Opera for Beginners: 72 (For Beginners S.) - Softcover

David, Ron

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0863160867 ISBN 13: 9780863160868

Publisher: Writers and Readers Ltd, 1995

Synopsis

Opera For Beginners is a humorous, irreverent little book that starts with the radical assumption that Opera is just plain ol' music. Not snob music. Not uppity music. Gettin' down music! Italian Rock'n'roll, R&B Gospel, let-it-all-hang-out music. "If you must know the truth," David writes, "in Detroit where I grew up, there weren't a lot of Opera houses. I was brought up on Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Elvis the Pelvis, the Drifters, Platters, Ella, Sinatra, Miles, Coltrane, Mahalia, Beatles, Stones, Aretha ... in other words ... Real music! Which is why I'm the perfect person to introduce you to Opera."
The book builds from the similarity between specific Opera singers and "normal" singers (e.g., Maria Callas/Billie Holiday; Caruso/Mahalia Jackson; Benjamino Gigli/Smokey Robinson), points out the essentially Operatic styles of many pop singers, and the profound similarity between Opera and Gospel singing. (It's no accident that African-American sopranos are singing in Opera houses all over the world!)
Opera For Beginners explains the differences between Italian and German Opera - it's more than just the language - and why you don't have to understand Italian, German, French or Rap to enjoy Opera.
David's enthusiasm and wit are sure to entice many Opera-haters to give Opera a chance. And Paul Gordon's spot-on cartoons illustrate the text, carry on dialogues with it, wisecrack it, create stories alongside it, sprinkle it lavishly with motifs...enough!

About this title

Synopsis

Opera For Beginners is an ideal introduction for people who believe that opera is solely for those refined few who were born in a ball gown or tuxedo listening to arias. In four chapters, Opera For Beginners outlines opera's history and composers, from its pre-operatic roots to the 20th Century and Paverotti in the Park. It introduces the many opera singers, from Caruso to Callas, and brings to light the similarities between opera divas and more popular singers such as Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson and Smokey Robinson, thus addressing the profound similarities between opera and gospel. Opera For Beginners is humorous and informative, thus remaining loyal to the For Beginners concept, and is laced with some of opera's juiciest anecdotes. It teaches how to differentiate between Italian and German opera and why one does not have to understand Italian, German or French to enjoy it.

Edition details

• Publisher: Writers and Readers Ltd
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0863160867
• ISBN 13: 9780863160868
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Gordon Paul
• Number of pages: 174