A.A. Livani Publishing House present the new book by Efterpi Araouzou, Vivaldi’s Wigmaker. The book is a historic novel which progresses into a kind of episodic diary of the famous composer of the Four Seasons, through the eyes of fictional characters in the writer’s mind. My intention was never to get lost in emotional symbolisms, but rather to create a form of journalistic reportage of the life and work of the composer through the eyes of the wigmaker Hypatia, she says, explaining that her ultimate intention was to provide a testimony more by the way of a historical montage, something, which, in reality, differs little from our life today.
Within the pages of Vivaldi’s Wigmaker l… Mantua 1725. After the death of her father Anselmo, a famous wig maker in Mantua, 15 year old Hypatia spreads her wings towards Venice where she seeks shelter and work at the shop of the famous Greek wig maker, Chrysostomos Vrachimis. Under his guidance, the young lady conquers the high society circles of the city and among many other celebrities of the time, meets the composer Antonio Vivaldi, who is teaching music to the orphan girls in the church of Pieta. So impressed by her talent is the maestro, that he asks for her teacher’s permission that she may make his wigs for the operas he presents in various theatres. Thus, a strange journey begins between the Red Father and Hypatia, with the fate which has drawn them together, playing unexpected games, set against the bleak background of a – full of mystery and intrigue -Venice. “Always be honest with yourself, my little wig girl, find the courage to speak your mind. Nobody ever changed the world by going following the tide. Follow your internal voice and it shall lead to your own path. Remember one thing: Do not do things you do not want to do. Trust your instinct. Remember the words of Shakespeare, the English poet, which our friend Hendel often recited: This above all – to thine own self be true /And it must follow, as the night the day/ Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Efterpi Araouzou was born in Cyprus. She studied business management and worked as head of Press. Her first novel entitled “Captive” was published in 1993. Her second, Blue, which forms the first part of a trilogy, was released in 1997. The second part of the trilogy, Ginger, followed in 2002, and was awarded the Cyprus National Literature Award in 2003.
Vivaldi’s Wigmaker is her fourth book and the first one written in English. Translated from the original English text in Greek by Christiana El. Sakellariopoulou.
Published by A.A Livani Publishers