A FanFaire - ROUGH
GUIDES GIVEAWAY
THE ROUGH GUIDE TO
OPERA
 This
superb book has EVERYTHING you always wanted to know about OPERA
and were never afraid to ask.
As most opera lovers will tell you, there is nothing ROUGH about
this book, not even around the edges. The structure of this
733-page guide follows the evolution of opera - from the birth
of the art form in 15th century late-Renaissance Italy to contemporary
times. The book is systematically divided into sections - each
corresponding to a particular era in the development of opera;
the operas within each section are also organized chronologically
by composer.
This is a
FINE book packed with extensively-researched information on
the key or major works of opera composers - works that are today
(or were at one time) part of the standard repertoire, which
includes the popular and beloved works that are performed on
the stage of the world's opera houses regularly as well as currently
less known but otherwise major works that receive only occasional
performances. Thus they are the works that opera lovers are
likely to see in performance or on video, or listen to on record.
And in this regard, the information presented is very comprehensive.
The book is written in a clear style that makes it a joy to
read, and richly illustrated with images, photos and interesting
anecdotes about either the works or the composers. Throughout
the book are feature boxes on topics of human, historical, musical
or purely informational interest. And for each opera, an overview
of available recordings is presented.
The list
of composers is complete as can be: it includes the venerable
greats as well as the lesser known ones whom you or I may even
be learning of for the first time as we flip through the book.
Rising stars (e.g., Jake Heggie, Tobias Picker, Ricky Ian Gordon)
among today's generation of opera composers have not made it
to the Guide yet, perhaps because they have not been on the
scene long enough. (The list of opera composers since World
War II ends with Tan Dun). And the reader may spot an occasional,
perhaps inadvertent, inaccuracy.
But no matter... whether you love opera with a passion,
or are only beginning to get the hang of it, or still find opera
off-putting but are willing to give it a try, this is a book
you would like to be always within easy reach. Clearly, this
book is a diamond, NOT a diamond in the ROUGH! And if
you get to know the book from cover to cover, you will have
gained more than enough knowledge to make you the life of your
next cocktail party. |
