Opera Antics and Anecdotes

by Stephen B. Tanner

For the nutty world of opera backstage Opera Antics and Anecdotes describes intimate, rib-tickling glimpses of the opera profession seen through the prism of humor. These comical stories collected by the author directly from composers, conductors, superstar singers and stagehands immortalize some of the real-life blunders, bloopers, pranks, pratfalls, idiocies and sabotage in the highbrow, cutthroat art form that is opera. Readers will enjoy fabulous samples of vanity, 'bitchcraft' and shouts across the footlights. It is remarkable how many critics, audience twits and backstage bigwigs adore opera yet can't tell their brass from their oboe.

Genres: Music

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 1999

Reviews

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think performers are among the most neurotic, bizarre and masochistic people on the planet. And they are fabulous to read about.