Handel's Bestiary

When acclaimed novelist Donna Leon is not conjuring up tales of crime and corruption in Venice—or appreciating its delicious cuisine—she revels in music. And for Leon, that usually means the work of her favorite composer, George Frideric Handel.

Over the years, Leon has noticed that the great musician filled his operas with arias that make reference to animals. Rich in symbolism, the perceived virtues and vices of the lion, bee, nightingale, snake, elephant, and tiger, among others, resonate in his works.

Here, Leon draws on her love of Handel and her expertise in medieval bestiaries, illustrated collections of animal stories, to assemble one of her own—twelve chapters that trace twelve animals through history, mythology, and the Handel arias they inhabit. Each exploration is joined by whimsical original illustrations by German painter Michael Sowa.