Verdi With a Vengeance

Verdi With a Vengeance PDF Author: William Berger
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307756335
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 514

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Book Description
Everything you could possibly know about Verdi and his operas, from the brilliant and humorous author of Wagner Without Fear. If you want to know why La traviata was actually a flop at its premiere in 1853, it's in here. If you want to know why claiming to have heard Bjorling's Chicago performance of Il trovatore is the classic opera fan faux pas, it's in here. Even if you just want to know how to pronounce Aida, or what the plot of Rigoletto is all about, this is the place to look. From the composer's intense hatred of priests to synopses of the operas and a detailed discography of the best recordings to buy, it can all be found in Verdi with a Vengeance. William Berger has given another improbable performance, serving up a book as thorough as it is funny and as original as it is astute, an utterly indispensable guide for novice and expert alike.

Verdi With a Vengeance

Verdi With a Vengeance PDF Author: William Berger
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307756335
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 514

Get Book Here

Book Description
Everything you could possibly know about Verdi and his operas, from the brilliant and humorous author of Wagner Without Fear. If you want to know why La traviata was actually a flop at its premiere in 1853, it's in here. If you want to know why claiming to have heard Bjorling's Chicago performance of Il trovatore is the classic opera fan faux pas, it's in here. Even if you just want to know how to pronounce Aida, or what the plot of Rigoletto is all about, this is the place to look. From the composer's intense hatred of priests to synopses of the operas and a detailed discography of the best recordings to buy, it can all be found in Verdi with a Vengeance. William Berger has given another improbable performance, serving up a book as thorough as it is funny and as original as it is astute, an utterly indispensable guide for novice and expert alike.

Verdi

Verdi PDF Author: Mary Jane Phillips-Matz
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780198166009
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 941

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Book Description
Written with exclusive access to the original Verdi family documents, this book explores the facts behind the myths of this extraordinary figure. Previously unknown aspects of Verdi's life are exposed in this biography, which took 30 years to write.

Verdi's Theater

Verdi's Theater PDF Author: Gilles de Van
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226143705
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Book Description
But in the musical drama reality begins to blur, the musical forms lose their excessively neat patterns, and doubt and ambiguity undermine characters and situations, reflecting the crisis of character typical of modernity. Indeed, much of the interest and originality of Verdi's operas lie in his adherence to both these contradictory systems, allowing the composer/dramatist to be simultaneously classical and modern, traditionalist and innovator.

Wagner Without Fear

Wagner Without Fear PDF Author: William Berger
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307756343
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 466

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Book Description
Do you cringe when your opera-loving friends start raving about the latest production of Tristan? Do you feel faint just thinking about the six-hour performance of Parsifal you were given tickets to? Does your mate accuse you of having a Tannhäuser complex? If you're baffled by the behavior of Wagner worshipers, if you've longed to fathom the mysteries of Wagner's ever-increasing popularity, or if you just want to better understand and enjoy the performances you're attending, you'll find this delightful book indispensable. William Berger is the most helpful guide one could hope to find for navigating the strange and beautiful world of the most controversial artist who ever lived. He tells you all you need to know to become a true Wagnerite--from story lines to historical background; from when to visit the rest room to how to sound smart during intermission; from the Jewish legend that possibly inspired Lohengrin to the tragic death of the first Tristan. Funny, informative, and always a pleasure to read, Wagner Without Fear proves that the art of Wagner can be accessible to everyone. Includes: - The strange life of Richard Wagner--German patriot (and exile), friend (and enemy) of Liszt and Nietzsche - Essential opera lore and "lobby talk" - A scene-by-scene analysis of each opera - What to listen for to get the most from the music - Recommended recordings, films, and sound tracks

Puccini Without Excuses

Puccini Without Excuses PDF Author: William Berger
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307542904
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 482

