You are here: TheatreBooks > Opera>

Opera Books about the divas, the operas, the composers, the conductors and the theatres that are home to the greatest lyrical theatre will satisfy the opera maven or opera queen. All the opera guides from the great Grove and Kobbe to the hippest Rough Guide. For more on opera, please visit http://www.opera-is.com -- opera courses, opera tours and opera guides with Iain Scott, one of Canada's best-known and most popular opera educators and frequent guest on CBC radio's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and (for eight years) on the Texaco Opera Quiz from the Metropolitan in New York. The Opera Companion George Martin The Opera Companion is a classic reference book for opera lovers, whether devoted of casual, and the best introduction for beginners. It contains synopses of forty-seven operas, a catalog of major operas including lists of composers and librettists, and in depth explanations of the various techniques of opera such as overture, melody, aria and recitative. A short history of opera and an informative glossary are also included. Softcover, 693 pp. $19.95. Wagner: Beyond Good And Evil John Deathridge Celebrated scholar John Deathridge presents a critical view of Richard Wagner based on recent research and some less familiar sources, including hitherto seldom discussed letters and diaries and previously unpublished musical sketches. Rather than taking the course of least resistance by regarding him blandly as a 'classic' in the Western art tradition, Deathridge engages the debates that have raged about him and moves far beyond them. Hardcover, 302 pp. $47.95. Opera and the Morbidity of Music Joseph Kerman The death of classical music, the distinguished critic and musicologist Joseph Kerman declares, is "a tired vaccuous concept that will not die." In this wide ranging collection of essays and reviews, Kerman examines the ongoing vitality of the classical mmusic tradition from the days of Guillaume Dufay, John Taverner, and William Byrd to contemporary operas by Phillip Glass and John Adams. Hardcover, 373 pp. $33.00. Never Sang for Hitler: The Life and Times of Lotte Lehman Michael H. Kater Rather than a traditional biography, this book aims to be both a descriptive narrative of Lotte Lehman's life and a critical analysis of the interconnections of the artist and society. Michael H. Kater describes the varying phases of Lehmann's life, as well as the sociocultural settings in which she finds herself - whether in the Wilhemine Empire, the First Austrian Republic, Nazi Germany or the United States. Kater's use of Lehmann's personal and other papers reshapes much of what is known about her life and career. Hardcover, 394 pp. $36.95. The Toughest Show on Earth: My Rise and Reign at the Metropolitan Opera Joseph Volpe A fascinating, anecdote-filled, behind-the-scenes look at more than forty years of the highlights, successes, and day-to-day inner working -- all about productions, the divas, and backstage dramas - of New York's Metropolitan Opera House by Joseph Volpe, the only general manager to have risen through the ranks. The Toughest Show on Earth is the ultimate insider's chronicle of the art, personalities, productions, and politics of the Metropolitan Opera in our time. Softcover, 303 pp. $21.00. The Man Who Wrote Mozart: The Extraordinary Life of Lorenzo Da Ponte Anthony Holden Anthony Holden's marvelous biography gives a full account of the many lives and tall tales of Lorenzo Da Ponte- librettist of Mozart's three great operas, the Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte - a great collaborator: the man who wrote Mozart. Softcover, 238 pp. $18.95. Opera and Modern Culture: Wagner and Strauss Lawrence Kramer Opera and Modern Culture is a helpful guide to comprehending the impact of the modernist aesthetic in the still-influential operas of Wagner and Strauss. Softcover, 257 pp. $25.95. Mozart and his Operas David Cairns Here, David Cairns distils a lifetime of knowledge to tell Mozart's story afresh through some of his greatest works - the operas. From the early works to The Magic Flute, he shows us how Mozart's operas can deeply enrich our experience of his music as a whole, and transform our understanding of the man. Softcover, 290 pp. $20.00. Carmen Unzipped The incomparable pairing of the operatic/musical theatre genius of Jean Stilwell with the extraodinary musical direction of pianist Patti Loach has produced an outstanding CD of Carmen Unzipped which received 4 stars from CBC's Rick Phillips. The live performances of Carmen Unzipped sold out a month in advance in Toronto, but the magical musicality is captured on Carmen Unzipped. Cabaret performance at its finest, now available. $19.99. For more, visit their website. The Opera Lover's Companion Charles Osborne Written by a well-known authority, this guide focuses on 175 of the most popular operas. Each entry establishes the opera within the context of its composer's career, outlines the plot, discusses the music, and gives relevant background information on the libretto, the staging, and the most famous and influencial interpreters of the principle roles. This engaging guide is certain to enhance the experience of every opera lover. Softcover, 627 pp. $28.95. The New Grove Guide