Casanova

World-traveler, scholar, mathematician, linguist, spy, prisoner and con-man--the eighteenth-century womanizer had a lot more depth than that for which he is remembered, so to speak. Robert Whitfield offers a spirited reading of Masters's detailed biography, bringing a lively sense of fun to the tale. His performance maintains the scholarly authority of careful research, but he clearly enjoys having an outrageous tale to tell. Whitfield's sole characterization, that of Casanova himself, captures the scoundrel in later life, as he might have sounded when writing his own memoirs. Through subtle changes in tempo and mood, Whitfield accurately captures both the spirit of Casanova and the integrity of the author. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine