Overview

Pogue is a wonderful teacher...He can teach anybody. --Gay Talese, bestselling author of Honor Thy Father Scott Speck is a great communicator of classical music...Concert audiences and readers alike can't help getting caught up in the joy of his subject. --David Styers, American Symphony Orchestra League Opera is weird. Everybody wears makeup and sings all the time. Even when they're singing your language, which is rare, you still can't understand the words. Women play men, men play women, and 45--year--olds play teenagers. All the main characters seem to get killed off. And when somebody dies, he takes ten minutes to sing about it. Yet, for all its weirdness, an operatic experience is an experience in breathtaking beauty. When you hear a soprano float a soft high C, or a tenor singing a love song, or a full--throated chorus in the climax of a scene's dramatic finale, you can't help getting goosebumps. Want to experience all that beauty for yourself, but don't know where to begin? Opera For Dummies is an excellent place to start. Written by an acclaimed conductor and a musical director, this friendly guide tells you what you need to know to: * Understand opera from the Baroque and Roman periods through today * Interpret characters, orchestra, chorus, and other players * Understand what's happening, both on stage and off * Choose the best seats * Identify famous operas * Build a great collection of opera recordings * Locate opera sites and chat groups online Whether you're interested in attending a live opera, want to build a collection of recordings, or just want to be able to talk about opera intelligently, Opera For Dummies is for you. Among other things, you'll explore: * The words, the music, and the people who sing it * The history of opera and the lives of the great composers * Going to the opera including tips for getting tickets, preparing for the opera, dressing for the opera, and more * Musical and theatrical conventions used in opera * In--depth synopses of the world's most beloved operas On the bonus CD you'll find: * More than 60 minutes of music compiled especially for the book * A multimedia piece for PC or MAC Wonder what it is about opera that can make a grown person cry like a baby? Find out in Opera For Dummies.

Full Product Details

Author:   David Pogue ,  Scott Speck
Publisher:   John Wiley & Sons Inc
Imprint:   Hungry Minds Inc,U.S.
Dimensions:   Width: 18.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 23.60cm
Weight:   0.605kg
ISBN:  

9780764550102

ISBN 10:   0764550101
Pages:   384
Publication Date:   04 September 1997
Recommended Age:   From 18 to 99
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  General ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Stock Indefinitely
Availability:   In Print  
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

Table of Contents

Foreword. Introduction. PART I: Larger Than Life. Chapter 1: Curtain Up! Chapter 2: The Librettos the Thing. Chapter 3: The Scores the Other Thing. Chapter 4: Opera Singers and Their Equipment. PART II: The Story of Opera. Chapter 5: A Little Greece, a Little Italy. Chapter 6: The French Connection. Chapter 7: English Channels. Chapter 8: Opera with a German Accent. Chapter 9: The Russian Evolution and the American Way. PART III: A Night at the Opera. Chapter 10: How to Go to an Opera. Chapter 11: A Spin through Your Free CD. Intermission: Backstage Tour. PART IV: A Guide to the Worlds Most Beloved Operas. Chapter 12: The 50 Big Kahunas. Chapter 13: The Best of the Rest. PART V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 14: The Ten Most Common Misconceptions about Opera. Chapter 15: The Ten Best Opera Terms for Cocktail Parties. Chapter 16: Ten Great Opera Jokes. Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Keep Discovering Opera Forever. PART VI: Appendixes. Appendix A: Getting Started. Appendix B: Opera Timeline. Appendix C: Glossary. Index.

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Author Information

David Pogue had a musical career on Broadway before he became one of the nation's top technology gurus. Scott Speck has conducted orchestras around the world and is coauthor of Ballet For Dummies. Together, they also wrote Classical Music For Dummies.

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