The Collins Guide To Opera And Operetta - Hardcover

White, Michael; Henderson, Elaine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 000472061X ISBN 13: 9780004720616

Publisher: Collins, 1997

Synopsis

This guide covers 180 operas and operettas, from Monteverdi's "Orfeo" to John Adam's "Nixon in China", via the works of Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and Puccini, all arranged in alphabetical order. The entry for each opera includes: composer, librettist and first performance; principal characters, plot synopsis, musical approach and highlights; a "Did You Know?" section of facts and recommended recording. Potted biographies of the composers and lists of their output, plus an introduction on the history and development of the opera and operetta and a glossary of terms, are also provided.

About this title

About the Authors

Through his weekly columns in the ‘Independent on Sunday’ and broadcasts on radio and television, Michael White is one of the best-known music critics in Britain. He is author of a number of opera libretti singing translations and the book ‘Wagner for Beginners’, which was published in 1996. A barrister, he read Law at Oxford and lives in Hampstead, North London.

Elaine Henderson has degrees from the universities of Keele and Glasgow. She is a freelance writer and editor and teaches English literature in adult education.

From the Back Cover

'OPERA & OPERETTA'

• Over 180 operas and operettas
• Over 70 composer biographies
• Over 200 recommended recordings

'Collins Opera & Operetta,' is an invaluable guide to this fascinating but sometimes misunderstood artform, presenting essential information on over 180 major operas and operettas in an accessible, yet scholarly, way.

The entry for each opera includes:
• The composer, the librettist and the first performance
• Principal characters and plot synopsis
• Musical approach and highlights
• Recommended recordings
• Diverting background information, reviews and anecdotes featured in an entertaining Did you know? section

The guide also includes a potted biography and list of operatic output for each composer, plus an overview of the history and development of opera and operetta, and a glossary of musical terms.

With a timescale ranging from 17th-century Monteverdi to present day Birtwistle, and an alphabetical spread from Adams to Zimmermann, via Britten, Mozart, Puccini, Strauss, Sullivan, Verdi and Wagner, 'Collins Opera and Operetta' is an indispensable reference source for opera devotees and newcomers alike.

Edition details

• Publisher: Collins
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 000472061X
• ISBN 13: 9780004720616
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416