A Dictionary of Opera Characters

A Dictionary of Opera Characters
Author: Joyce Bourne Kennedy
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 375
Release: 2008
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0199550395

A unique reference work containing over 2,500 A-Z entries on operatic characters. Includes synopses for over 200 operas and operettas, as well as feature articles written by well-known personalities from the world of opera, including Plácido Domingo and Dame Janet Baker. It is an essential book for anyone with an interest in opera.

Operas in English

Operas in English
Author: Margaret Ross Griffel
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 1015
Release: 2012-12-21
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0810883252

Although many opera dictionaries and encyclopedias are available, very few are devoted exclusively to operas in a single language. In this revised and expanded edition of Operas in English: A Dictionary, Margaret Ross Griffel brings up to date her original work on operas written specifically to an English text (including works both originally prepared in English, as well as English translations). Since its original publication in 1999, Griffel has added nearly 800 entries to the 4,300 from the original volume, covering the world of opera in the English language from 1634 through 2011. Listed alphabetically by letter, each opera entry includes alternative titles, if any; a full, descriptive title; the number of acts; the composer’s name; the librettist’s name, the original language of the libretto, and the original source of the text, with the source title; the date, place, and cast of the first performance; the date of composition, if it occurred substantially earlier than the premiere date; similar information for the first U.S. (including colonial) and British (i.e., in England, Scotland, or Wales) performances, where applicable; a brief plot summary; the main characters (names and vocal ranges, where known); some of the especially noteworthy numbers cited by name; comments on special musical problems, techniques, or other significant aspects; and other settings of the text, including non-English ones, and/or other operas involving the same story or characters (cross references are indicated by asterisks). Entries also include such information as first and critical editions of the score and libretto; a bibliography, ranging from scholarly studies to more informal journal articles and reviews; a discography; and information on video recordings. Griffel also includes four appendixes, a selective bibliography, and two indexes. The first appendix lists composers, their places and years of birth and death, and their operas included in the text as entries; the second does the same for librettists; the third records authors whose works inspired or were adapted for the librettos; and the fourth comprises a chronological listing of the A–Z entries, including as well as the date of first performance, the city of the premiere, the short title of the opera, and the composer. Griffel also include a main character index and an index of singers, conductors, producers, and other key figures.

The Grove Book of Opera Singers

The Grove Book of Opera Singers
Author: Laura Williams Macy
Publisher:
Total Pages: 649
Release: 2008
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0195337654

Covering over 1500 singers from the birth of opera to the present day, this marvelous volume will be an essential resource for all serious opera lovers and an indispensable companion to the enormously successful Grove Book of Operas. The most comprehensive guide to opera singers ever produced, this volume offers an alphabetically arranged collection of authoritative biographies that range from Marion Anderson (the first African American to perform at the Met) to Benedict Zak (the classical tenor and close friend and colleague of Mozart). Readers will find fascinating articles on such opera stars as Maria Callas and Enrico Caruso, Ezio Pinza and Fyodor Chaliapin, Lotte Lehmann and Jenny Lind, Lily Pons and Luciano Pavarotti. The profiles offer basic information such as birth date, vocal style, first debut, most memorable roles, and much more. But these articles often go well beyond basic biographical information to offer colorful portraits of the singer's personality and vocal style, plus astute evaluations of their place in operatic history and many other intriguing observations. Many entries also include suggestions for further reading, so that anyone interested in a particular performer can explore their life and career in more depth. In addition, there are indexes of singers by voice type and by opera role premiers. The articles are mostly drawn from the acclaimed Grove Music Online and have been fully revised, and the book is further supplemented by more than 40 specially commissioned articles on contemporary singers. A superb new guide from the first name in opera reference, The Grove Book of Opera Singers is a lively and authoritative work, beautifully illustrated with color and black-and-white pictures. It is an essential volume--and the perfect gift--for opera lovers everywhere.

The Grove Book of Operas

The Grove Book of Operas
Author: Stanley Sadie
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 788
Release: 2006-11-06
Genre: Music
ISBN:

"The Grove Book of Operas is the ideal difference for the opera lover. First published in 1996 to great critical and popular success, it provides succinct yet insightful synopses of more than 250 operas. This second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas, including John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, Poul Ruders's A Handmaid's Tale, and Mark Adamo's Little Women." "The second edition features a new, more readable design, and is illustrated in both colour and black and white. New images cover the history of opera from reproductions of the earliest libretti, to portraits of singers from the earliest days of photography, to productions staged in 2005. And in a new introductory essay, scholar and dramaturg David Levin surveys contemporary trends in opera performance, identifying their ancestors in early and mid-20th century performance and examining the current intellectual and cultural context in which they flourish." "In addition to a full synopsis of every plot, there is a cast list and information about the first production, as well as a discussion of the opera's history and its literary and social background. The index of first lines of arias will help you find your favourite, and the index of role names will come to your rescue when programme notes or reviews tell you that 'he sang Colline at the Met in 1992'."--BOOK JACKET.