to Mozart and his Operas Julian Rushton One of the best known and most admired figures in European music was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His short but colorful life is of enduring interest, and his works remain central to the repertories of classical music. This book gives a concise and scholarly account of Mozart's activities as a composer of operas. It includes a concise biography, orientated toward the operas; an essay on Mozart's operatic contribution and style; a separate synopsis and historical account of each opera; and three essays which bind into narrative form the dictionary entries on librettists, interpreters, and venues. There is a new introduction, a glossary of relevant terms, a list of operatic roles and a guide to listening. Softcover, 233 pp. $19.95. The New Grove Guide to Verdi and his Operas Roger Parker Here is a compact guide to Verdi's life and operas. Roger Parker has based this volume on articles in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, featuring up-to-date information on the life of Verdi, his works, librettists, and interpreters, and the places where his works have been performed. Parker compiled these meticulously researched articles into an organized narrative, designed to make finding information on Verdi as easy as possible without sacrificing readability. He has also added a new introduction, a new section on modern Verdi productions, and an up-dated bibliography. In addition, this marvelous resource includes a suggested listening guide and an eight-page insert containing relevant illustrations. Softcover, 252 pp. $19.95. Start-Up at the New Met: The Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts, 1966-1976 Paul Jackson In this new volume, Paul Jackson expands his survey of the broadcasts by examining the decade (1966-1976) that saw the move from the old opera house uptown to the current technological marvel at Lincoln Center. An era of historical importance comes to life in these pages. The legendary creations of Tebaldi and Corelli, Nilsson and Vickers, Sutherland and Tucker, of Caballe, Crespin, Price, Rysanek, Bergonzi, Gedda, to name a few, are explored in depth. Including 100 dramatic photographs of performers and performances, Start-up at the New Met will delight devotees of the broadcasts and opera lovers everywhere. Hardcover, 640 pp. $64.95. Understanding the Women of Mozart's Operas Kristi Brown Montesano In this lively book, Kristi Brown-Montesano offers a detailed exploration of the female roles in Mozart's four most frequently performed operas, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, and Die Zauberflote. Each chapter takes a close look at the music, libretto text, literary sources, and historical factors that give shape to a character, reevaluating common assumptions and proposing fresh interpretations. Hardcover, 316 pp. $51.95. The Grove Book of Operas Stanley Sadie & Laura Macy The Grove Book of Operas is the ideal reference for the opera lover. First published in 1996 to great critical and popular success, it provides succint yet insightful synopses of more than 250 operas. This second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas, including John Adams' The Death of Klinghoffer, Poul Ruders' A Handmaid's Tale, and Mark Adamo's Little Women. Opera aficionados will not want to be without this authoritative volume. Hardcover, 740 pp. $41.95. A Vision of the Orient: Texts, Intertexts, and Contexts of Madame Butterfly Various authors From its original colonial beginnings, the Butterfly story has been turned about and inverted in recent years to shed light back on the nature of the relationship between East and West, remaining popular in its original version as well as in retellings such as David Henry Hwang's play M. Butterfly and David Cronenberg's screen adaptation. The combined perspectives that result from this collaboration provide new and challenging insights into the powerful, resonant myth of a painful encounter between East and West. Hardcover, 262 pp. $53.00. Opera Lover's Cookbook Francine Segan Each chapter of the Opera Lover's Cookbook presents a culinary performance - an elegant five-course dinner, a brunch, a dessert party - scored to a particular operatic motif or keyed to the work of a renowned composer, such as Puccini or Verdi. Sumptuosly illustrated with photographs of featured dishes and lavish productions mounted by New York's Metropolitan Opera Company, Opera Lover's Cookbook also dispenses advice on home entertaining and on setting the scene with stunning table decor. Its more than 125 recipes include appetizers and hors d'oeuvres; soup, salad, fish, and pasta courses; main dishes; sweets; and thematic aperitif, cocktail, and after-dinner drinks. This tremendous repertoire will delight even the most demanding divas and imperious impresarios. Hardcover, 224 pp. $45.00. On Opera Bernard Williams This elegant volume covers an engaging range of topics from Mozart to Wagner, including sparkling essays on specific operas by those composers as well as Verdi, Puccini, Strauss, Debussy, Janacek and Tippett. Two aspects of music are of central importance to Williams: the demands of composing, performing and staging opera on the one hand, and the immediacy and power of its emotional