Music in all of its forms is often attributed to love. It is a poem that is sung to express how much someone loves their significant other. Perhaps, the most romantic of them all is in the form of singing, specifically, the Opera in which one sings with their whole heart out beautifully. But like all else, the rhythm and tempo of the Opera can often be chaotic, intense and eccentric, while being harmonious in its own ways. However, what love can do is to balance and make peace even in a world full of complexities like the love story of Antonio and Consuella in Brendan Bracken's romantic fiction, Aria: A Symphony of Love.
Released in 2018, Aria: A Symphony of Love tells the story of a young girl from a convent in Verona named Consuella and a dashing young lad from Milan named Antonio. Fate had its ways of bringing them together. It happened when Antonio was visiting his former teacher and mentor, Father Martine, in Verona, where his teacher persuaded him to join him for a special celebration happening at the monastery chapel. Unknowingly, Father Martine's objective is to make sure that Antonio hears the beautiful singing voice of Consuella, who sings in the choir. Upon hearing her voice, Antonio is dazzled and recognizes Consuella's special gift. After seeking and constantly persuading, Antonio brings Consuella to perform in Milan, where she takes the Opera world by the storm. Two years afterward, they fall in love, and Antonio's dearest wish is to marry Consuella, so he returns to Verona to seek consent from her parents. As if fate seems to give them hardship, an influential figure in the Opera community named Don Barcese has taken notice of Consuella and begins his mischief by promising fame and stardom to the young girl. As Antonio makes his way back to Consuella, the damage is already done. The only question left is that, will they be able to make it through the challenge that fate has presented?
What Brendan Bracken brings to the literary world is a masterfully crafted novel with creative twists and intense emotions. He currently resides between Ireland and Jakarta, Indonesia, and he is an engineer and a pharmacy consultant. By carefully building his characters, Antonio and Consuella, he creates an atmosphere where tempo, beat, and rhythm all come together, making a harmonious love story, complete with a villainous adversary that seems to challenge their love for each other. The story was set in Italy in the 19th century, and Bracken paints a paradise-like scenario. One that depicts Italy in its full glory through the dialogues and poignant descriptions. With his own love for Opera that he inherited from his mother, Brendan is able to make readers visualize movie-like Opera performances. His own journey to Verona in Italy has brought him the inspiration to write his novel Aria.
Through Brendan's own experiences as an Opera fan, his novel Aria does not fall short of its literary prowess and shows the readers the unique love story of Antonio and Consuella. Brendan truly shows that harmonious love can only be achieved when every element is balanced, just like in an Opera.
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