| Title | : | Opera For Dummies |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0764550101 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780764550102 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1997 |
-- Gay Talese, bestselling author of "Honor Thy Father""Scott Speck is a great communicator of classical music.... Concert audiences and readers alike can't help getting caught up in the joy of his subject."
-- David Styers, American Symphony Orchestra League
Opera is weird. Everybody wears makeup and sings all the time. Even when they're singing your language, which is rare, you still can't understand the words. Women play men, men play women, and 45-year-olds play teenagers. All the main characters seem to get killed off. And when somebody dies, he takes ten minutes to sing about it. Yet, for all its weirdness, an operatic experience is an experience in breathtaking beauty. When you hear a soprano float a soft high C, or a tenor singing a love song, or a full-throated chorus in the climax of a scene's dramatic finale, you can't help getting goosebumps.
Want to experience all that beauty for yourself, but don't know where to begin? "Opera For Dummies" is an excellent place to start. Written by an acclaimed conductor and a musical director, this friendly guide tells you what you need to know to: Understand opera from the Baroque and Roman periods through todayInterpret characters, orchestra, chorus, and other playersUnderstand what's happening, both on stage and offChoose the best seatsIdentify famous operasBuild a great collection of opera recordingsLocate opera sites and chat groups online
Whether you're interested in attending a live opera, want to build a collection of recordings, or just want to be able to talk about opera intelligently, "Opera For Dummies" is for you. Among other things, you'll explore: The words, the music, and the people who sing itThe history of opera and the lives of the great composersGoing to the opera -- including tips for getting tickets, preparing for the opera, dressing for the opera, and moreMusical and theatrical conventions used in operaIn-depth synopses of the world's most beloved operas
On the bonus CD you'll find: More than 60 minutes of music compiled especially for the bookA multimedia piece for PC or MAC
Wonder what it is about opera that can make a grown person cry like a baby? Find out in "Opera For Dummies.
Opera For Dummies Reviews
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I love operas – but I didn't always. Classical music and operas in general comes with a bunch of strange and only partly justified prejudices and presumptions. This was my first ... for dummies read, and I didn't expect it to be so entertaining, enlightening and engaging.
The authors know their stuff and it makes all the difference. I think this is the book I'd recommend to people that are suspicious of operas being able to be fun and also people with no or little musical education – which I like to claim you don't need to like operas. They might seem intimidating: they make you think of snobby old people in suits instead of drama, love, grandness and entertainment.
This book introduces you to the history of operas, gives you an understanding of what makes an opera, what the life of the singer is like, who all the known composers are and why they are the known ones and also gives you easy and detangled summaries of all the famous operas that are regularly being directed in present times. There are fun little tidbits of anecdotes here and there, and while the humour wasn't always quite my taste and occasionally felt a bit outdated, it made for an overall entertaining read. Reading this literally reignited my interest in that form of entertainment and it gave me a good basis of general knowledge about the subject on which I now am excited to build upon.
There were some little typos in the version that I read, which were a shame, since it was accurate and precise in terms of the actual content. It actually also made me more interested in the ... for dummies series in general, too, as I used to think these books were sort of "stupid", while they actually just present subject matter in easily digestible ways. Definitely a recommended read for anyone who is curious! -
Really enjoyed this, Dad jokes and all. I feel like I'm not as totally out of my depth with opera as before and even learned some tangential facts I didn't expect to, like the origin of lietmotifs and the fact that American operas with swing/jazz music exist, just to name a couple of things. That is SO cool. A lot of the fun little stories that they told were super interesting, too. Opera's history is just as drama-filled as opera itself.
I'm currently reading
The Paris Opera: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers: Genesis and Glory, 1671-1715, which is a more in-depth look at, as the title implies, Parisian Opera specifically, and I have to say that it made me aware of some details that were left out in this for Dummies book. Not that I expected any differently, I just think it's worth noting that this is exactly what it promises: an introduction to the subject with some brief overviews of a lot of information, not an exhaustive resource.
