From Belasco's play came both this novel and Puccini's opera La Fanciulla del West. It's a story of love and redemption set in a mining community in gold rush California. The Girl, whose name we don't learn until half way through, owns a saloon, teaches the miners to read and everyone looks out for each other. If you know the opera, you know the rest - it's true to the novel/play, including lines of dialogue. It's still worth reading this novel, even if it does lack music, as it's excellent in its own right and it fills in many details. We actually meet Nina Micheltoreña!

And if you don't know the story, you have all this to look forward to <3

If you can be persuaded to give opera a try, Eva-Maria Westbroek understands Minnie well and brings enormous heart to the role. A week's free trial from Met Opera in NY will let you stream an excellent production with Westbroek in the title role.

Highly recommend the book as well. Much respect for Belasco. www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58800

#ReadingOpera