Opera Books
Cambridge University Press Popular Opera in EighteenthCentury France
Book SynopsisThis is the first book for a century to explore the development of French opera with spoken dialogue from its beginnings. Musical comedy in this form came in different styles and formed a distinct genre of opera, whose history has been obscured by neglect. Its songs were performed in private homes, where operas themselves were also given. The subject-matter was far wider in scope than is normally thought, with news stories and political themes finding their way onto the popular stage. In this book, David Charlton describes the comedic and musical nature of eighteenth-century popular French opera, considering topics such as Gherardi''s theatre, Fair Theatre and the ''musico-dramatic art'' created in the mid-eighteenth century. Performance practices, singers, audience experiences and theatre staging are included, as well as a pioneering account of the formation of a core of ''canonical'' popular works.Trade Review'Ultimately, Popular Opera is a towering intellectual achievement that stands to significantly reorient contemporary accounts of eighteenth-century French opera. Charlton paves the way for a history of this repertoire in which previously discounted genres like fairground comedy and operatic parody take their place alongside the tragédie en musique. In this monograph, popular opera truly receives the limelight it has long deserved.' Callum Blackmore, Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies'Charlton's erudite scholarship makes Popular opera an essential reference work for musicologists, performers and scholars of 18th-century theatre. Moreover, Charlton's lucid descriptions of the often complex plots in many of these works highlight various news stories and themes relevant to the cultural and political historian. This much needed volume not only fulfils Charlton's initial observation that 'Popular opera deserves a history' (p.1) but amply demonstrates that this hitherto neglected repertory is sophisticated enough to rival even the tragédie en musique.' Adrian Powney, Early Music JournalTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Music and spoken theatre; 3. Music in Gherardi's company; 4. Singing and acting at home; 5. Opéra-comique en vaudevilles; 6. Experiences of popular theatre; 7. Comic and serious themes; 8. Performance as history; 9. Musical expansion; 10. Italian inroads: the King's company; 11. Six methods of synthesis; 12. A 'Musico-dramatic art'; 13. Conclusions.
£81.00
Boydell & Brewer Ltd Women in American Operas of the 1950s: Undoing
Book SynopsisThe first feminist analysis of some of the most performed works in the American-opera canon, emphasizing the voices and perspectives of the sopranos who brought these operas to life. In the 1950s, composers and librettists in the United States were busy seeking to create an opera repertory that would be deeply responsive to American culture and American concerns. They did not break free, however, of the age-old paradigm so typically expressed in European opera: that is, of women as either saintly and pure or sexually corrupt, with no middle ground. As a result, in American opera of the 1950s, women risked becoming once again opera's inevitable victims. Yet the sopranos who were tasked with portraying these paragons of virtue and their opposites did not always take them as their composers and librettists made them. Sometimes they rewrote, through their performances, the roles they had been assigned. Sometimes they used their lived experiences to invest greater authenticity in the roles. With chapters on The Tender Land, Susannah, The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Lizzie Borden, this book analyzes some of the most performed yet understudied works in the American-opera canon. It acknowledges Catherine Clément's famous description of opera as "the undoing of women," while at the same time illuminating how singers like Beverly Sills and Phyllis Curtin worked to resist such undoing, years before the official resurgence of the American feminist movement. In short, they ended up helping to dismantle powerful gendered stereotypes that had often reigned unquestioned in opera houses until then.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1 American Opera at Midcentury Chapter 2 A Conniving Gold Digger: Elizabeth "Baby Doe" Tabor Chapter 3 A "Really Vicious Monster": Lizzie Andrew Borden Chapter 4 A Chaste White Woman: Laurie Moss Chapter 5 A Dangerous Jezebel: Susannah Polk Epilogue "The World So Wide": Beyond the Virgin or the Whore in the Twenty-First Century Bibliography Index
£81.00
Lulu.com Forests, Flowers, and Fairytales: The Operas and
Book Synopsis
£24.25
Talon Books,Canada Shadow Catch
Book SynopsisNoh-influenced libretto by renowned Canadian poet Daphne MarlattThe Noh-influenced libretto of Shadow Catch recounts the dreams or are they dreams? of the Runaway, a teenage boy who ends up one night in Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Here four troubled spirits from the park's past appear to him: the Spirit of the Maple Tree from K'emk'emeláy? whose grove was decimated by loggers, a member of the brilliant Asahi baseball team whose players were sent off to Japanese internment camps, the keeper of a 1920s brothel who is haunted by the tragic death of one of "her" women, and a roughneck policeman from the 1930s who gave in to corruption. This is a story not only about characters from Vancouver's historical and cultural past, but about the journey and transformation that must take place in order to confront one's greatest fears and regrets.Each of the four acts in this sparse, poetic libretto were set to music by composers Dorothy Chang, Benton Roark, Jennifer Butler, and Farshid Samandari. Replete with contextual material, this book includes brief histories of species interconnectedness in the park, the Asahi baseball team, Vancouver''s early red-light district, and the Battle of Ballantyne Pier.
£13.29
Clearview From Silence: Finding Calm in a Dissonant World
Book SynopsisA powerful and thought provoking memoir from one of the world's most successful orchestral conductors, whose life story, talent and dedication to music is an inspiration to read. A tragic car accident when Welser-Moest was a student shaped both his career and approach to music in the most profound and unexpected way, while the book documents an insider's view of the complex relationships between an opera house, its orchestra, the conductor and singers, and the creative struggle by all these parts to achieve perfection in every performance. Welser-Moest's book was published in Austria in July 2020 and rapidly became a no 1 bestseller. It remains a bestseller in the German language today. This edition will satisfy all lovers of opera and classical music who are English language readers.
£21.25
e-artnow Tannhäuser: Grosse romantische Oper in drei
Book Synopsis
£6.15
HAL LEONARD ANNA BOLENA
Book SynopsisEd E Rescigno Libretto.
