Overview

Growing up in the heart of London's immigrant Italian community, Michael Volpe always felt disconnected from the UK, the country of his birth. He felt different to his friends, had alternative cultural experiences, and never truly felt he belonged – an unease that has been exacerbated by Brexit for many immigrant families living in the UK. Exploring his colourful, rich and often dramatic life in London and summers spent in southern Italy among his large extended family, Do I Bark Like a Dog? considers the roots of Volpe's identity. Delving into family secrets and lies, he discovers how extraordinary events filtered through time to propel his unlikely but successful career in opera. Evocatively written and featuring circus stars, fascists and faked deaths, Do I Bark Like a Dog? is a deeply moving testimony to Volpe's mother and her family, and an extraordinary journey into the heart of a life that has left an indelible mark on the world of opera.

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9781804470862

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Reviews

'A jaw-dropping tale – poignant, powerful, passionate and political. Fasten your psychological seat belt for a wild ride.' (Kathy Lette); 'A fascinating account of identity and belonging. Volpe writes with passion, insight and humour about his Italian family and his life in London. I loved it.' (James Hall, author of The Industry of Human Happiness); 'Michael Volpe’s second memoir paints an exuberant picture of his unconventional upbringing in a chaotic yet loving family where he survived, then thrived, thanks to the bonds of heritage. From the south of Italy to west London, this tapestry of emotional extremes and domestic drama echoes the Verismo style of Italian opera that Volpe himself so passionately advocates. As with Puccini or Mascagni, his tragicomic tales of life as an “English” boy from Campanian stock are a spezzatino of laughter, shock, tears and irresistible pleasure.' (Mark Valencia, opera critic)

Author Information

Michael Volpe obe is a writer and opera company leader best known for founding Opera Holland Park. Born to an Italian immigrant family in London, Michael attended Woolverstone Hall school, where he explored his love of music and drama – an experience he wrote about in his memoir Noisy at the Wrong Times. In 1996 he founded Opera Holland Park, and became a specialist in late Italian opera. He retired from Holland Park in 2020, and was awarded an OBE for services to opera; he now leads the pioneering company If Opera. He lives in London with his wife and three children.

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