First published 1996
Alexander Waugh opens the doors to opera houses and reveals how this art form works. He breaks down vocal categories and teaches readers to identify different voice types. The book shows how words connect with music and examines every part of live performance, from star singers and producers to chorus members and orchestras. Waugh takes readers backstage to follow an opera's journey from early rehearsals through set construction to opening night. The core chapters focus on eight beloved operas, including Mozart's Don Giovanni, Bizet's Carmen, and Puccini's Tosca. Each opera receives detailed analysis of its musical and dramatic significance, plus discussion of other notable works by the same composer. An accompanying CD provides dozens of musical extracts, with one key song from each featured opera analyzed moment by moment through annotated timelines. The book concludes with a guide to fifty additional operas that rounds out the opera lover's education.
Genres: art, 20th-century, non-fiction, music, 21st-century, art-history, classical-music, academic
Vibes: educational, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: educational, informative
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
144 pages · Hardcover · Stewart Tabori & Chang