£13.76
Boydell & Brewer Ltd Berlioz's Semi-Operas: Roméo et Juliette and La
Book SynopsisA full-length study of two of Berlioz's most unique works, which combine the highest goals of both symphony and opera and incorporate two of the greatest classics of Western literature into a total fusion of the arts. This work studies two works that are among the most challenging of the entire Romantic Movement, not least because they assault the notion of genre: they take place in a sort of limbo between symphony and opera, and try to fulfillthe highest goals of each simultaneously. Berlioz was a composer who strenuously resisted any impediments that stood in the way of complete compositional freedom. Most of his large-scale works nevertheless obey the strictures of some preexistent form, whether opera or symphony or mass or cantata; it is chiefly in these two experiments that Berlioz allowed himself to be Berlioz. One of the central characteristics of Romanticism is the belief that all arts are one, that literature, painting, and music have a common origin and a common goal; and this book tries to show that Berlioz achieved a Gesamtkunstwerk, a fusion of arts, in a manner even more impressive (in certain respects) than that of Wagner, in that Berlioz implicated into his total-art-work texts by two of the greatest poets of Western literature, Shakespeare and Goethe. The method of this book is unusual in that it pays equally close attention to the original text [Romeo and Juliet and Faust] as well as to the musical adaptation; furthermore, it suggests many analogues in the operatic world which Berlioz knew -- the world of Gluck, Mozart, Mehul, Spontini, Cherubini -- in order to show exactly how Berlioz followed or flouted the dramatic conventions of his age. This book aims to contribute to Berlioz studies, to studies of the Romantic Movement, and to the rapidly growing field of comparative arts. Daniel Albright is Richard L. Turner Professor in the Humanities at the University of Rochester.Trade ReviewAlbright has written a literary essay of great originality and charm, appealing to undergraduates through faculty, general readers, and professionals in both music and the humanitites. * CHOICE *Albright's work will inform and entertain admirers of Shakespeare, Goethe, and Berlioz alike. -- Julian Rushton, West Riding Professor of Music, University of LeedsThe rhetoric is comfortable, modern, familiar. . . 132 affable, inviting pages. . . of its originality there can be no doubt. * OPERA QUARTERLY *The originality of Albright's work lies in his unusual capacity to read texts and listen to music with a similar degree of sensitivity and insight and to detect the deeper resonance in structure and signification between the two without compromising their individuality. * THE EUROPEAN ROMANTIC REVIEW, December 2003 *This is a wonderful, concise, and compact discussion of two interesting and complex musical works of the Romantic period, exploring the historical and dramatic backgrounds of two of the more popular literary stories in human history. While written from the scholarly perspective, this book is easy to read and not overly technical in its presentation. -- Dr. Brad Eden * OPERATODAY.COM *Table of ContentsShakespeare's Romeo and Juliet From Shakespeare to Berlioz Berlioz's Roméo et Juliette Goethe's Faust From Goethe to Berlioz Berlioz's La damnation de Faust
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press Richard Wagner
Book SynopsisBest known for the challenging four-opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung, Richard Wagner (1813-83) was a conductor, librettist, theater director, and essayist, in addition to being the composer of some of the most enduring operatic works in history, such as the Flying Dutchman. This book explores key ideas in Wagner's life and works.Trade Review"A fine biography.... This is the most balanced account of Schumann's life and work for more than a generation, one that makes us want to relisten to Schumann's music, knowing better the man behind it." -Wall Street Journal, on Robert Schumann"
£29.45
Cambridge University Press Mozart in Vienna The Final Decade
Book SynopsisMozart's greatest works were written in Vienna in the decade before his death (1781â1791). This biography focuses on Mozart's dual roles as a performer and composer and reveals how his compositional processes are affected by performance-related concerns. It traces consistencies and changes in Mozart's professional persona and his modus operandi and sheds light on other prominent musicians, audience expectations, publishing, and concert and dramatic practices and traditions. Giving particular prominence to primary sources, Simon P. Keefe offers new biographical and critical perspectives on the man and his music, highlighting his extraordinary ability to engage with the competing demands of singers and instrumentalists, publishing and public performance, and concerts and dramatic productions in the course of a hectic, diverse and financially uncertain freelance career. This comprehensive and accessible volume is essential for Mozart lovers and scholars alike, exploring his Viennese masteTrade Review'Simon P. Keefe is one of our greatest experts on Mozart's life and on his music. In Keefe's new book he weaves the two together into an extended narrative showing the many connections between the two. His graceful prose makes this admirable book accessible to anyone – whether beginner, experienced amateur, or professional – who is interested in gaining a fuller understanding of Mozart the man and the conditions under which he produced his extraordinary music.' Neal Zaslaw, Cornell University, New York'An authoritative, richly annotated volume by a leading Mozart scholar that offers a comprehensive survey of the composer's life and music in the last ten years of his life. The integration of these two aspects is a signal achievement: a life in music, rather than a life alongside the music. The volume will be an accessible point of reference for years to come.' David Wyn Jones, Cardiff University'Simon P Keefe's mammoth study of Mozart's creative achievements during the last ten years of his life is an engrossing read … The book has impeccable scholarly credentials, boasting a huge number of footnotes and a generous selection of printed music examples, yet its written style is lively and accessible with Keefe's abundant enthusiasm for Mozart shining through every page.' Erik Levi, BBC Music Magazine'… Mozart in Vienna is a handsome addition to Keefe's output as well as to the rich Mozartian literature, representing a welcome, if undeniably challenging, new look at some of the finest music ever created.' David Threasher, Gramophone'Mozart in Vienna will take you intimately close to the internal workings of Mozart's creative genius.' Larry Wolff, The New York Review of BooksTable of ContentsPart I. Beginnings, 1781–1782: 1. Settling in Vienna: exploiting opportunities for instrumental performance and composition; 2. Singers and effects: seeking operatic success in Die Entführung aus dem Serail; Part II. Instrumental and Vocal Music, 1782–1786: 3. Consolidating experiences and expanding horizons: the instrumental music, 1782–83; 4. 'You can easily imagine that I must inevitably play some new things': Mozart's piano concertos and other instrumental works for concerts, 1784–1786; 5. Composing, performing and publishing: the 'Haydn' string quartets and other chamber music for publication, 1784–86; 6. Operas, arias, ensembles, songs and a mass: vocal and dramatic music, 1782–86; Part III. The Da Ponte Operas, 1786–1790: 7. Le nozze di Figaro; 8. In Prague and Vienna: Don Giovanni, 1787–88; 9. The Figaro revival and Così fan tutte; Part IV. Instrumental Music, 1786–90: 10. For publication and performance: solo and chamber music; 11. Orchestral music and concert activities; Part V. Mozart in 1791: 12. New beginnings, continuations and endings: Mozart's last year.
£61.71
Marshall Cavendish An Opera Miscellany
Book Synopsis
£5.99
Cambridge University Press Donizetti and His Operas
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£38.52
Oxford University Press DeathDevoted Heart Sex And The Sacred In Wagners Tristan And Isolde
Book SynopsisDeath-Devoted Heart explodes the established interpretation of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, proving the drama to be more than just a sublimation of the composer's love for Wesendonck or a wistful romantic dream. Scruton boldly attests that Tristan and Isolde has profound religious meaning and remains as relevant today as it was to Wagner's contemporaries.Trade Reviewsuperb book....can still teach much even to those who think they long ago grasped the secret of this masterpiece. * Simon Heffer, Literary Review *(Roger Scruton's book is a deep and daunting) 'study of the most important single composition in Western music ... Scruton's examination is highly original and delves into aspects which have seldom been explored so rigorously' * Peter Porter, The Independent Books, *a very, very, scholarly work... * Tony Hall, Royal Opera House CEO in FT Magazine *superb analysis... * Michael Portillo, New Statesman *Table of Contents1. Wagner and Religion ; 2. The Story of Tristan ; 3. Wagner's Treatment of the Story ; 4. The Music of Tristan ; 5. The Philosophy of Love ; 6. Tragedy and Sacrifice ; 7. Love, Death, and Redemption ; EPILOGUE From Romance to Ritual ; APPENDIX Table of Motives ; NOTES ; SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ; INDEX
