sing Jingle Bells reduces me to tears, too… of laughter. That august, composed, amazing man singing a silly little jingle is just sublime. Wretchedly hilarious.

But aside from the incomparable Pavarotti, when I was working on Death of an English Muffin I listened over and over again to Diana Damrau’s version of Der Hölle Rache, and she astounds me. I get chills… what a voice! In a completely oppositional way, you have got to listen to Florence Foster Jenkins, who gives chills in a completely different way. She also did the Queen of the Night aria, listen on YouTube: https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=worst+opera+ever&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Utterly amazing! And pretty much like poor Janice Grover’s performance.


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

VH: Kinda sorta. I know people who clothe their awfulness in the blanket of frankness. “I’m just being honest,” they’ll bleat, after saying something awful about someone’s looks, weight, or intelligence. It gets my goat. Not everything you think needs to be said. Your meanness is not honesty so much as a reflection of your bitter cruel soul. Think it bugs me? LOL. So… that was the genesis for the story; what if one of those ‘honest’ people… but no, I won’t say. Read on!


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Merry?

VH: You know the saying, the path of true love ne’er does run smooth? Nothing in Merry’s life ever runs smooth, not love or life. She may think she’s got her life sorted out at the end of this book, but of course she doesn’t.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

VH: I’m always happy to share more about my books. In November, Book #5 of my Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, White Colander Crime is coming out. And in February of 2016 Book #3 of my Teapot Collector Mysteries, The Grim Steeper (written as Amanda Cooper). I’m starting now writing book #4 of the Merry Muffin Mysteries… there will actually be a #4 and #5, I’m grateful to say.

Thanks you so much, Kathy, for having me. I don’t get a chance to talk about opera often, certainly with no one I know!


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From the national bestselling author of Muffin but Murder, baker Merry Wynter returns with a fresh tray of muffins and a case that has authorities stumped…

They say one’s home is one’s castle, but when it comes to Wynter Castle, Merry would like it to belong to someone else. But until a buyer bites, she could use some extra dough, so she decides to take in renters. The idea pans out, and Merry’s able to find a handful of tenants eager to live in a real castle. The only problem is most of them are crumby, tea-swilling old biddies.

The Legion of Horrible Ladies, as Merry calls them, is led by the terribly nasty—and fabulously wealthy—Cleta Sanson. The abrasive Englishwoman keeps everyone whipped into a frenzy—until she meets an embarrassing end behind a locked door. Evidence reveals that Cleta was murdered, yet no one is privy to how the deed was done. Merry knows she must quickly find the killer before another of her guests gets greased…

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Victoria Hamilton is the national bestselling author of three bestselling series, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mysteries as Victoria, and the Teapot Collector Mysteries as Amanda Cooper. She is also the bestselling author of Regency and historical romance as Donna Lea Simpson.

Victoria loves to cook and collects vintage kitchen paraphernalia, teacups and teapots, and almost anything that catches her fancy! She loves to read, especially mystery novels, and enjoys good tea and cheap wine, the company of friends, and has a newfound appreciation for opera. She enjoys crocheting and beading, but a good book can tempt her away from almost anything… except writing!


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaHamilton

Merry Muffin Mysteries Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MerrysMuffinsMysterySeries

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vintagekitchenm/merry-muffin-mysteries/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MysteryVictoria


Title: Death of an English Muffin
Author: Victoria Hamilton
Series: Merry Muffin Mysteries
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Website: http://www.victoriahamiltonmysteries.com
Email: Victoria@victoriahamiltonmysteries.com

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Do we have a prize pack for you! Victoria Hamilton has generously donated an incredible prize pack. One lucky reader will win a copy of Death of an English Muffin, a copy of Shadow of a Spout, and some Wynter Castle Blend teabags! To be eligible simply leave a comment on this blog post about opera and I'll use random.org to pick the winning comment. Please leave an e-mail address so that I may contact you, should you win and leave your comment no later than 11:59 EDT on Sunday, July 5th 2015.