purchase, the ability of music to move both the heart and the intellect, on the other. Reflecting Williams brilliance, passion, and clarity of mind, these essays engage with, and illustrate, the enduring appeal of opera as an art form. Hardcover, 149 pp. $39.00. Lorenzo Da Ponte: The Adventures of Mozart's Librettist in the Old and New Worlds Rodney Bolt In 1805, Lorenzo Da Ponte opened a grocery shop in New York. In the first forty years of his life he had converted from Judaism to Christianity, been a poet, priest, lover and libertine, a friend of Casanova, collaborator then enemy of Salieri, a favourite of Emperor Joseph II, and ultimately the librettist of three of Mozart's most sublime operas. This lively biography does full and entertaining justice to a larger-than-life character and a rich and captivating period in history. Hardcover, 428 pp. $45.00. The Ring: An Illustrated History of Wagner's Ring at The Royal Opera House Richard Snelson A celebratory history of one of the greatest of operatic events at one of the greatest of world opera houses, this handsome full-colour edition charts the story of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at The Royal Opera House from the first staging in 1892 -- conducted by Gustav Mahler -- through to the increasingly controversial productions of the late 20th century. The pictorial record, The Royal Opera House Collections, includes many images never published before. Hardcover, 182 pp. $85.00. The New Grove Guide to Wagner and his Operas Barry Millington One of the most controversial figures in the history of ideas as well as music, Richard Wagner continues to stimulate debate whenever his works are performed. Drawing upon the scholarship of The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Barry Millington offers a concise, portable survey of Wagner's works, which will make a welcome addition to the shelf of anyone who loves opera. Softcover, 190 pp. $19.95. If music be the food of love, play on... Various authors Sir Peter Jonas was "Intendant" at the Bavarian State Opera for thirteen years. With the summer season of 2006, his tenure came to an end, and with it, an era in the history of the opera house with the richest tradition north of the Alps, an era that will remain unforgettable for more than just passionate opera fans. Together with General Music Director Zubin Mehta, he cast the Munich Opera in a new light, artistically, aesthetically, socially, and in terms of cultural politics -- even in a way that reached the so-called man on the street. This luxurious book celebrates the Jonas/Mehta era in pictures. Hardcover, 263 pp. $115.00. Placido Domingo and the Royal Opera Christina Franchi, editor Placido Domingo, one of the legendary opera singers of our time, is the subject of this first opera book in the Royal Opera House Heritage Series. This book illustrates all aspects of Domingo's work with The Royal Opera: in rehearsal, in performance, on the big screen, and backstage after galas. It also includes a selection of family photographs provided by the Domingos. Softcover, 133 pp. $50.00. Voicing Gender Naomi Andre Naomi Andre's book explores the power of opera to capture the fluidity of sexuality through voices that transcend the prescriptions of gender. Her demonstration of the relationship between the castrato sound world and the emergance of new roles for mezzo-sopranos and contraltos in the early 19th century is insightful and intriguing. This is a sophisticated and original work of historical and critical scholarship. Softcover, 230 pp. $32.95. Britten's Children John Bridcut A tender and balanced account of Benjamin Britten's intense friendships with adolescent boys, Britten's Children shows how these relationships helped Britten re-create a sense of his own happy childhood, and also how they influenced his music. John Bridcut interweaves discussion of the music with accounts of the unique friendships that influenced it, creating a fresh prism through which to view the composer's life. Ultimately, this is a moving story of human relationships and how they bore artistic fruit. Hardcover, 334 pp. $39.00. A Nut at the Opera Maurice Vellekoop With characters such as Olga Pickuptrucksaya and Vatda Heck and references ranging throughout the history of opera, nothing -- from the heights of Wagnerian solemnity to the excesses of French spectacle -- escapes the elegant skewering of Vellekoop's pen. Featuring Vellekoop's trademark lavish, over-the-top illustrations throughout, A Nut at the Opera is for the opera aesthete. Hardcover, 88 pp. $24.95. Opera Coaching: Professional Techniques and Considerations Alan Montgomery The opera coach is a teacher who helps singers not only to meet the physical and vocal demands of a score, but -- like the dramatic coach -- shapes their entire performance. A good opera coach's knowledge will range from a full understanding of human physiognomy and the human voice, to the many languages used in Western vocal music, to the entire expanse of the opera repertoire, from its roots in 17th century sung drama through today's most modern compositions. Opera Coaching covers all of these topics and more, making it the ideal resource for anyone interested in this fascinating career. Softcover, 209 pp. $29.95. Letters from a