£28.89
Lexington Books The Philosophies of Richard Wagner
Book SynopsisJulian Young presents Richard Wagner as an important philosopher of art and life, first as a utopian anarchist-communist and later as a Schopenhauerian pessimist. Understanding Wagnerâs philosophy is crucial to understanding his operas, as it is to understanding Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, and Heidegger. Trade ReviewKeenly attuned to Wagner’s intimations of impersonal immortality, Julian Young explains Wagner’s evolving views on the redemptive power of musical drama, an artistic salvation that remains possible even after the death of God. By critically examining Wagner’s philosophical transformation from a Feuerbachian anarcho-revolutionary to a Schopenhauerian world-renunciate, Young uncovers the enduring spiritual quest at the heart of Wagner’s work: Our deep and enduring philosophical need to learn how to die well. -- Iain Thomson, University of New MexicoIn deft, elegant prose, Young convincingly reconstructs two distinct Wagnerian philosophical positions, especially as concerns the relationship between art and society: an early revolutionary and a later Schopenhauerian position. In doing so, Young casts considerable light on the meanings of Wagner's musical dramas, and presents an array of fascinating positions on the proper relations between art and society for contemporary reflection. This is an important book for anyone interested in late-nineteenth-century philosophy of music and art. -- Sandra Shapshay, Indiana University, BloomingtonYoung here presents the results of extensive research into Wagner's philosophical writings. Perhaps the most surprising thing one learns is that Wagner had a relatively clear and coherent philosophy. In fact, Wagner’s philosophy evolved over time, and he always saw himself as more than a composer of operas. Early on, Wagner, influenced by Hegel, maintained that art and music could play a key role in changing the world for the better. Later, his philosophical intuitions and artistic aims would be molded by Schopenhauer’s pessimistic but redemptive views of music. Today, Wagner would be saddened, though perhaps not surprised, to find that most of his operas are heard only by the affluent—a situation that is the antithesis of what he was trying to do. Young’s straightforward writing style is more than welcome in explaining 19th-century German philosophical concepts, which can get very complex very fast. This book is beautifully written, clear, and concise. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPart I: Early Wagner Chapter 1: The Way We are Now Chapter 2: The Greek Ideal Chapter 3: The Death of Art Chapter 4: The Artwork of the Future: Exploratory Questions Part II Later Wagner Chapter 5: Schopenhauer Chapter 6: Wagner’s Appropriation of Schopenhauer Chapter 7: Wagner’s Final Thoughts Epilogue: Wagner and Nietzsche
£42.00
Indiana University Press The Italian Traditions and Puccini
Book SynopsisThe theory and practice of Italian musical compositionTrade ReviewDense and challenging in its detail and analysis, this work is an important addition to the growing corpus of Puccini studies. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Baragwanath's is a very full treatment of Italian teaching methods and curricula, now based not ony on traditional harmony but on other relevant strategies for learning to create what every Italian composer wanted to create: opera. The pedagogical traditions and the Puccini family's part in them are tracedbroadly The positivistic research is thorough and results in a reference-source useful to all further historians of 19th-century Italian opera. The topic is a big one, with many ramifications, and the book does provide a definitive service in explaining the prevailing Italian view that 'music should be pleasing, fulfilling or entertaining in a variety of contexts.' * Musical Times *[B]y offering another component to the analyst's tool kit, Baragwanath has comprehensively achievedwhat he set out to do: create a framework for further study. * Music and Letters *Nicholas Baragwanath has made a major contribution – one of the most major to date, in any language – not only to Puccini studies but also to the study of nineteenth-century Italian opera in general. * Nineteenth-Century Music Review *[Offers] us no less than a thorough reappraisal of how composition was learned by those who would actually become composers. * Journal of Music Theory *Table of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgementsA Note on Translation and Terminology1: Musical Traditions in Nineteenth-Century ItalyI. The Italian SchoolsII. An Introduction to the Primary SourcesIII. Puccini and the End of the Great Tradition2. Studies in Lucca and MilanI. Composition as CraftII. The Istituto musicale in LuccaIII. Scarpia and the Partimento CadenceIV. The Conservatorio di Milano3. Lessons in Dramatic Composition I: RhythmI. Rhythm without Measure, Accent without BeatII. Rules of Versification, Lippmann's Rhythmic-Musical Types, and Two Case-StudiesIII. Historical Survey of Writings on RitmoIV. Short Case-Studies from Bellini and Puccini4. Lessons in Dramatic Composition II: Harmony and CounterpointI. The Partimento TraditionII. Michele Puccini's Corso pratico di contrappunto (1846)III. The Bolognese Attachment, or "Little Keys for Winding Clocks"IV. Regular Motions and Melodic Composition5. Lessons in Dramatic Composition III: Affect, Imitation, and ConductI. Dominant Affects and their MovementsII. Physical and Sentimental ImitationIII. Form and ConductIV. Case-Studies from Verdi, Boito, and Puccini6. Vocalizzi, Solfeggi, and Real (or Ideal) CompositionI. Lessons in Singing and CounterpointII. Lessons in Singing and SolfeggioIII. From Solfeggio to Ideal Composition in Puccini (and Bellini)NotesBibliographyIndex of ConceptsIndex of Names and Works
£37.05
University of California Press Curtain Gong Steam
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Kreuzer considers operas, pre-operas, post-operas (films), and meta-operas (Ring cycle satires) while moving through past and present with ease. …Her approach is original. She pulls Wagner down from the heavens among the gods and makes him mortal—a flawed, infuriating and curious creature who worried about receipts while cursing at the riggers.” * Times Literary Supplement *“Kreuzer offers an innovative and staggeringly detailed examination of the intertwined developments of opera as an art form and the technical machines that brought it to life. Her investigation sheds light on how composers, from the nineteenth century onward, sought to incorporate old and emerging stage technologies into their operas in various ways to achieve ever-grander artistic ends, no one more so than Wagner.” * The Wagner Society *"Gundula Kreuzer has written an imaginative, highly original, and stunningly researched book. It is not just about Wagner, but is instead a minihistory of selected technologies employed by European theater going as far back as the baroque and right up to our own time, where Wagner serves as a fulcrum and point of constant reference." * German Studies Review *"Kreuzer’s study combines meticulous historical research and critical analysis, which makes for innovative, exciting work." * College Music Symposium *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface and Acknowledgments Abbreviations Note on Presentation Introduction: Opera, Staging, Technologies 1. Wagner’s Venusberg 2. Curtain 3. Gong 4. Steam Epilogue: Wagnerian Failure Notes Works Cited Index
£50.15
Boydell & Brewer Ltd Dance in Handel's London Operas
