Kirjahaku

Opera is a unique expression of the human mind and spirit - a play that communicates plot, characterization and story almost entirely through music. Unfortunately, because of restraints of time, location and income, few people have the opportunity to see operas performed on a regular basis. Public libraries are an easily accessible alternative for gaining operatic knowledge and exposure, offering the public a chance to hear, see, and develop an appreciation of opera. This work is a two-part guide for libraries that want to assemble a comprehensive collection of operatic materials. Part I is a list of recommended operas ranging over four hundred years of operatic history and including a variety of different styles and languages. The goal of Part I is to provide recommendations for a comprehensive library collection of video and sound operatic recordings. Part II suggest books, periodicals, and online resources that could be an integral and important part of a library's opera collection. This section also discusses the care and maintenance of sound and video recordings, offers suggestions for locating hard-to-find operatic material, and explores the library's role in sparking patron interest in opera.

This book focuses on American opera singers and what their recordings say about their artistry. It is not a book about all American opera singers, since many who had important careers on stage, made few, if any, recordings. And many of those who did make recordings, did so prior to the introduction of electrical recording in 1925 (and the resulting advances in the reproduction of the human voice). Opera enthusiasts can only imagine the sound of Farinelli's voice or read what his contemporaries have written about it, but with almost any famous or near-famous singer of recent years, enthusiasts do not have to imagine. Their voices are available through the technology of sound recording. There are 53 entries, one each for 52 singers and a composite entry for a group of Hollywood vocalists. Each entry contains biographical information and is followed by a discography of operatic recordings to be used in conjunction with the critical commentaries. The entries are in alphabetical order by the singer's last name and provide critical analyses of key recordings and of the artists' gifts and limitations.

"Verdi was asked to compose a work to premiere in the Cairo Opera House. Although Verdi was uninterested in the project at first, persistence on the part of the khedive as well as a tempting plot line written by Mariette Bey drew him in. Much mystery still surrounds the opera's inception. This book explores that mystery"--Provided by publisher.

In his "middle period," Verdi was responsible for the creation of three of opera's great works, Rigoletto, Trovatore, and Traviata. This volume examines the history of composition, of performance, and the sourcing of each of these masterpieces. The author provides analyses of the musical and dramatic accompaniments for each work as well as the ways in which their presentation has changed over time. Also included are discographies and videographies with critical analyses.