Life: Selected Letters of Benjamin Britten: Volume 3, 1946-51 Donald Mitchell, Philip Reed & Mervyn Cooke This third volume of the annotated selected letters of composer Benjamin Britten covers the years 1946-51, during which he wrote many of hos best-known works, founded and developed the English Opera Group and the Aldeburgh Festival, and toured widely in Europe and the United States as a pianist and conductor. Hardcover, 758 pp. $76.95. Mozart: The Golden Years H.C. Robbins Landon The last decade of Mozart's short but amazingly prolific career counts as one of the most remarkable periods in the entire history of Western music. Softcover, 271 pp. $33.00. Opera as Drama Joseph Kerman In this second edition of the classic text, Joseph Kerman provides a serious and meticulously written treatise on the dramatic virtue of the operatic form. Chapters include Orpheus: The Neoclassical Vision, Opera as Sung Play, Mozart, Opera as Symphonic Poem, and Drama and the Alternative. Softcover, 232 pp. $27.95. The Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-Century Opera Mervyn Cooke Written by a distinguished team of academics, critics, and practitioners, this volume celebrates the extraordinary richness of the 20th century operatic repertoire. Herein, the reader will find a wealth of stimulating essays covering topics as diverse as: avant-garde theatre, operettas and musicals, filmed operas, as well as chapters devoted to the seminal composers and major movements. Softcover, 374 pp. $40.95. Back to top

Music-related pages Opera Music Film Scoring, Sound & Music Musical Theatre

Puccini: Without Excuses William Berger In this witty and informative guide for beginners and fans alike, William Berger sets the record straight, reclaiming Puccini as a serious artist. Combining his trademark irreverent humour with passionate enthusiasm, Berger strikes just the right balance of introductory information and thought-provoking analysis. He includes a biography, discussions of each opera, a glossary, fun facts and anecdotes -- and above all, keen insight into Puccini's enduring power. Softcover, 471 pp. $23.00. Opera: The Basics Denise Gallo This compact, yet detailed survey of opera serves as an excellent introduction to the performers, the music, and the styles that make opera an enduring and well-loved musical style. Softcover, 207 pp. $22.95. Mozart: The Early Years, 1756-1781 Stanley Sadie This is the first comprehensive look -- in more than half a century -- at the life and works of the composer's formative period. Renowned music historian Stanley Sadie takes us on a fascinating trip from Mozart's earliest days as a musical prodigy through his years of endless travel displaying his talents and finally to his escape from Salzburg, the provincial town of his youth. In Mozart: The Early Years we gain a twenty-first-century perspective on the composer whose life was extraordinarily colorful and whose works are arguably the most listened-to classical compositions today. Hardcover, 644 pp. $49.00. Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life Robert Spaethling The purpose of this book is to present the reader of English a new translation of letters written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The letters are published here with annotations, commentaries, and introductions so as to place them within a biographical context and offer a chronicle of the composer's life as reflected in his correspondence. Spanning a period of over twenty years, the letters document, in Mozart's own words, his personal development and artistic growth, from his first journey to Italy, at age 13, to the final months of his life in Vienna. Softcover, 479 pp. $25.00. George Tsypin Opera Factory: Building in the Black Void George Tsypin Forget everything you think you know about contemporary theatre design. The explosive work of Russian-born George Tsypin is changing the way audiences see theatrical productions of all kinds, and it will alter the way you think about what you see on stage. This gorgeous volume shows Tsypin's works for the most important opera houses in the world, from New York's Metropolitan Opera to Milan's La Scala to Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky Theater. Hardcover, 222 pp. $100.00. Fortissimo: Backstage at the Opera with Sacred Monsters and Young Singers William Murray In Fortissimo, William Murray chronicles the experiences of twelve young singers in Lyric Opera of Chicago's training program, the prestigious Opera Center for American Artists, through the 2003-2004 season. In the course of the year, these singers attend countless coaching sessions, inspiring master classes, nerve-racking auditions, grueling rehearsals, and, finally, rousing performances. This captivating tale is sure to inspire and entertain all who read it. Hardcover, 273 pp. $34.95. Opera & Wine: Wine in Opera Valentino Monticello This glorious volume fuses Valentino Monticello's three loves: opera, wine, and fine art. In a series of highly imaginative visual tableaux, he has illustrated the relationship between wine and several key international operas. As if this undertaking was not extraordinary enough, Monticello has created his masterpieces using wine labels as his exclusive artistic medium. The result is a