Book SynopsisExamines the pivotal role of dance in the Italian operas of Handel, perhaps the greatest opera composer between Monteverdi and Mozart. George Frideric Handel set himself apart from his contemporaries by employing choreographed instrumental music to complement and reinforce the emotional impact of his operas. Of his fifty-three operas, no fewer than fourteen -- including ten written for the London stage -- feature dances. Dance in Handel's London Operas explores the relationship between music, drama, and dance in these London works, dispelling the notion that dance was a largely peripheral element in Italian-language operas prior to those of Gluck. Taking a chronological approach, Sarah McCleave examines operas written throughout various periods in Handel's life, beginning with his early London operas,including his time at the Royal Music Academy and the "Sallé" operas of the 1730s, and concluding with his unstaged dramatic opera Alceste (1750). In considering the various influences on Handel (particularly the London stage), McCleave blends analysis of information from eighteenth-century treatises with that found in more modern studies, offering an informed and imaginative understanding of the role dance played in the work of this major figure --one who remained responsive throughout his career to the vital and innovative theatrical environment in which he worked. Sarah McCleave is a lecturer at The School of Creative Arts at Queen's University Belfast.Trade ReviewPlaces Handel's creative decisions in the wider context of European dance traditions and dance on the London stage, frequently referring to contemporary documents. Answers questions such as how the dissemination of French dances through choreographies or through chamber music might have been reflected in the dance types Handel used in his operas, hence addressing how far the types of dances he employed related to public taste. * EARLY MUSIC *Impeccably researched. An exemplary model of how to breathe new life into operas that have been studied as a [purely] vocal repertory. [McCleave's] findings will no doubt be of consequence for singers and opera directors looking to revive Handel's operas. Offers an extraordinary amount of useful information. A valuable resource for any dance, theater, or music historian of eighteenth-century England. * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *The first full-length study of the subject, likely to transform the traditional view. Weaves a rich tapestry from relationships between Handel's output and the presence of dance in the contemporary theatrical scene. . . .The book explore[s] virtually every aspect of dance in Handel's operas. Packed with fresh information. The amount of fresh, detailed information greatly enhances our view of dance and spectacle [in this repertoire]. Anyone interested in Handel's dances -- not only scholars but also performers, conductors, and directors -- will find [this book] essential. An impressive and much-needed piece of scholarship, this book deserves a warm welcome. * JOURNAL OF MUSICOLOGICAL RESEARCH *A data-rich study dealing in uncertainties and ambiguities. . . . Instructive and often revelatory. * MUSICAL TIMES *Dance was a significant area of overlap between opera and other theatrical genres staged in London during the first half of the eighteenth century, and an integral part of the theatrical experience. In Dance in Handel's London Operas, Sarah McCleave shows Handel as the consummate theatrical professional, illuminating his work with and for dancers. --Kathryn Lowerre, author of Music and Musicians on the London Stage, 1695-1705 * . *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Genres of Opera, Styles of Dance Handel's Operas of the 1710s The Royal Academy Operas Handel and the London Theater, 1729-35 Theatrical Dance and Opera in London, 1735-55 The French Connection Pastoral versus Heroic: Handel's Operas with Dance Epilogue: Opera Dance in a Changing Marketplace Appendix 1: A Study of Handel's Compositional Process Appendix 2: Theater and Dance Chronology
£87.30
Columbia University Press Said on Opera
Book SynopsisThis book presents Edward W. Said’s insightful and elegant analyses of four major operas—originally delivered as the Empson Lectures at Cambridge University in 1997—showcasing the power of his critical acumen to unsettle canonical interpretations.Trade ReviewIndispensable for serious lovers of opera. The essays are complete and fresh and as meaningful today as a quarter century ago. * Library Journal (starred review) *These essays on major works in the opera repertoire are provocative and penetrating. They are eloquent testimony to Edward W. Said’s understanding of how music, both written and performed, intersects with politics, history, and literature. Said’s interpretive imagination and his conviction that music is a vital dimension of history and culture will captivate musicians, scholars, students, and all operagoers. -- Leon Botstein, conductor, editor of the Musical Quarterly, and president of Bard CollegeThe opposition between historical authority and its transgression was central to Edward Said’s thinking in later life. But his exploration of it in these four operas offers a strikingly new perspective on how contemporary audiences—and stagings—can interrogate the operatic works’ historical power structures in deeply resonant, present-day terms. -- Linda Hutcheon, coauthor of Opera: The Art of DyingThe trenchant literary and cultural critic Edward W. Said was also deeply devoted to the masterpieces of Western classical music. Said on Opera offers his thoughts on four major operas: by Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, and Wagner. These rich, challenging chapters will be debated for years to come. -- Ralph P. Locke, author of Music and the Exotic from the Renaissance to MozartTable of ContentsEdward Said's Inner Music, by Peter SellarsIntroduction1. Così fan tutte at the Limits2. Fidelio’s Difficulties with the Past3. Les Troyens and the Obligation to Empire4. Creation and Coherence in Die MeistersingerNotesIndex
£54.40
Indiana University Press Olivier Messiaens Opera Saint Francois dAssise
Book SynopsisIn this comprehensive study of Olivier Messiaen's magnum opus, Saint François d'Assise, Vincent Perez Benitez examines the opera from both theological and musical-analytical perspectives to ask how Messiaen expresses his Catholic theology through his work.Trade ReviewThis well-researched book is wonderfully written with great clarity and organization, and provides a remarkable and original perspective on the work of the great French composer. -- Christopher E. Mehrens * Music Reference Services Quarterly *This volume fulfills Benitez's 'hope that it will serve as an intellectual springboard into the mind of one of the most creative musicians of the twentieth century and Messiaen's self-described 'synthesis of all that he had done up to that point in his career as a composer', the opera Saint François d'Assise." -- Melissa Cummins - Sam Houston State University * MLA NOTES *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsNotes on the TextIntroduction: Setting the Stage for Messiaen's Compositional Summa1. Theology as Light in Saint François d'Assise2. A Theological Opera and Its Musical Themes3. Form as an Expression of the Beyond4. Chords and Colors: The Harmonic Vocabulary of Saint François d'Assise5. Analyzing the Musical Language of Saint François d'Assise6. Light, Freedom, and the Beauty of Creation: Birdsong in Saint François d'Assise7. Tonal-Dramatic Associations in Saint Francis's Spiritual Journey8. Saint Francis's Path toward the Numinous: A Tonal-Color NarrativeEpilogue: Saint François d'Assise as Religious Drama in a Contemporary WorldAppendix 1 GlossaryAppendix 2 Dramatic SynopsisNotesBibliographyIndex
£26.99
The University of Chicago Press The VerdiBoito Correspondence
Book SynopsisWith a glimpse of the daily life of European art and artists during the fertile last decades of the nineteenth century, this book is suitable for anyone passionate about opera.Trade Review"Verdi, who had previously considered librettists good only for translating into verse dramatic outlines he had already created, learned to work with an equal; Boito was a superb poet, passionately devoted to the renewal of the musical theater, who had to be treated as a peer, not a subordinate. The letters, stuffed with fascinating detail, catch the two titans in the process of creating the revised Simon Boccanegra, then Otello and Falstaff; sections of text, structural and musical ideas, even production concepts fly back and forth between Milan and Sant'Agata.... A must-have for every music lover's shelf." (Kirkus) "Opera lovers will be pleased." (Publishers Weekly)
£24.00
Alma Books Ltd Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg (The Mastersingers
Book SynopsisDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg is the only comedy among Richard Wagner''s mature works. Unusually for Wagner, it is set in a historically specific time and place, sixteenthcentury Nuremberg, and tells of a song contest among the town''s guildsmen. It nevertheless explores the same themes of renewal, renunciation and human love as Wagner''s other great music dramas. The finely drawn humanity of its principal characters and the brilliance of its musical invention make it one of the most rewarding operas in the repertory.The guide contains articles on the complex historical and political background to the opera, a detailed examination of its musical structure and a survey of its sometimes contentious performance history. Further articles explore some of the work''s roots in the poetry of Schiller and the vexed question of the extent to which Wagner''s virulent anti-Semitism may be said to be present in the opera. The guide also includes the full libretto with English translation, sixteen pages of illustrations, a musical thematic guide, a discography, a bibliography and DVD and website guides.
£10.80
Graffeg Limited ABC of Opera: The Academy of Barmy Composers -
Book SynopsisA school trip goes from boring to brilliant when Jack and Megan are reunited with their old friend Trunk and travel back to the Classical period and the cities of Salzburg and Paris, discovering the music of Windy Wolfie (Mozart), Tortellini Rossini, the moody yet resilient Bilious Beethoven, and many more.
