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  • The Lyre of Orpheus

  • The Cornish Trilogy, Book 3
  • Written by: Robertson Davies
  • Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
  • Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (5 ratings)

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The Lyre of Orpheus cover art

The Lyre of Orpheus

Written by: Robertson Davies
Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
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Publisher's Summary

The Cornish Foundation, set up with money left by the late art expert, collector, and notable eccentric Francis Cornish, must choose a worthy undertaking upon which to expend a portion of its considerable funds. It is decided that the Foundation will fund the doctoral work of one Hulda Schnakenburg: a grumpy, difficult, and extraordinarily talented music student. Her task is to complete the score of an unfinished opera by the Romantic composer E. T. A. Hoffmann.

Additionally, and against all common sense, the Foundation will undertake to stage the opera, entitled Arthur of Britain or The Magnanimous Cuckold. As the production takes shape, Hoffmann's restless spirit hovers rather too close for comfort, and his dictum "The lyre of Orpheus opens the door of the underworld" proves prophetic for many a participant as their lives begin to resemble the opera's plot.
©1988 Robertson Davies (P)1996 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Literary Fiction
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What the critics say

"With his wonderfully complex yet controlled plot, deft portrayal of eccentric characters, and great wit, Davies effectively satirizes the world of universities and foundations." ( Library Journal)
"[Davidson] provides an intelligent, expressive, well-paced rendering of the narrative...as well as vivid impersonations of the characters." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Lyre of Orpheus

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Jeffrey

A literate piece of Canadiana

The book is a classic. I first read it 30 years ago and it was a delight to revisit. Extremely well written, the reader can’t help but learn a surprising amount about music, theatre and opera throughout the story.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anna Lee-Diemert

Good read

The book itself is interesting and probably more so when read in sequence with the rest of the trilogy.
The narration is competent but alienating. The narrator does fake breathy voices for the women's dialogue and a lot of similar-sounding accents, which make the audio hard to follow.

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