Classical Music for Dummies was continuously referenced, so I might have to take a stab at reading that next. One of my few qualms was actually just how many times it was referenced--I counted four times in the space of an hour of reading. Then again, it felt too earnest to be simply trying to market the other books in the series and just genuinely that they didn't want to repeat themselves.
I'm sure there are updated versions of this, but I think readers should be aware that this was penned in the 90s so some of the information and jokes reflect that.
Also, Andrew Lloyd Webber and specifically The Phantom of the Opera were referenced to the point I'm decently sure the authors are fanboys. Who can blame them, really? -
The definitive book on teaching the culture opera to beginners such as myself. The book is really good in offering the information in a very clear and unpretentious manner as to not make the material overwhelming. The critical bits to me were the chapters on the different movements in Opera History. In particular the big Opera composers that everyone should be familiar with. The synopsis of the major operas are also a big help.
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Das Buch ist sogar noch unterhaltsamer, wenn man Musikwissenschaften studiert hat.
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Great book if you have enjoyed a few operas and want to learn more about them. Opera is surprisingly enjoyable in person. The subtitles make all the difference!
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Meh. A useful overview of opera but wow, it hasn’t aged well. Lots of unfunny fat-lady jokes and otherwise awkwardly shitty humor that just doesn’t go over in 2018 unless you are a hateful bastard.
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Teaching yourself about opera by listening to operas is a slow and uncertain process, for it lacks context and, unless you like everything (I don't), it can be hit and miss as far as how much you enjoy the process.
I tried better books on the subject, but they were too advanced for me. OPERA FOR DUMMIES was just right, for I really was an opera dummy. It answered nearly every question I had, gave me a sense of how composer careers developed, asserted the importance of librettists, and gave me a more systematic way to teach myself more when choosing new composers and their operas for study.
The one question the book raised but did not answer is the identity of the diva who is convinced that she needs sex right before a performance to be great, so certain opera companies make sure to supply willing young men to grease her gears before she goes on. I MUST KNOW THIS! -
Its a really fun book, it makes opera very accessible and friendly. I would definitely reread it. The only really annoying thing about it was that they kept referring back to another book that the authors wrote on classical music. Everything else about it was really good. It covers all different aspects: history, musical periods, voices. It does the synopsis for the 50 most important operas and also has a section on "lesser" operas, like my favorite "Norma". This edition also includes a cd where you listen to music and they give you notes on what to listen to.
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This Dummies book is probably one of the best I've ever read, all it made me the most excitable person about opera ever.
Too bad I have approximately 1.75 people who share the interest!
Great trivia, a fantastic reference guide for the classics as well as a great historical overview of this age old art form. -
Recycles quite a few of the jokes in Classical Music for Dummies but does the job of teaching dummies about the joys of opera. I'm proud to say that I am now fully entrenched in the classical music world and have developed my own tastes and opinions, with the wise guidance of these two authors. Hell, I'm even reviewing opera now.
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Love this book! Very enjoyable: quirky and sooo funny, yet really informative. Great intro to the opera. I'm looking forward to reading the 'companion' book on classical music. I found the funny recommendations referring to this book amusing.
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This is a really solid collection for those who need more basic knowledge on opera. It sums up the plots of the most famous operas, which is really helpful. A great basic overview for the opera novice.
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If your are interested, but not ready to become a full time student, this is a good book. It makes the art accessible and eased my anxiety.
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I read when Der Fliegender Hollander was in Anchorage, ~2005. We would get free concert tickets from KLEF 98.1 FM.
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I read this as research for my novel, My Phantom: The Memoir of Christine Daaé. An even more useful guide with a bonus CD."
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4 STARS
A very informative reference book for any Opera beginner - it's easy and fun! A great handbook. -
Pour les néophytes, cette synthèse est vraiment nickel (surtout si vous avez l'édition avec le CD) : bien construite, bourrée d'anecdotes mais jamais indigeste.
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Primer libro de la serie "Para Dummies" que leo. Se me ha hecho ameno, y más al ir descubriendo la ópera más allá de Verdi y Puccini. Lo único que he echado en falta es un CD recopilatorio.
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If you're at all interested in opera this is a very informative and entertaining read.