collection of stunning works of art, and a truly fascinating piece of cultural history. Hardcover, 264 pp. $150.00. The Cambridge Companion to Verdi Scott L. Balthazar This companion provides an accessible biographical, theatrical, and social-cultural background for Verdi's music, examines in detail important general aspects of his style and method of composing, and discusses stylistic themes in reviews of representative works. Softcover, 336 pp. $52.95. The Inner Voice: The Making of a Singer Renee Fleming One of the most celebrated talents in contemporary opera, soprano Renee Fleming has brought her consummately beautiful voice, striking interpretive talents, and compelling artistry to performances that have captivated audiences in opera houses and recital halls throughout the world. Her fans will adore this lumious self-portrait. Hardcover, 222 pp. $36.00. Richard Wagner: The Last of the Titans Joachim Kohler In this rich biography, Joachim Kohler draws on social and political analysis, documentary interpretation and psychological insights to paint a rounded picture of Wagner as a controversial historical phenomenon, an extraordinary artist, and a complex human being. Hardcover, 688 pp. $60.00. The King & I Herbert Breslin & Anne Midgette This is the story of the thirty-six-year-long business relationship between Luciano Pavarotti and his manager, Hebert Breslin, during which Breslin guided what he calls, justifiably, "the greatest career in classical music." This marvelous tale is brash, witty and candid, and is narrated in a style that is often bitingly frank and profane. A must for Pavarotti fanatics. Hardcover, 308 pp. $35.95. The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera Stanley Sadie Opera is one of the most enchanting and enduring of all the performing arts. Its rich history and stunning range of aesthetics make it a subject of much fascination. Lifelong fans, as well as the uninitiated, will have their passions for opera ignited by this book. Combining authoritative yet entertaining text, hundreds of illustrations and a wealth of intriguing facts, The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera is a must-have reference book. Hardcover, 320 pp. $66.95. First Nights at the Opera Thomas Forrest Kelly Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, opera was the grandest entertainment in Western culture. Renowned scholar Thomas Kelly offers up this captivating social history of European opera during its golden age by taking us behind the scenes at the premier performances of five extraordinary and influencial operas: Handel's Giulio Cesare (London, 1724), Mozart's Don Giovanni (Prague, 1787), Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots (Paris, 1836), Wagner's Das Rheingold (Bayreuth, 1876), and Verdi's Otello. The experience of what it was like to be there, to see and hear and perform these operas is made remarkably vivid through Kelly's rich and lucid prose. Softcover, 441 pp. $32.95. Encyclopedia of Opera on Screen Ken Wlaschin This bountiful book is a comprehensive guide to the thousands of films, videos, and DVDs featuring operas and opera singers from 1896 to the present. Organized alphabetically with more than 1,900 fully cross-referenced entries, The Encyclopedia of Opera on Screen illuminates the many intersections between opera and film like no book ever before. Hardcover, 872 pp. $90.00. The Nibelung's Ring: A Guide to Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen Peter Bassett This book by Wagner authority Peter Bassett contains a detailed introduction to The Ring, in which the author explains the mythological background to Wagner's work, the process of composition, and the ideas behind the four component operas. It also offers a complete prose version of Wagner's text in clear, accurate and elegant English, together with examples of musical themes demonstrating the essentially melodic nature of Wagner's score. Softcover, 327 pp. $34.95. Opera: The Art of Dying Linda & Michael Hutcheon Our modern narratives of science and technology can only go so far in teaching us about the death that we must all finally face. Can an act of the imagination, in the form of opera, take us the rest of the way? Might opera, an art form steeped in death, teach us how to die, as this provocative work suggests? In Opera: The Art of Dying a physician and a literary theorist bring together scientific and humanistic perspectives on the lessons on living and dying that this extravagant and seemingly artificial art imparts. Hardcover, 239 pp. $41.95. A Book of Hours: Music, Literature, and Life A Memoir M. Owen Lee A Book of Hours is a departure for Father Lee: a personal memoir that draws together his three great loves -- opera, literature, and his vocation as a priest -- and recreates a year he spent teaching at an American college campus in Rome over a quarter century ago. Both inspiring and intimate, this beautifully crafted book provides a wealth of Father Lee's fascinating cultural and spiritual commentary. Hardcover, 284 pp. $45.00. Angels & Monsters: Male and Female Sopranos in the Story of Opera Richard Someset-Ward A must-read for all opera lovers, Angels & Monsters provides an expansive and engaging account of opera singers. Whether they were castrati or prime