£8.65
Cambridge University Press NineteenthCentury Opera and the Scientific Imagination
Book SynopsisScientific thinking has long been linked to music theory and instrument making, yet the profound and often surprising intersections between the sciences and opera during the long nineteenth century are here explored for the first time. These touch on a wide variety of topics, including vocal physiology, theories of listening and sensory communication, technologies of theatrical machinery and discourses of biological degeneration. Taken together, the chapters reveal an intertwined cultural history that extends from backstage hydraulics to drawing-room hypnotism, and from laryngoscopy to theatrical aeronautics. Situated at the intersection of opera studies and the history of science, the book therefore offers a novel and illuminating set of case studies, of a kind that will appeal to historians of both science and opera, and of European culture more generally from the French Revolution to the end of the Victorian period.Trade Review'There is an interesting discussion of whether opera was beneficial or dangerous for the mentally ill. This exploration of the intersection of two important aspects of 19th-century Western life will interest scientists and musicians alike.' R. Pitts, Choice'Over the course of the essays, all of which are excellent, the book weaves a very solid network of living objects, which resonate with each other from chapter to chapter and bear witness to the inextricable entanglement between the operatic stage and the scientific stage in nineteenth-century opera, echoes of which are still audible today.' Isabelle Moindrot, Revue de musicologieTable of Contents1. Introduction: the laboratory and the stage David Trippett and Benjamin Walton; Part I. Voices: 2. Pneumotypes: Jean de Reszke's high pianissimos and the occult sciences of breathing James Q. Davies; 3. Vocal culture in the age of laryngoscopy Benjamin Steege; 4. Operatic fantasies in early nineteenth-century psychiatry Carmel Raz; 5. Opera and hypnosis: Victor Maurel's experiments in suggestion with Verdi's Otello Céline Frigau Manning; Part II. Ears: 6. Hearing space in the music of Hector Berlioz Julia Kursell; 7. From distant sounds to Aeolian ears: Ernst Kapp's auditory prosthesis David Trippett; 8. Wagner, hearing loss, and the urban soundscape of late nineteenth-century Germany James Deaville; Part III. Technologies: 9. Science, technology and love in late eighteenth-century opera Deirdre Loughridge; 10. Technological phantoms of the opéra Benjamin Walton; 11. Circuit listening Ellen Lockhart; Part IV. Bodies: 12. Excelsior as mass ornament: the reproduction of gesture Gavin Williams; 13. Automata, physiology and opera Myles Jackson; 14. Wagnerian manipulation: Bayreuth and the sciences of the mind James Kennaway; 15. Unsound seeds Alexander Rehding.
£100.70
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Haydn Encyclopedia
Book SynopsisFor well over two hundred years, Joseph Haydn has been by turns lionized and misrepresented - held up as celebrity, and disparaged as mere forerunner or point of comparison. And yet, unlike many other canonic composers, his music has remained a fixture in the repertoire from his day until ours. What do we need to know now in order to understand Haydn and his music? With over eighty entries focused on ideas and seven longer thematic essays to bring these together, this distinctive and richly illustrated encyclopedia offers a new perspective on Haydn and the many cultural contexts in which he worked and left his indelible mark during the Enlightenment and beyond. Contributions from sixty-seven scholars and performers in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, capture the vitality of Haydn studies today - its variety of perspectives and methods - and ultimately inspire further exploration of one of western music''s most innovative and influential composers.Trade Review'This is a fascinating, wide-ranging volume written by leading Haydn scholars from around the world. The simultaneously substantive and incisive essays, a pleasure to read as they enlighten at every turn, ably reflect and build on recent Haydn scholarship. In short, The Cambridge Haydn Encyclopedia is essential reading for all musicians - performers, listeners, scholars, critics - experienced and inexperienced alike, who want better to understand and appreciate Haydn and his remarkable musical achievements.' Simon P. Keefe, J. R. Hoyle Chair in Music, University of Sheffield, and author of Mozart in Vienna: the Final Decade'… this encyclopedia is replete with thoughtful information on the significance of Haydn to his times and on how aspects of his times - including the Enlightenment overall - impacted his development and production. Illustrations, including musical excerpts, are scattered throughout, with cross-references embedded in the narratives … Highly recommended.' A. J. Adam, Choice'The Cambridge Haydn Encyclopedia has much of value and is eminently user-friendly …' David Threasher, Gramophone'A paradise for 'dipping in' at random and seeing where the journey takes you.' Malcolm Hayes, BBC Music Magazine'Four years in the making, this book is a significant and welcome addition to Haydn studies. By adopting the same ethos as the great encyclopaedists of the past, the editors have opened up some fresh areas of musical knowledge to modern readers. The best work from previous centuries is included, along with fresh topics related to our own times. So, while some entries, such as acoustics and counterpoint, are subjects that the reader would naturally expect to encounter, others - notably disability and gender - reflect the new research pathways that young scholars are choosing to follow today.' Denis McCaldin, Haydn Society Journal'This major book is a treasure trove, a cabinet of wonders … a Wiki-Haydn … in an inspired touch, short entries, ranging in length from two to five pages, are punctuated by seven much longer 'conceptual essays', like pillars in a temple, which both tie together a cluster of other entries and fly their own kites … We can be grateful to Clark and Day-O'Connell for assembling such a rich and stimulating, if necessarily pointillist, portrait of this joyful composer.' Michael Spitzer, Eighteenth-Century MusicTable of ContentsPreface and guide to readers; Acknowledgments; List of figures; List of musical examples; List of contributors; Chronology; Abbreviations; List of entries and essays; A-Z entries and essays; Bibliography; Index.
£144.40
John Murray Press Noisy at the Wrong Times
Book Synopsis''Hugely entertaining and inspiring'' The Sunday TimesOne of The Sunday Times'' 100 biographies to loveThe inspirational and colourful memoir of Michael Volpe, the general manager of Opera Holland Park. The son of Italian immigrants, he and his brothers were raised by his mother on a council estate in West London, before he attended Woolverstone Hall, a prestigious state boarding school designed to give bright inner city boys the opportunity of a public school education. Set against a backdrop of nuns, hit men, ice cream vans, rugby, gangsters, strict school masters and music, Noisy at the Wrong Times is the vibrant, funny, inspiring story of a boy who was given a chance - though whether he took it or not is another question...AS SEEN ON BBC ARTS'' HIP HOP 2 OPERATrade Review'Hugely entertaining and inspiring' The Sunday Times - The Sunday Times'You'll laugh, you'll cry. Life affirming' Fiona Maddocks, Opera critic for the Observer'Volpe is a skilled and persuasive writer, and lets the extraordinary facts of his story do the talking' Sinfini Music - Sinfini Music
£9.49
Paul Dry Books Weep Shudder Die
Book Synopsis
£17.95
Elliott & Thompson Limited Opera (Classic FM Handy Guides)
Book SynopsisSome of classical music's most famous works are found in opera, and from film soundtracks to football stadiums, it reaches a vast worldwide audience. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the key styles in the genre, from the Baroque era to the modern masters, the greatest composers, voices and venues, as well as recommending essential operas to see and tracks to download. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series whether you're new to the world of classical music or an aficionado.Table of ContentsContents Introduction vii Preface ix 1 Opera History in a Nutshell 1 2 The Men Behind the Words 35 3 Operatic Voices 39 4 Where to See Opera 45 5 What To Do at the Opera 57 6 40 Essential Operas 61 7 The Top 30 Opera Tracks to Download 81 8 Useful Operatic Terms 89 About Classic FM 93 About the Author 95 Index 97
£7.49
Atlantic Books Nellie: The Life and Loves of a Diva
