Great Operas: A Guide to 25 of the World's Finest Musical Experiences

by Michael Steen

With four famous operas each from Mozart, Verdi and Puccini, and two each from Rossini and Donizetti, there is a feast of information. Here are short guides to The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni; to the splendour of Aida, the heart-breaking La Traviata; the drama of Tosca. The range is very broad. There is Wagner's great love story Tristan und Isolde; there is Johann Strauss's light comedy Die Fledermaus. On the way you can be briefed about such favourites as Handel's Giulio Cesare, Bizet's Carmen, Gounod's Faust, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Britten's Peter Grimes. With plot summaries, composer biographies, observations on musical points of interest and background on the historical and cultural context of each opera, every one of these guides will enhance your appreciation and enjoyment and help you discuss the work and the performance with your fellow opera-goers. Steen shares his expert knowledge with a lightness of touch that makes each guide a pleasure to read. Witty, informative and beautifully presented, Great Operas is an indispensable reference guide for both seasoned opera-goers and those enjoying opera for the first time.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

488 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Mars · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for any opera fan's collection. It includes composer backgrounds, act-by-act summaries, and key musical talking points for 25 of the most well-regarded European operas in history. "Great Operas" offers insight into the masterpieces of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Wagner, Verdi, and more! I find this book a great source to turn to pre-viewing of the operas that it covers as I feel it really adds to my appreciation and enjoyment of them. No one chapter is excessively long--Steen spends about 20 pages per opera, give or take, making it very manageable and accessible. One does not by any means need to be an opera connoisseur to read this book. As a matter of fact, I think it would even serve as a great introduction into the world of opera.

[R C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very comprehensive research that dives deeply into twenty five of the world's most famous operas. The concise and clear formating makes it easy for a layman to learn about interesting tidbits about these operas.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I feel this way because "Great Operas" is the fourth book I've read about the opera Carmen, but I found it to be rather vapid and dry. Hopefully the chapters that cover the other operas will be more interesting.