donne, these singers were amazing virtuosi, perhaps the greatest singers there have ever been. Besides providing fascinating anecdotes, Angels & Monsters tells the story of the singing tradition bel canto which is still the backbone of operatic singing today. Hardcover, 325 pp. $45.00. Silver Moon: Stories from Antonin Dvorak's most Enchanting Operas Ian Krykorka & Vladvana Krykorka Antonin Dvorak was an international star who rose from obscurity, using folksongs and tales of his homeland to inspire his operas, to become one of Europe's most famous composers. Silver Moon retells three stories, Rusalka, The King and the Charcoal Burner, and Kate and the Devil that inspired his more memorable operas. Richly told and lovingly illustrated, the collection includes a detailed biography of the composer and a foreword by Josef Skvorecky, author of the novel Dvorak in Love. Hardcover, 72 pp. $26.95. Opera: The Art of Dying Linda Hutcheon & Michael Hutcheon Our modern narratives of science and technology can only go so far in teaching us about the death that we must all finally face. Can an act of the imagination, in the form of opera, take us the rest of the way? Might opera, an art form steeped in death, teach us how to die, as this provocative work suggests? In Opera: The Art of Dying a physician and a literary theorist bring together scientific and humanistic perspectives on the lessons on living and dying that this extravagant and seemingly artificial art imparts. Hardcover, 239 pp. $41.95. Mimomania: Music and Gesture in Nineteenth-Century Drama Mary Ann Smart In this scholarly treatise, Mary Ann Smart discusses the way that the music of Wagner -- and several of his near-contemporaries -- serves to intensify the visible and the enacted. Mimomania is a highly original examination of the persistence and transformation of the musical mimicry of bodily gesture in nineteenth-century opera. Hardcover, 247 pp. $67.95. Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth Lorenzo Bianconi & Giorgio Pestelli Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth is the sixth volume in the landmark series The History of Italian Opera. This installment focuses on the sociological and critical aspects of opera in Italy, considering the art in the context of an Italian literary and cultural canon rarely revealed in English and American studies. Hardcover, 456 pp. $105.00. A Night in at the Opera: Media Representations of Opera Jeremy Tambling A Night in at the Opera offers an arresting range of accounts of how the popular arts have represented this high art form written by specialists in music media and popular culture. Softcover, 310 pp. $58.95. Back to top

Rossini Gaia Servadio During the height of his fame as an opera composer, Gioachino Rossini withdrew from the forefront of Europe's cultural stage. Using Rossini's previously unpublished letters and other new material, Gaia Servadio's perceptive and revealing biography explores the mystery of the most sought-after opera composer of the Romatic age. Hardcover, 244 pp. $38.95. Alma Rose: Vienna to Auschwitz Richard Newman & Karen Kirtley Alma Rose's tragic story, from her birth and youth in the exalted musical circles of Vienna to her death at Auschwitz, first came to public attention through the 1980 film Playing for Time. In this detailed and reverent biography, Richard Newman and Karen Kirtley honor her and the valiant prisoner-musicians for whom music meant life. Softcover, 407 pp. $35.95. The Cambridge Companion to Grand Opera David Charlton In this fascinating and accessible exploration of the world of grand opera, a team of operatic scholars and writers examine those important Romantic operas which embraced the Shakespearean sweep of tragedy, history, love in times of conflict, and the struggle for national self-determination. Softcover, 496 pp. $39.00. Operetta: A Theatrical History Richard Traubner This entertaining, thorough, and richly illustrated history of operetta has become the standard work on a delightful form of musical theatre. Beginning in 19th century Europe, Richard Traubner's lively volume details the creation of the genre's masterworks and covers the careers of the major composer's librettists and stars. This new edition has been revised from the original to include additional illustrations, extensive updates, and a substantial new preface. Softcover, 461 pp. $44.95. The New Grove Book of Operas Stanley Sadie Simply the best in the field, The New Grove Book of Operas is the world's definitive single volume of opera reference including: full plot synopses, cast lists, singers, composers, literary and social history, recordings, and much more. No home library is complete without it. Hardcover, 758 pp. $56.00.   