Book Synopsis'In this highly readable biography of Nellie Melba...Robert Wainwright tells the story of the girl with the incredible voice who, by sheer force of her personality and power of her decibels, took the operatic world by storm and managed to escape from her violent husband' Ysenda Maxtone Graham, DAILY MAILNellie Melba is remembered as a squarish, late middle-aged woman dressed in furs and large hats, an imperious Dame whose voice ruled the world for three decades and inspired a peach and raspberry dessert. But to succeed, she had to battle social expectations and misogyny that would have preferred she stay a housewife in outback Queensland rather than parade herself on stage. She endured the violence of a bad marriage, was denied by scandal a true love with the would-be King of France, and suffered for more than a decade the loss of her only son - stolen by his angry, vengeful father. Despite these obstacles, she built and maintained a career as an opera singer and businesswoman on three continents which made her one of the first international superstars. Award-winning biographer Robert Wainwright presents a very different portrait of this great diva, one that celebrates both her musical contributions and her rich and colourful personal life.Trade ReviewIn this highly readable biography of Nellie Melba...Robert Wainwright tells the story of the girl with the incredible voice who, by sheer force of her personality and power of her decibels, took the operatic world by storm and managed to escape from her violent husband -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *Jolly gossipy reading, easily digested * The Telegraph *Wainwright's delightfully revisionist biography of Dame Nellie Melba rescues her from fusty Victorianisms to analyse her struggles and resilience to overcome misogyny and social expectation in becoming one of history's greatest opera singers. * Waterstones.com *[A] rounded portrait...the Melba that emerges is not only a prodigious talent but a trailblazing, fiercely independent and determined woman. * Sydney Morning Herald *Most people know the outlines of the career of the legendary nineteenth-century diva Nellie Melba, but this biography offers new insights. What Melba went through to become the toast of the musical world is almost unbelievable to our twenty-first century eyes and how she handled it makes for remarkablereading -- Judging panel for the 2022 Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award (longlisted title)Wainwright has a reporter's eye for the telling detail, and an ear for good copy...a racy tale, and briskly told. * The Australian, on NELLIE *A gem of a biography. * The Lady, on ENID *My jaw kept dropping as I devoured Robert Wainwright's wonderfully racy biography, full of comedy and tragedy and populated by some of the most dissolute and eccentric aristocrats of the 20th century. -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, on ENID *Enid's story is dazzling and uplifting, and she certainly lived up to her code: "Never be afraid, never be jealous, and never complain when you are ill." -- Christopher Silvester * Spears, on ENID *As social history Sheila Chisholm's life is fascinating... it's undeniably enjoyable to read of all that glitter and gold. -- Selina Hastings * Spectator, on SHEILA *Table of Contents1: Opposites attract 2: 'I must make some money' 3: 'You wait and see' 4: The audition 5: The house of women 6: The dress 7: Becoming Melba 8: 'You are the star' 9: Covent Garden 10: A doctrine of rivalry 11: 'An Australian girl' takes Paris 12: The devil who leaves 13: The patron 14: Taking a cold house by storm 15: Prince Gamelle 16: A diva meets a duc 17: To Russia with lust 18: Melba nights 19: 'I'll whip him and see what he's worth' 20: Crossing boundaries 21: Armstrong v Armstrong 22: A just dessert 23: Facing the music 24: Murphy's law 25: A resolute intent 26: The first singer in the world 27: A fall from grace 28: Of envious men 29: A Wagnerian tragedy 30: A Star-Spangled Banner 31: Divorce, Texas-style 32: Australia finally 33: The brutal Truth 34: 'I am five feet eleven inches' 35: The long farewell
£16.19
Danann Media Publishing Limited Gilbert and Sullivan
Book Synopsis
£42.50
Melbourne Books Chalet Monet: Inside the Home of Dame Joan
Book SynopsisSituated in a dress circle position on the slopes of the village of Les Avants, overlooking Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Chalet Monet is the magnificent home of Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE and her husband, Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE. In his charming, eloquent, conversational style, Richard Bonynge takes us inside the home he has shared with Dame Joan, and in so doing provides rare insight into the lives of two of the greatest international cultural icons in opera of all time. The Chalet was introduced to Dame Joan and Richard by their close friend Noël Coward who resided in the neighbouring property. The opulence of each of the distinctive rooms over the four floors and vistas from the Chalet is artfully captured in stunning photography. Paintings and objets dart line the walls and fill the cabinets, each with their own provenance; presented by royalty or celebrities, embroided by Dame Joan or collected by Richard. Through the stories of these artefacts, told by Richard in eloquent conversational style, we learn about the life and times of two of the most formidable figures associated with opera in the 20th century. "For those fortunate enough to have discovered and experienced the thrill of opera and all the larger than life characters associated with it, to enter Chalet Monet is somewhat of a fairy tale experience that could be taken right out of a Cinderella story ... Chalet Monet is a house with a thousand stories. It is living history, theatrical, a beautiful home with enormous spirit like its owners. It radiates grandeur yet intimacy with places to sit and contemplate, views to linger over, books to be read, paintings to admire and music to listen to. It is a treasure trove for the senses where many a story has been told orbegun. Only its walls and its owners remember the decades of music making here and possibly the oddneighbour and the cows on the grassy slopes ... Thank you, Richard for allowing us to enter your private and colourful world." From the Preface by Fiona Janes, Artistic Director/General Manager Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation. This sumptuously produced coffee table book captures the essence of the fairy tale that is Chalet Monet.
£59.19
Bohlau Verlag Invocations of Europe: Music Theatre and the
Book Synopsis
£61.19
Georg Olms Verlag AG Royal Opera House Muscat
Book Synopsis
£165.00
Georg Olms Verlag AG Royal Opera House Muscat
Book SynopsisThis book relates the story of the establishment of the Royal Opera House Muscat as one of the great achievements of the Renaissance that was ushered in forty-five years ago when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos acceded to the throne of the Sultanate of Oman in the summer of 1970. In a remarkably short period of time, an advanced nation was built on the foundations of a proud history. In contrast to the middle decades of the twentieth century, Oman today has a strong, sustainable economy and a fully modern infrastructure, including state-of-the-art transportation and communication systems, as well as first-rate facilities for universal healthcare and a comprehensive system of education. The Renaissance is, at the same time, characterised by cultural efflorescence. While preserving the country''s traditional heritage and culture, His Majesty introduced new forms of music to further enrich the cultural life of the nation. The history of the Royal Opera House is intimately linked with the evolution of music in modern Oman, which in turn is anchored in the nation''s rich musical heritage.
£81.74
Transcript Verlag Operatic Pasticcios in Eighteenth–Century Europe
Book SynopsisIn Early Modern times, techniques of assembling, compiling and arranging pre-existing material were part of the established working methods in many arts. In the world of 18th-century opera, such practices ensured that operas could become a commercial success because the substitution or compilation of arias fitting the singer's abilities proved the best recipe for fulfilling the expectations of audiences. Known as "pasticcios" since the 18th-century, these operas have long been considered inferior patchwork. The volume collects essays that reconsider the pasticcio, contextualize it, define its preconditions, look at its material aspects and uncover its aesthetical principles.
