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The Opera Lover's Companion
Every opera lover enjoys a performance more when accompanied by a knowledgeable friend. In this indispensable guide, well-known opera critic Charles Osborne provides exactly that. Osborne fills in the details on 175 of the world’s most frequently performed operas, including facts about the composer and the music, a plot outline, accounts of famous performers, and much more.
"This book is exactly what the title claims: an opera lover's companion. Reading it is like going to the opera with a knowledgeable friend who tells you enough to make you want to see the piece but not so much you're drowned in superfluous detail."—Richard Fawkes, Opera Now
"What this invaluable book contains is the ideal rundown on 175 operas from Auber's Fra Diavolo to Zimmerman's Die Soldaten, in each case putting the work in context within the composer's development, with a list of characters, a short synopsis and pointers towards the most imortant arias, duets and ensembles, all in a personal congenial tone, like unto an operatically wise and loving uncle."—Denby Richards, Musical Opinion
“An erudite, instructive and unpretentious guide.”—Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph
"It’s hard to imagine any other book on the subject more informative and helpful to the average enthusiast. . . . This book is one you’ll cherish."—Books in Canada
"This book is exactly what the title claims: an opera lover's companion. Reading it is like going to the opera with a knowledgeable friend who tells you enough to make you want to see the piece but not so much you're drowned in superfluous detail."—Richard Fawkes, Opera Now
"What this invaluable book contains is the ideal rundown on 175 operas from Auber's Fra Diavolo to Zimmerman's Die Soldaten, in each case putting the work in context within the composer's development, with a list of characters, a short synopsis and pointers towards the most imortant arias, duets and ensembles, all in a personal congenial tone, like unto an operatically wise and loving uncle."—Denby Richards, Musical Opinion
“An erudite, instructive and unpretentious guide.”—Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph
"It’s hard to imagine any other book on the subject more informative and helpful to the average enthusiast. . . . This book is one you’ll cherish."—Books in Canada
- GenresNonfictionMusic
640 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
36 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Charles Osborne
202 books104 followersCharles Thomas Osborne was a journalist, theatre and opera critic, poet and novelist. He was assistant editor of The London Magazine from 1958 until 1966, literature director of the Arts Council of Great Britain from 1971 until 1986, and chief theatre critic of Daily Telegraph (London) from 1986 to 1991. He is the only author the Agatha Christie Estate has ever allowed to produce adapted works in her name. (wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 8, 2024
I suspected from the beginning that I wasn't supposed to read the whole thing from cover to cover, but I have a perverse streak in me, I do.
Osborne's tome is a guide to what he says are the most frequently performed operas in the modern repertoire, with works spanning from the 17th through the 20th centuries, complete with breakdowns of the vocal roles, background information and plot details, and in most cases recommended recordings. Ploughing through it as I did can be a bit of a slog, but the individual entries are often entertaining in their own right, particularly the longer ones concerning the major works of the most famous composers, or some of the more marginal works that the author can't help but take down a peg. Regrettably, a few entries are scant, as though Osborne either couldn't think of anything to say, or didn't believe there was much to say.
It's also regrettable that none of the operas profiled are by female composers, which is less the fault of the author than it is of institutional sexism in the music world going back four hundred years. Osborne also seems less than interested in commenting some of the problematic racial ideology in many classic operas, except in the case of Wagner, whose virulent antisemitism was apparently too much to ignore.
As an occasional opera attender, I'll be glad to refer back to this book when deciding what shows to check out each season. Beyond that, it's also given me an urge to read a real biography of Verdi, whose works I've found the most intriguing of all the major composers of opera.
Osborne's tome is a guide to what he says are the most frequently performed operas in the modern repertoire, with works spanning from the 17th through the 20th centuries, complete with breakdowns of the vocal roles, background information and plot details, and in most cases recommended recordings. Ploughing through it as I did can be a bit of a slog, but the individual entries are often entertaining in their own right, particularly the longer ones concerning the major works of the most famous composers, or some of the more marginal works that the author can't help but take down a peg. Regrettably, a few entries are scant, as though Osborne either couldn't think of anything to say, or didn't believe there was much to say.
It's also regrettable that none of the operas profiled are by female composers, which is less the fault of the author than it is of institutional sexism in the music world going back four hundred years. Osborne also seems less than interested in commenting some of the problematic racial ideology in many classic operas, except in the case of Wagner, whose virulent antisemitism was apparently too much to ignore.
As an occasional opera attender, I'll be glad to refer back to this book when deciding what shows to check out each season. Beyond that, it's also given me an urge to read a real biography of Verdi, whose works I've found the most intriguing of all the major composers of opera.
January 19, 2019
The Opera Lover's Companion is a delightful read for any opera fan. At over 600 pages, it offers a comprehensive catalogue of the opera repertoire, each listing featuring character information, an introduction to the opera, a brief synopsis, and recommended recordings. It's a book designed more as a reference work, to be dipped into rather than read cover to cover.
August 26, 2018
A very good companion in that it is automotive, concise and informative. I have never bothered with another one as this one was so good, I recommend this without any reservations.
February 2, 2012
An excellent overview of the world of Opera. Quite a few lesser known works by great composers are given a little light. If you want to study a composer in depth you need to read the individual work on each.
July 6, 2014
No clear advantages over Wikipedia.
June 26, 2015
Fav reference resource during Met Opera season broadcasts on XM.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews