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Living Opera
Living Opera is a fascinating collection of 20 wide-ranging interviews with the preeminent opera professionals working on and behind the stage today.
Joshua Jampol invites opera-lovers to listen in as performers such as Renee Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo speak in exceptionally frank terms about their strengths and weaknesses, and address such hard-hitting, enduring topics as how they deal with critics, vocal troubles, and balancing their career and family lives. We hear conductors such as James Conlon, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Kent Nagano discuss their likes and dislikes about the state of contemporary opera, their own inspirations, and whom they themselves hope to inspire. World-class directors such as Robert Carsen and Patrice Chéreau discuss the complexities involved in staging a successful opera, and how opera can remain relevant today. Jampol has unprecedented access to these major singers, conductors, and directors, and the table of contents reads like a "who's who" of the global opera world. Each interview highlights a distinctive voice, and Jampol brings immense knowledge and a wonderful flair
to these conversations. He allows his subjects to follow their thoughts wherever they lead, and reveals in the process a more intimate, reflective side of the emotional and extravagant world of the lyric arts.
For anyone wanting to know more about the people behind the performances--what they think, how they feel, and who they really are-- Living Opera is full of delights and surprises.
Joshua Jampol invites opera-lovers to listen in as performers such as Renee Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo speak in exceptionally frank terms about their strengths and weaknesses, and address such hard-hitting, enduring topics as how they deal with critics, vocal troubles, and balancing their career and family lives. We hear conductors such as James Conlon, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Kent Nagano discuss their likes and dislikes about the state of contemporary opera, their own inspirations, and whom they themselves hope to inspire. World-class directors such as Robert Carsen and Patrice Chéreau discuss the complexities involved in staging a successful opera, and how opera can remain relevant today. Jampol has unprecedented access to these major singers, conductors, and directors, and the table of contents reads like a "who's who" of the global opera world. Each interview highlights a distinctive voice, and Jampol brings immense knowledge and a wonderful flair
to these conversations. He allows his subjects to follow their thoughts wherever they lead, and reveals in the process a more intimate, reflective side of the emotional and extravagant world of the lyric arts.
For anyone wanting to know more about the people behind the performances--what they think, how they feel, and who they really are-- Living Opera is full of delights and surprises.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
330 pages, Hardcover
First published April 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2011
The twenty opera professionals all had very interesting things to say...but I was often embarrassed for the interviewer. He was the only consistent thing from one interview to the next, and I didn't like him. Oh well.
May 8, 2011
Anyone who loves opera, like I do, will love this book. It's a collection of interviews of opera luminaries, some more known than others. The author asks intelligent questions so gets provoking thoughts by the interviewees.
April 22, 2015
I want to own this book. It made me so happy. I am very glad to have read so many different voices and opinions about my art form from people I respect. Also now I REALLY want to meet Plácido Domingo.
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May 22, 2011There's no way to review interviews...I just liked reading what these creative and passionate people had to say about their art.
October 11, 2011
A collection of interviews with twenty opera professionals
September 19, 2020
An endearing and heartwarming read into the artistic and personal lives of some operatic artists.
January 2, 2015
Interesting interviews with thoughtful questions to variety of opera singers and directors.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews