Tempesta’s Dream – A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera is a novel. It is the story of an aspiring opera singer coming of age in Milan; a tender and moving love story; a testament to the bonds of friendship; and, at its core, a tribute to the beauty, majesty and miracle of opera.

Giovanni Tempesta always dreamed of becoming an opera tenor and one day singing from the stage of the La Scala Opera House in his hometown of Milan, Italy. But with no real training, his dream has little chance for fulfillment.

One day, he meets and immediately falls in love with Isabella Monterone, a dark-haired beauty, whose father, a very rich and powerful Milanese Judge, refuses to allow his daughter to date a penniless musician.

At the lowest part of his life, Giovanni comes upon the Casa di Riposo, a rest home for musicians established by the great opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi.

It is at the Casa Verdi that Giovanni meets Alfredo del Monte, a blind, retired opera singer with a secretive past who gradually becomes his mentor.

Could Alfredo be the one person who could assist Giovanni in finding the break he needs? Or is Giovanni destined to be on the cusp of reaching his life long dream, only to find failure?

What genre is this?

Tempesta’s Dream, at its core, is an Italian opera love story.

The genre is historical fiction. To be more precise, I guess you would consider it Italian historical fiction.

Tell us about Giovanni.

I will have to quote an Amazon reviewer to assist with this question. “The burning ambition of Giovanni Tempesta is to rise from humble constraints to become a world-renowned tenor. Against her father’s opposition, Giovanni woos the hand of the beautiful Isabella in a true meeting of hearts . . . Will the forces of destiny ensure that true love and the gift from God of a voice of gold will emerge victorious?”

Have you written any other novels?

My second novel, Bellafortuna, has been named a Short List Finalist in the William Faulkner Competition. No date has been set for publication. It is with an agent in New York.

Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in New Orleans. where I work as an attorney, with an emphasis on estate planning.

I graduated from Jesuit High School in New Orleans, and pursued a BA degree in History at Loyola University of New Orleans, graduating in 1990. In 1993, I was awarded my JD degree from Loyola, and went into the private practice of law with my father. I have been a practicing attorney for over twenty years now.

A lifelong lover of music, my passion for opera dates back many years now. I have an extensive opera collection, which survived the devastation to my home by Hurricane Katrina. I have seen operas all over the world at some of the greatest opera houses. I have been asked to give talks on opera as well as the Sicilian-American culture of New Orleans.

I am married to my wife of 15 years, Wendy. We have two children, Matthew and Ellie and a beagle, named Scout. We reside in our beloved city of New Orleans, where if you try to find us on a Sunday in the Fall, we will be somewhere rooting on our Saints.

Do you have a website?

Yes. It is www.vincentlococo.com.

What about social media?

https://www.facebook.com/tempestasdream
@VincentBLoCoco

How easily do new storylines come to you? If we give you four random words – Man, Woman, Airport, Darkness – can you give us a brief storyline?

It seemed like it was days ago before the man and woman left for the airport to make the long trip to Rome, when actually it was just the day before. It was a whirlwind, as they arrived at the Rome Opera House just in time as the lights were dimmed, leaving the theater in complete darkness. As the conductor entered the pit, the man grabbed the woman’s hand, and they both looked at each other, gitty with excitement. Their daughter was making her debut in opera this night, and they were their for her.