Carmen

Carmen
Author:
Publisher: Egmont USA
Total Pages: 163
Release: 2011-04-26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1606841998

Into the summer heat of New York’s Spanish Harlem strides Carmen, a chica who is as hot as the sizzling city streets. When she first meets José, she falls for him hard. He’s not like the gansta types she knows—tipo duros who are tough, who think they are players. But José has a quick temper, and he likes to get his own way. And nobody gets in Carmen’s way. When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of the Latino Jay-Z—a quadruple-threat singer/rapper/producer/businessman. But he only notices one person—Carmen. And Carmen has given up on José—he’s not going to get her out of her tough neighborhood, el barrio, and into the action. Escamillo will. But José won’t let that happen. Passion, love, and betrayal explode into tragedy in this modern retelling of an enduring love story.

Operas in German

Operas in German
Author: Margaret Ross Griffel
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 1046
Release: 2018-01-23
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1442247975

With nearly three thousand new entries, the revised edition of Operas in German: A Dictionary is the most current encyclopedic treatment of operas written specifically to a German text from the seventeenth century through 2016. Musicologist Margaret Ross Griffel details the operas’ composers, scores, librettos, first performances, and bibliographic sources. Four appendixes then list composers, librettists, authors whose works inspired or were adapted for the opera librettos, and a chronological listing of the entries in the A–Z section. The bibliography details other dictionaries and encyclopedias, performance studies, collections of plot summaries, general studies on operas, sources on locales where opera premieres took place, works on the history of operas in German, and selective volumes on individual opera composers, librettists, producers, directors, and designers. Finally, two indexes list the main characters in each opera and the names of singers, conductors, producers, composers, directors, choreographers, and arrangers. The revised edition of Operas in German provides opera historians, musicologists, performers, and opera lovers with an invaluable resource for continued study and enjoyment. As the most current encyclopedic collection of German opera from the seventeenth century through the twenty-first, Operas in German is an invaluable resource for opera historians, musicologists, performers, and opera lovers.

Who Married Figaro?

Who Married Figaro?
Author: Joyce Bourne Kennedy
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2008
Genre: Music
ISBN:

"From Aeneas to Zaida, Who Married Figaro? contains more than 2,500 entries on operatic characters from around the world. Giving details of the composer of each role as well as notable performances, this unique reference book also provides comprehensive synopses for over 200 operas and operettas. It features articles by well-known personalities from the world of opera, including Placido Domingo, Dame Janet Baker, and, new to this edition, Christine Brewer, Susan Bullock, Simon Keenlyside, and Joyce DiDonato. This fully revised edition now contains an appendix of contemporary opera of the last ten years, offering detailed synopses and world premiere cast lists. Up to date, authoritative, and packed with valuable information, this A-Z is an essential book for opera lovers."--BOOK JACKET.

Opera a to Z

Opera a to Z
Author: Liddy Lindsay
Publisher:
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2013-03-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9780985424831

Opera A to Z: A Beginner's Guide to Opera is an overview of the most famous operas and opera characters of all time; one for each letter of the alphabet. The book was written with children ages eight to twelve in mind, but it is sure to delight young and old alike with its engaging summaries of twenty-six renowned operas. The book is based on a 27 x 40 watercolor that took author and illustrator Liddy Lindsay two years to complete and has become a bestseller as notecards and Gicle prints at The Met Opera Shop in New York.

Fortissimo

Fortissimo
Author: William Murray
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2005
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

This insider look at what it takes to make it in the world of opera is unveiled through the lives of 12 young singers at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Diary of a Redneck Opera Zinger

Diary of a Redneck Opera Zinger
Author: Jay Hunter Morris
Publisher:
Total Pages: 140
Release: 2013-04-01
Genre: Opera
ISBN: 9780615793870

Disclaimer: Well, here's my book! I like to think it's equal parts auto-bio, inspiration, and unrepentant potty humor. WARNING, if you're sensitive and precious, you probably won't be amused. Turn back. But if on some rainy afternoon you find yourself in need of a few giggles, I hope you'll find some here. (Jay Hunter Morris) Meet our opera "zinger" (yes, with a "z" - read the book to find out why) - Grammy-winning tenor Jay Hunter Morris, Metropolitan Opera's Siegfried in Wagner's Ring. Born in Paris, Texas, Jay was propelled to international fame after his big break in October 2011, when Met director Peter Gelb brought him in at short notice to substitute for a sick colleague, and he sang superbly this difficult role in front of a Met Live in HD worldwide audience. These are his incredibly funny memoirs. The gifted singer has a phenomenal talent for self-deprecating black humor (and linguist acrobatics - all spelling and grammar idiosyncrasies are done in purpose for a true Texan feel), but is also touching and admirable in his love for the art form, his family, and his values. This very entertaining book will not only make you laugh (hard!) but will also inform you about the joys and hardships of the operatic singing profession. (Luiz Gazzola, Senior Editor, Opera Lively Press)