£53.59
Museum Tusculanum Press Vocal Victories: Wagner's Female Characters from
Book Synopsis
£47.59
Oxford University Press Understanding Italian Opera
Book SynopsisOpera has long fascinated creative artists and audiences alike. It is often regarded as the pinnacle of high art, yet it is also shrouded in mystique. Understanding Italian Opera unravels its many layers by looking closely at five of the most enduring and emblematic Italian operas from Monteverdi to Puccini.Trade ReviewRequired reading. * C. A. Traupman-Carr, CHOICE *[Carter's] book provides a splendid corrective that makes it recommended reading for anyone seeking a more complete 'understanding' of one of the most successful genres in Western culture. * Kenneth Chalmers, Opera *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1: What is Opera? ; Some definitions ; In praise of librettists ; Italian versification ; Poetic structures and musical consequences ; Two examples from Mozart ; An "exotic and irrational entertainment"? ; 2: Giovanni Francesco Busenello and Claudio Monteverdi, ; L'incoronazione di Poppea (Venice, 1643) ; Monteverdi in Venice ; The first operas ; "But here the matter is represented differently" ; "Speaking" and "singing" ; Seductive Poppea ; Seneca's death ; Ottavia in exile ; Ecstasies of love ; 3: Nicola Francesco Haym and George Frideric Handel, ; Giulio Cesare in Egitto (London, 1724) ; Arcadian reforms ; Adapting Bussani ; Recitatives and arias ; Some alternatives ; "Fly, my heart, to the sweet enchantment" ; Taming Cleopatra ; Cesare returns ; All's well... ; 4: Lorenzo da Ponte and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, ; Le nozze di Figaro (Vienna, 1786) ; ... these Italian gentlemen are very civil to your face ; Translating Beaumarchais ; Aria forms ; A duet, a trio, and a sextet ; Finales ; Readings and messages ; 5: Francesco Maria Piave and Giuseppe Verdi, ; Rigoletto (Venice, 1851) ; "Le Roi s'amuse" ; Cantabiles and cabalettas ; Duets ; Arias and monologues ; A quartet ... a storm ... and a death ; 6: Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica, and Giacomo Puccini, ; La Boheme (Turin, 1896) ; Bohemian rhapsodies ; A publisher, two librettists, and a rival ; A missing act ; Verse and music ; Formless forms? ; Operatic realisms ; Mimi dies ; 7: Afterthoughts
£36.09
Oxford University Press Charles Munch
Book SynopsisIn Charles Munch, D. Kern Holoman provides the first full biography of this giant of twentieth-century music, tracing his dramatic survival in occupied Paris, his triumphant arrival at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and his later years, when he was a leading cultural figure in the United States, a man known and admired by Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy.Trade ReviewA fascinating read. Holoman's passion for and knowledge of his subject is quite compelling. In contemporary discussions of the great conductors of that era, Munch tends to be relatively overlooked. Holoman makes a persuasive historical case for Munch's importance, both to musical life in France and to the evolution of the Boston Symphony. Along the way, he also provides a detailed look at what life was like for conductors (and orchestras) in the middle part of the twentieth century. * Aaron Sherber, Music Director and Conductor, Martha Graham Dance Company *A joy to read: well-conceived, well-executed, well-written. Holoman's combination of musical and literary skill brings twentieth-century culture to life throughout, on both sides of the Atlantic. 'Ah, qu'il était beau!' and he still is, in Holoman's vivid biography. * Thomas Kelly, Harvard University *Charles Munch * the musical icon. When you played a concert with Charles Munch or attended one of his performances as a listener, it was not just a concert. It was an event. He never used the same palette twice. As a player, you had to give 110% of yourself, or be left out of the music. This book is an excellent portrayal of this musical phenomenon!Vic Firth *The qualities that marked D. Kern Holoman's biography of Berlioz and his epic The Société des Concerts du Conservatoire * the grand sweep combined with the minute attention to detail, the narrative flair, the breadth of human sympathy, the evocation of the musician's existence, which, as himself a conductor and organiser of concerts, he understands so wellshine out in this new book. Charles Munch's life, spanning three continents and two world wars, raises fascinating issuespersonal, social, political, as well as musical. Reading it, we learn both about the teeming, intricate world of mid-twentieth-century music and about the struggles and achievements of one of its best-loved and most committed practitioners. Holoman has a remarkable story to tell and he tells it superbly.David Cairns *Among its other virtues, D. Kern Holoman's warmly sympathetic new biography sheds necessary light on an already forgotten chapter from the history of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Few readers of this book will be prepared to discover what was expected of a Boston Symphony music director as of 1949, when Charles Munch took over from Serge Koussevitzky * Munch was to stay put in Boston; guest conductors were a rarity. And there was new music on virtually every subscription concert. A lot has changed since then.Joseph Horowitz, author of Classical Music in America: A History *A book such as this has been needed for quite a while...Very strongly recommended: it is a masterly study. * Musical Opinion *Beautifully written and arranged in every respect...Accessible to a wide audience...Recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1 Strasbourg, Paris, Leipzig : September 1891 - October 1932 ; 2 Paris : November 1932 - May 1938 ; 3 The Societe des Concerts : June 1938 - May 1945 ; 4 Leaving France : June 1945 - September 1949 ; 5 Winning Boston : October 1949 - June 1951 ; 6 Boston after Koussevitzky : July 1951 - July 1956 ; 7 The Iron Curtain and Beyond : August 1956 - August 1958 ; 8 Shifting Perspectives in Boston : September 1958 - April 1962 ; 9 Paris, Again : May 1962 - August 1966 ; 10 The Orchestre de Paris : September 1966 - November 1968 ; 11 An Eternal Smile ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index
£29.92
Oxford University Press Verdi
Book SynopsisIn this third edition of the classic Verdi, renowned authority Julian Budden offers a comprehensive overview of Verdi the man and the artist, tracing his ascent from humble beginnings to the status of a cultural patriarch of the new Italy.Table of ContentsIllustrations ; Key to Sigla ; PART I THE LIFE ; 1. Early Life at Busseto ; 2. Success and Failure in Milan ; 3. The Journeyman ; 4. Florence, London and Paris ; 5. Return to Busseto ; 6. Viva V.E.R.D.I. ; 7. The New Order ; 8. The Dark Decade ; 9. Indian Summer ; 10. The Last Years ; 11. Verdi as Man and Artist ; PART II THE MUSIC ; 12. The Background ; 13. From Oberto to Ernani ; Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio, Un giorno di regno, Nabucco, I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Ernani ; 14. The Prison Years ; I due Foscari, Giovanna d'Arco, Alzira, Attila, Macbeth, I masnadieri, Jerusalem, Il corsaro, La battaglia di Legnano, Luisa Miller ; 15. The High Noon ; Stiffelio, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata ; 16. Towards Grand Opera ; Les vepres siciliennes, Simon Boccanegra, Aroldo, Un ballo in maschera, La forza del destino, Don Carlos, Aida ; 17. The Final Masterpieces ; Otello, Falstaff ; 18. Miscellaneous Operatic Compositions ; 19. Chamber Compositions ; 20. Choral and Religious Works ; Appendices ; A. Calendar ; B. List of Works ; C. Personalia ; D. Select Bibliography ; E. Glossary of Nineteenth-Century Operatic Terms ; Index
£32.29
Oxford University Press Finding an Ending Reflections on Wagners Ring