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Book Description
Puccini is the most beloved composer of opera in the world: one quarter of all opera performances in the U.S. are of his operas, his music pervades movie soundtracks, and his plots have infiltrated our popular culture. But, although Puccini’s art still captivates audiences and the popularity of such works as Tosca, La Bohéme, and Madama Butterfly has never waned, he has long been a victim of critical snobbery and cultural marginalization. In this witty and informative guide for beginners and fans alike, William Berger sets the record straight, reclaiming Puccini as a serious artist. Combining his trademark irreverent humor with passionate enthusiasm, Berger strikes just the right balance of introductory information and thought-provoking analysis. He includes a biography, discussions of each opera, a glossary, fun facts and anecdotes, and above all keen insight into Puccini’s enduring power. For anyone who loves Puccini and for anyone who just wonders what all the fuss is about, Puccini Without Excuses is funny, challenging, and always a pleasure to read. INCLUDES: • Why Puccini’s art and its message of hope is crucial to our world today • How Anglo audiences often miss the mythic significance of his operas • The use of his music as shorthand in films, from A Room with a View to Fatal Attraction • A scene-by scene analysis of each opera • A guide to the wealth of available recordings, books, and videos

Verdi's Rigoletto

Verdi's Rigoletto PDF Author: Burton D. Fisher
Publisher: Opera Journeys Publishing
ISBN: 1102020893
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Book Description


Verdi's Middle Period

Verdi's Middle Period PDF Author: Martin Chusid
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226106586
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 448

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Book Description
During the middle phase of his career, 1849-1859, Verdi created some of his best-loved and most frequently performed operas, including Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata, and Un ballo in maschera. This was also the period in which he wrote his first completely original French grand opera, Les Vepres siciliennes; the first version of Simon Boccanegra; and the intensely dramatic Stiffelio, until recent years the most neglected of all Verdi's mature works for the operatic stage. Featuring contributions from many of the most active Verdi scholars in the United States and Europe, Verdi's Middle Period explores the operas composed during this period from three interlinked perspectives: studies of the original source material, cross-disciplinary analyses of musical and textual issues, and the relationship of performance practice to Verdi's musical and dramatic conception. Both musicologists and serious opera buffs will enjoy this distinguished collection.

An English Version of Verdi's Tragic Opera [in Three Acts], Luisa Miller [founded on Schiller's"Kabale und Liebe"]. Written and Adapted by C. Jeffreys

An English Version of Verdi's Tragic Opera [in Three Acts], Luisa Miller [founded on Schiller's Author: Luisa MILLER
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description


Verdi's "Il trovatore"

Verdi's Author: Martin Chusid
Publisher: University Rochester Press
ISBN: 158046422X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
The first comprehensive study of Verdi's perennially popular opera Il trovatore, written by one of the world's great Verdi authorities. No full-length study has ever been written on Il trovatore, in his day Verdi's most successful stage work. This book by one of the world's great Verdi authorities fills that gap, providing a comprehensive look at the opera, from its genesis and structure to its early performance history and critical reception. Starting with the background of the opera, the volume traces the origins of the original play by Antonio García Gutiérrez, El trovador, and offers a new, more credible source for the drama. In addition, it examines the evolution of the libretto, the music, and the arrangement of the narrative, revealing innovative musical and dramatic features not seenby other critics. The book also includes a discussion of contemporary reviews and a section on some of the important performers in the twentieth century (for example, Toscanini and Caruso), as well as a consideration of several ofthe more unusual stagings of the work mounted during the final decades of the century. With these and other explorations, Martin Chusid offers a thorough survey of Verdi's Il trovatore and in the process deepens and enhances our encounter with one of the mainstays of the operatic reparatory. Martin Chusid is Professor Emeritus of Music, New York University, and founding director of the American Institute for Verdi Studies.

Verdi's Shakespeare

Verdi's Shakespeare PDF Author: Garry Wills
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143122223
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
Look out for a new book from Garry Wills, What the Qur'an Meant, coming fall 2017. "Riveting . . . a double-barreled salvo that hits two bull's-eyes." —The New York Times Book Review This dazzling study of the three operas that Giuseppe Verdi adapted from Shakespeare's plays takes readers on a wonderfully engaging journey through opera, music, literature, history, and the nature of genius. Verdi's Shakespeare explores the writing and staging of Macbetto (Macbeth), Otello (Othello), and Falstaff, operas by Verdi, an Italian composer who could not read a word of English but who adored Shakespeare. Delving into the fast-paced worlds of these men and the hands-on life of the stage that at once challenged them and gave flight to their brilliance, Wills, in his inimitable way, illuminates the birth of artistic creation.