Athena Sings: Wagner and the Greeks M. Owen Lee Using the writings of Richard Wagner as an impetus, Father Owen Lee describes for the contemporary reader what it might have been like to witness a dramatic performance of Aeschylus in the theatre of Dionysus in Athens in the fifth century B.C. Written with Father Lee's typical clarity and depth of knowledge, Athena Sings traces the profound influence Greek theatre and culture had on Richard Wagner. Softcover, 110 pp. $12.95. In Search of Opera Carolyn Abbate In this book, Carolyn Abbate considers the nature of operatic performance and the acoustic images of performance present in operas from Monteverdi to Ravel. Paying tribute to music's realization by musicians and singers, she argues that operatic works are indelibly bound to the contingency of live singing, playing, and staging. Softcover, 290 pp. $28.95. Janacek and His World Michael Beckerman Banned for all purposes from the Prague stage until the age of 62, Leos Janacek's operas are now performed in dynamic productions around the globe. This volume brings together some of the world's foremost Janacek scholars to look closely at a broad range of issues surrounding his life and work as well as newly translated writings by the composer himself. Softcover, 316 pp. $34.95. Lorenzo Da Ponte: The Life and Times of Mozart's Librettist Sheila Hodges Three of the greatest operas ever written -- The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutte -- join the exquisite music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the perfectly matched libretti of Lorenzo Da Ponte. In this detailed biography of Da Ponte, it is revealed that the former priest, gambler, teacher, and poet lived a life far more extraordinary than any opera plot. Softcover, 274 pp. $29.95. Molto Agitato: The Mayhem Behind the Music at the Metropolitan Opera Johanna Fiedler If the opera world is full of "intrigue, double meanings, and devious dramatics," then no place exemplifies this more than the world-famous Metropolitan Opera". In this wonderfully entertaining account, Johanna Fiedler draws on her fifteen years as the Met's press representative to expose the politics, ambition, and oversized egos that have characterized this opera house's tumultuous history. Softcover, 413 pp. $23.95. Back to top

A Short History of Opera Donald Jay Grout and Hermine Weigel Williams When first published in 1947, A Short History of Opera immediately achieved international status as a classic in the field. Now, more than five decades later, this thoroughly revised and expanded fourth edition informs and entertains opera lovers just as its predecessors have. This definitive history is essential reading for anyone interested in opera. Softcover, 1030 pp. $97.95. Niki Goldschmidt: A Life in Canadian Music Gwenlyn Setterfield Niki Goldschmidt is central to the story of Canada's international music presence in the second half of the twentieth century. In this engaging biography, Goldschmidt's prolific career is narrated in detail, with special attention given to his remarkable accomplishments: the founding of Canada's first opera school, the creation of festivals in Vancouver, Guelph, Algoma, and Toronto, and productions and tours across the country. Hardcover, 222 pp. $50.00. The Extraordinary Operatic Adventures of Blanche Arral Blanche Arral This memoir, by opera singer Blanche Arral, is an international adventure tale of a lifetime, complete with an intrepid heroine whom readers will love for her exhuberant temperment and irresistible charm. Hardcover, 352 pp. $39.95. Maria Callas: An Intimate Biography Anne Edwards Anne Edwards brings readers a revealing portrait of the hardships, loves, and triumphs of Maria Callas, the prima donna who continues to mesmerize the world even long after her death. An intimate and reverent biography. Softcover, 342 pp. $24.95.   Carl Maria von Weber and the Search for a German Opera Stephen C. Meyer Stephen C. Meyer examines Weber's operas, as well as those of his contemporaries, in light of aesthetic and nationalistic writings of contemporaneous German critics. Hardcover, 253 pp. $65.95.     Valery Gergiev and the Kirov: A Story of Survival John Ardoin The heroic story of the revival of the Kirov theatre in St. Petersburg, and of the man responsible, Valery Gergiev, is recounted in this glorious volume. Impeccably researched by acclaimed music journalist John Ardoin, this captivating story of genuine artistic triumph will be a delightful and inspiring read for anyone interested in the performing arts. Hardcover, 296 pp. $49.95. Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend Arianna Huffington Legendary opera singer Maria Callas was a brilliant soprano adored for her staggering triumphs at La Scala, the Met, and Covent Garden. But behind her public facade, Callas wrestled with lifelong personal demons. Written with profound empathy, this richly detailed biography offers an illuminating portrait of one of the most talented and spellbinding women of our century. Softcover, 383 pp. $28.95. The Unknown Callas The Greek Years Nicholas Petsalis-Diomidis This award-winning book -- a biography of Maria Callas -- tells the story of the famed opera singer's seminal years in Athens, from 1937-1945. This rarely documented period in the singer's life is elucidated by Nicholas Petsalis-Diomidis, who conducted over 200 two hundred interviews with Callas's Greek friends and colleagues, and researched the Athenian archives extensively. Fans of music, opera, and the performing arts will be beguiled by this remarkable biography. Hardcover, 672 pp. $54.95. Puccini: His Life and Works Julian Budden Blending astute musical analysis with a colourful account of Puccini's life, here is an illuminating look at some of the most popular operas in the repetoire. Julian Budden, one of the world's foremost scholars of Italian opera and author of a monumental three-volume study of Verdi's work, now offers music lovers this major new biography of one of the giants of Italian opera. Hardcover, 527 pp. $70.00. Puccini: His International Art Michele Girardi In what is certain to become the definative biography of Puccini, the life of the great composer is explored with rare insight and understanding. As well as describing the events of his life, author Michele Girardi does a commendable job of guiding the reader through the operas, act by act, clearly illustrating the consummate technique behind Puccini's art. Intelligent and comprehensive. Softcover, 530 pp. $65.99. Back to top