Book SynopsisFew musical works loom as large in Western culture as Richard Wagner's four-part "Ring of the Nibelung". This work looks at this greatest of Wagner's achievements, focusing on its far-reaching and subtle exploration of problems of meanings and endings in this life and world.Trade Review"In Finding an Ending Kitcher and Schacht break free from the contemporary clichés of producers determined to show Wotan as nothing more than a capitalist crook, and of commentators more interested in Wagner's political and ideological opinions than in his surpassing artistic achievement. It is the latter that they are exclusively concerned with, and they argue their case with style and passion. The result is the most rewarding new account of the Ring that I have read in many years, and it will surely take its place as one of the classics of Wagner criticism." --Michael Tanner, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, and author of Wagner"Eloquent...there is none of the extreme tone which so dominates both anti-Wagner tirades and expressions of Wagner idolatry. Instead, the mood introduced at the outset and maintained throughout is dignified and circumspect.... An analytic gem...[Kitcher and Schacht's] definitions and explanations [are] crystal clear.... Their discussion on the Ring teems with intimate references to musical movements, some of them truly moving.... This book will surely satisfy Wagner aficionados as much as it will make those who are new to the Ring feel welcome."--Nicholas Vazsonyi, Wagner Notes"This book examines the richness and complexity of Der Ring des Nibelungen. I particularly enjoyed the careful analysis of each of the important characters in their society, their psychological undercurrents, and their reactions to others. Philip Kitcher and Richard Schacht demonstrate how these mythological gods and heroes are ultimately recognizable as purely human." --Jane Eaglen"Each chapter contains thought-provoking discussions that will intellectually engage readers, even those who are unmoved, or perhaps repelled, by Wagner's music and ideas.... This book plunges more deeply into the intricacies of character development in the Ring itself, touching more lightly upon the details of philosophical inquiry. Recommended for all collections."--Library Journal"Determined like no other composer to 'fathom the depths of philosophy,' Wagner wrote operas exploring the elemental passions and conflicts of the human condition. Kitcher and Schacht, distinguished philosophers in their own right, present a profound analysis of the guiding ideas of the Ring which enables us to grasp as never before the power of Wagner's most ambitious work." --Charles E. Larmore, University of Chicago Law School"A strikingly successful reading of Wagner's music drama as a philosophical meditation on the meaning of human existence and freedom." --Paul Boghossian, New York University
£14.99
Oxford University Press Inventing the Business of Opera The Impresario and His World in SeventeenthCentury Venice AMS Studies in Music
Book SynopsisInventing the Business of Opera explores public opera in its infancy, bringing to life the men and women who successfully established the new genre on the stages of Venice during the seventeenth century. All of the components necessary to opera production are highlighted, from the financial backing, to the libretto and the score, to the singers, dancers, the scenery, and the costumes.Trade Reviewthe many insights afforded to specialists are well balanced by a comprehensive and accessible narrative that can act as an introduction to the business of opera in early modern Europe. * Vassilis Vavoulis, Music and Letters *a trove of information about the intricacy of financial arrangements as well as about the whims of audiences in seventeenth -century Venice. * Herbert Lindenberger,The Opera QuarterlyHerbert Lindenberger, The Opera Quarterly *Table of ContentsPART 1: THE BUSINESS OF OPERA; PART 2: THE MUSICAL PRODUCTION; PART 3: THE PHYSICAL PRODUCTION; PART 4: CONSUMERS AND PATRONS; APPENDICES; GLOSSARY
£37.04
Oxford University Press, USA Musical Symbolism in the Operas of Debussy and Bartok Trauma Gender and the Unfolding of the Unconscious
Table of ContentsPREFACE; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
£40.84
Oxford University Press Music Direction for the Stage A View from the Podium
Book SynopsisOne of Broadway's foremost music directors emerges from the orchestra pit to tell how the music is put into a musical show. Part descriptive account, part instruction manual, this book offers a unique and invaluable look behind the scenes, from the point of view of the musical chief of staff, the music director.Trade ReviewIf you're interested in the world of musical theater I know you'll enjoy and learn from Joe Church's Music Direction For The Stage: A View From the Podium. * Alan Menken *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The View From The Podium ; Part I: The Music Director: A Job Description ; Chapter 1: Music Direction Yesterday And Today ; Chapter 2: Musical Stage Production ; Chapter 3: Job Opportunities For Music Directors ; Part II: Personnel ; Chapter 4: The Production Team ; Chapter 5: The Creative Team ; Chapter 6: The Music Team ; Chapter 7: The Performers ; Part III: Preproduction ; Chapter 8: Mounting A Production ; Chapter 9: The Music: Assessment And Analysis ; Chapter 10: Arranging For Music Directors ; Part IV: Rehearsals 1: Singers And The Stage ; Chapter 11: Overview Of Rehearsal Process ; Chapter 12: Individual Vocal Rehearsals ; Chapter 13: Ensemble Vocal Rehearsals ; Chapter 14: Rehearsals With Directors And Choreographers ; Chapter 15: Adapting Music To The Production ; Part V: Rehearsals 2: Musicians, Technicians, And The Venue ; Chapter 16: Orchestras And Orchestrations ; Chapter 17: Instrumental Conducting For The Stage ; Chapter 18: From The Studio To The Stage ; Part VI: Performance ; Chapter 19: Conducting In Performance ; Chapter 20: Maintaining A Production And Preserving A Show ; Chapter 21: Working As A Music Director ; Appendix A: Putting It Together ; Appendix B: Bibliography, Suggested Reading, And List Of Musical ; Works Cited
£42.74
Yale University Press Opera and its Symbols
Book SynopsisDiscusses the workings of symbolism in opera and the importance of staging an opera in keeping with the composer's intentions. Donington's analysis includes scenes and characters from operas by Monteverdi, Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Bizet, Puccini, Debussy, Strauss, Stravinsky, Berg and others.
£30.44
Yale University Press Litaliano con lopera
Book SynopsisThis publication seeks to help students learn Italian through opera. Designed to supplement intermediate level programmes, it can be used in courses emphasizing language, conversation, and/or culture. Six operas are examined, including "La Boheme", "Otello", "Tosca" and "La traviata".
£51.58
Yale University Press Cosima Wagner
Book SynopsisProvides a revealing picture of the extraordinary Cosima Wagner - illegitimate daughter of Franz Liszt, wife of the conductor Hans von Bulow, then mistress and subsequently wife of Richard Wagner. This biography explores the achievements of this remarkable and obsessive woman while illuminating a chapter of European cultural history.Trade Review"'Oliver Hilmes has written by far the best biography of her... His book is a model of scholarship and also compellingly readable... A major achievement.' (Michael Tanner, BBC Music Magazine) 'This biography of Wagner's wife offers a wonderfully clear-eyed look at the couple's relationship and her fanatical tending of his flame.' (The Sunday Times) 'Oliver Hilmes has produced a surprisingly amusing book.' (Philip Hensher, Daily Telegraph) 'He has written a detailed, fair-minded and fascinating account, not just of a pivotal figure in European musical history, but of an epoch and an ethos: nineteenth-century German cultural and spiritual nationalism.' (Robert Carver, The Tablet) 'This well-written book (translated brilliantly - as ever - by Stewart Spencer) offers a clear and scrupulous insight into how she created and stoked the peculiar mania that infected the Wagner cult.' (Della Couling, Classical Music)"
£40.46
Yale University Press Wagner in Performance
£29.33
Yale University Press Monteverdis Musical Theatre
£37.11
Hachette Books Maria Callas Remembered
Book SynopsisYears after her death Maria Callas remains one of the most renowned and compelling of all divas. Although much has been written about Callas the prima donna, the consummate stage magician, and the tragic lover of Aristotle Onassis, this is the first account of Maria the woman by someone who was close to her. Stancioff, a longtime friend, shares memories of the Maria who gave impromptu concerts of Beatles hits and Mexican ballads of the Maria who starved herself to conform to the image of a celebrity but would go into rhapsodies about a plate of pasta. And to her own warm reminiscences, Stancioff adds the insights of Maria''s friends, colleagues, and family. The figure that emerges is intriguing, infuriating, mystifying,and endlessly fascinating.
£15.19
