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Opera Guides & Reference Opera: The Great Composers and their Masterworks Joyce Bourne Joyce Bourne takes us on a compelling tour de force of 400 years of the world's greatest operas. From Monteverdi and Purcell through to Philip Glass and John Adams, Opera will excite and inspire entry-level and experienced opera-goers alike. Hardcover, 224 pp. $38.50. Puccini: A Listener's Guide John Bell Young In an entertaining and accessible style, John Bell Young takes the reader through Puccini's most popular operas -- from the boudoir intrigue of Manon Lescaut to the tender young love of La Boheme, from the shattered innocence of Madama Butterfly to the violent passions of Tosca, Turandot, and more. Blended with the description of each opera's story are distinctive insights into musical detail, character development, and social and historical circumstances. Included is a full-length audio CD. Softcover, 214 pp. $28.95. The Grove Book of Operas Second Edition 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. The Cambridge Companion to Wagner Edited by Thomas Grey Richard Wagner is remembered as one of the most influential figures in music and theatre. His place in history has been marked by a considerable amount of controversy, yet Wagner's absolutely central position in the operatic canon continues. This volume serves as a timely reminder of his ongoing musical, cultural, and political impact. With the inclusion of invaluable and reliably up-to-date biographical data, this collection will be of great interest to scholars, students, and enthusiasts. Softcover, 346 pp. $33.95. The Rough Guide to Opera Matthew Boyden Covering the full range of opera, from Monteverdi to Thomas Ades, this Rough Guide provides lively biographical information of some 150 composers plus detailed discussions of over 340 operas. As well as a synopsis and a short essay for each opera, the guide includes reviews of the finest available CDs -- both the latest releases and the best historical recordings -- and DVD recommendations for the top 60 operas in the repertoire. In addition, there is a "who's who" of opera's finest singers and conductors, a glossary of the most useful technical terms, and scores of superb illustrations. Softcover, 733 pp. $31.00. The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera Amanda Holden Whether you are an opera aficionado or simply a novice, The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera is the perfect one-volume companion. Exploring the careers of the greatest composers, including all of their most popular operatic works, this book covers the earliest classics right up to the present day. Also included are recommended recordings of all the discussed operas. Softcover, 593 pp. $22.00. Opera Alan Riding & Leslie Dunton-Downer If you have ever wanted to learn more about opera, but weren't sure where to start, then look no further than this fact-filled overview. Filled with full-colour photographs and a finely written text, Opera is an ideal introduction to all the key composers, works, singers, and performances. Softcover, 432 pp. $32.00. Mozart's Operas: A Companion Mary Hunter This wise and friendly guide to Mozart's operas encompasses the full range of his most popular works -- Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi, Magic Flute, Seraglio, Clemenza di Tito -- as well as less known works like Mitridate and Il re pastore. Music historian Mary Hunter provides a lively introduction to each opera for any listener who has enjoyed a performance, either on the stage or in a video recording, and who wishes to understand the opera more fully. Hardcover, 268 pp. $43.95. 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. 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. 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. $27.95. 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. $18.95. Back to top

Opera New & Featured Biographies Companies Criticism, Theory & History Guides & Reference Music-related pages Opera Film Scoring, Sound & Music Music: New & Featured Music: Biographies Music: The Business Music: Radio & DJ Music: Songbooks Scores, Lyrics & Librettos Music: Theory, History & Criticism Music: Training & Study Musical Theatre

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. $18.95. 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. 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. 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. $17.95. 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. 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. 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. Back to top

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. $34.95. 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. $16.95. 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. Paperback, $21.95.   Back to top

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Last modified December 28, 2009. Please note that all prices are in Canadian dollars. All prices are subject to change without notice.