Opera on Stage Lorenzo Bianconi & Giorgio Pestelli In this, the second book of a multi-volume work to be published in English, the focus is on the staging and the viewing of Italian opera, from the court spectacles of the late sixteenth century to modern-day commercial productions. Divided into three major sections: Stage and Set, Directing Opera, and Theatrical Ballet and Italian Opera, this scholarly account is an indispensible addition to what is already a definative series of books. Hardcover, 346 pp., $90.95. Opera: The Rough Guide Matthew Boyden The complete guide to the operas, composers, artists and recordings. Includes biographical sketches, synopses, CD reviews and a who's who. A must for any opera lover. $34.99. A Night at the Opera Sir Denis Foreman An irreverent guide to the plots, the singers, the composers, the recordings. This book is for connoisseurs and neophytes alike. It will entertain and inform, delight and infuriate, providing a subject for lively debate and ready reference for years. $32.95.    The New Penguin Opera Guide Amanda Holden The New Penguin Opera Guide is a fully revised and updated edition of the most comprehensive single-volume opera encyclopedia ever published. From Verdi and Wagner, to Mozart and Handel, this indispensible resource summarizes opera's entire rich history. For the enthusiast or the novice, amateur or professional, this detailed guide brings alive the entire rich and varied tapestry of opera. Softcover, 1142 pp., $44.00. Marian Anderson Allan Keller The only definitive biography of the greatest contralto of the century and a seminal figure in the American civil rights movement. Written with the co-operation of her family and unprecedented access to her life. $43.50. Jacques Offenbach and the Paris of His Time Siegfried Kracauer In this remarkable book, Siegfried Kracauer brilliantly reconfigures the biography form into an insightful work of social and cultural history. Offenbach's operrettas, and their social significance, are the focus of this discussion which should be essential reading for anyone interested in modern critical and cultural studies. Hardcover, 418 pp., $57.95. Operagoer's Guide Father Owen Lee In this new book, Father Owen Lee tells the stories of one hundred famous operas and lists notable recordings of each. His stories are marked with his trademark insightful and pithy commentary and the book is conveniently pocket-sized for portability. A must for twenty-first-century operagoers. $21.95. A Season of Opera: From Orpheus to Ariadne M. Owen Lee Gathers together for the first time Father Lee's best broadcast and cassette commentaries, public lectures and articles. Hardcover, $30.00; Paperback, $18.95.   Wagner: The Terrible Man and His Truthful Art M. Owen Lee The fact is Wagner's dramas plunge us through myth and music deep into ourselves, and what we discover there -- often primitive, frightening, vindictive, and erotic -- are the feelings that we who have constructive roles in society have suppressed. $12.95.   The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera Roger Parker This lavishly illustrated volume explores the history and social context of opera. It includes an historical survey of opera from its beginnings in Florence 400 years ago to the present; comprehensive coverage of 19th century opera; and chapters on the history of staging, opera singers, on opera as a social occasion through the ages, and a chronology. An extravagant and inexhaustible resource. $46.50. Cinema's Illusions, Opera's Allure: The Operatic Impulse in Film David Schroeder Inventor Thomas Edison originally saw the moving picture as a tool for presenting opera. While this did not become film's primary use, the influence of opera on cinema is striking. This book examines how the influence is seen in works of many contemporary and past cinematographers and directors. Hardcover, $54.95. Italian for the Opera Robert Stuart Thomson Interesting, illuminating and an excellent source of the professional singer. $12.95. Back to top

Home / Theatre / Film / Opera / Dance / Television / Actors & Acting / Creative Writing / Drama in Education / Arts Administration / Costumes & Fashion / DVDs & Videos / Events / Awards / News & Reviews / Various & Sundry   About TheatreBooks / How to Reach Us / Order Now / Search the Site / Coming Soon / Site Map / Links / Send an Email actorsorganizer.ca Paddler Productions websites TheatreBooks / The Cookbook Store

Last modified June 23, 2008 . Please note that all prices are in Canadian dollars. All prices are subject to change without notice.