Buy OPERA COMPOSERS BOOK

Review by Florestan:

John W. Freeman’s two volume set represents the best “plots only” collection of opera synopses available. All the operas are summarized in sparing, unambiguous language. Some operas are summarized so succinctly that too much mystery remains. Freeman provides helpful biographical material on each composer represented.

Describing this collection as a two-volume set is somewhat misleading. It is, in effect, a book and its sequel. Volume 2 was published several years after the first to fill in some holes. For this reason, operas from one composer may be divided disproportionately between both volumes, and neither volume indexes the contents of the other.

Consolidating both volumes would enhance navigation and presumably reduce the cost, which is without question the least desirable feature of this competent set.

Review by Gian Paolo Nardoianni:

The book, though commendable, fails to put opera singers in their true historical perspective, dwelling unduly upon many singers who are mere nonentities. A few truly historic singers, on the contrary, are unfairly made short work of. Giacomo Lauri-Volpi is a case in point: only 27 lines (taken almost verbatim -and without updating- from the Rosenthal & Warrack’s Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera) are the stingy alms given to that colossus of singing, whose career spanned almost sixty years: the reader who wants to know the truth about Lauri-Volpi’s role in operatic history, has to resort to the “Guide de l’opéra” ( French edition of the Rosental & Warrack’s reference, up-to-dated and enhanced by R.Mancini and J.J.Rouveroux).

Pasquale Amato and Carlo Galeffi -those Matterhorns among baritones- have to content themselves, respectively, with 30 and 26 lines,: while it takes no less than 45 to immortalize Roberto Alagna’s life and career. Tito Gobbi (a superlative actor but an indifferent vocalist) scores an amazing 39; the unparalleled Titta Ruffo, “the lion”, only 41: and Gobbi, for all his artistry, couldn’t hold a candle to Titta Ruffo.

On a closer examination of the dictionary, I detected other flaws. First of all, the writers of some entries cite as cross reference a controversial two-volume work which contains too provocative evaluations of singers of the past.

In addition to the above mentioned shortcomings, the book commits many unforgivable sins of omission: outstanding singers as Francesco Marconi, Giuseppe Kaschmann, Antonio Magini Coletti, Giuseppe Danise, Domenico Viglione Borghese are conspicuous by their absence.

Just to give the reader a vague idea of the importance of the singers so unjustly ostracized, I will add a few details about their voices and careers.

Puccini proclaimed Viglione-Borghese “the prince of all Sheriffs” (and actually wrote this expression on the score of “La fanciulla del West” owned by the singer).

As for Giuseppe Danise we must defer to Rosa Ponselle’s reliable judgement: “Giuseppe Danise was an exceptional singer; he ranked up there with Giuseppe de Luca. In fact, it would be hard to choose between them for which one had the finer technique” ( Drake, “Rosa Ponselle: A Centenary Biography”, p.106)

The exceptionally versatile Antonio Magini-Coletti was a pupil of Francesco Graziani and sang opposite Jean De Reszke, Lilli Lehmann, Fernando De Lucia. He sang at “Teatro alla Scala” alternating with Victor Maurel. Clemens Hoslinger, in the liner notes to the CD “Lebendige Vergangenheit 89518″ writes about him: “Antonio Magini Coletti’s baritone voice ranks among the most magnificent vocal instruments to our knowledge”. He left a recorded legacy which can’t be ignored.

Kaschmann was a truly historic singer, one of the greatest baritones of the late XIX century. His production was perfect, his range astonishing, his acting skills comparable only to Chaljapin’s. Verdi, in a letter to Giulio Ricordi, puts him in the same class as Battistini (although in a slightly disparaging way: ” Kaschmann and Battistini -I am told- are two singers a little bit sugary and they need musical phrases which are not to be found in the part of Jago”).

Francesco Marconi, according to Max de Schauensee, (see his liner notes to the LP “Rococo R22″) “remains a prominent figure even among the great nineteenth-century tenors: Roberto Stagno, Angelo Masini, Juliano Gayarre, Italo Campanini and Francesco Tamagno”. Rodolfo Celletti writes that “Marconi’s voice had no rivals, in Italy, until the coming of Caruso” (“Le Grandi Voci”, coll. 508-509). The celebrated singing teacher J.H.Duval (Victor Maurel’s favorite pupil) wrote : “The Roman tenor, Marconi, had a voice of silver, a perfect free-flowing stream of silver throughout, and seemed limitless on the extreme upper notes” (see: “The Secrets of Svengali on Singing, Singers, Teachers and Critics”, New York, James T. White & Co, 1922, p.74).

Both the “Guide de l’opéra” and “The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia (edited by David Hamilton) don’t forget to mention Marconi, Danise, Kaschmann and Magini-Coletti. Everything considered, “The Grove Book of Opera Singers” has no claim on my unqualified approval.

However, I feel it my duty to admit that some of the entries (especially those written by Rodolfo Celletti, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, J.B.Steane and Elisabeth Forbes) deserve the highest praise and make wonderful reading.

Review by Midwest Book Review:

Although not as popular as it once was, opera still has its diehard followers. “The Grove Book of Opera Singers” is a must have reference for them, chronicling countless major opera stars from throughout history, both living and dead. Each entry has lifespans, nationality, the singer’s octave, notable roles, and much more. Enhanced with illustrations and portraits, “The Grove Book of Opera Singers” is a must have selection for any interested in opera, essentially recommended.

Review by Craig Matteson:

If you love opera or even have any desire to learn about it, this big and beautiful book is a wonderful treat to wander through. You don’t need to know anything at all about opera to find this book most enjoyable. As you read the articles and examine the pictures you will begin to see why grand opera is one of the greatest of the art forms. It involves music, drama (and comedy). Instrumental music and singing, dancing, costumes (fashion), painting for those glorious sets, stagecraft, and much more. Millions love opera, and while many of us live or used to live in areas without an opera company or we can’t afford the tickets (opera is expensive to produce), this book can bring to life affordable audio recordings of the singing and music.

The authors have provided us articles on 124 composers and 338 operas. The book is organized alphabetically by composer and then chronologically within the composer’s life. The major composers have longer articles about their lives. The articles on the operas include not only the facts of the first performance, but also a brief synopsis of the story of the opera. The articles often provide information about major performances of the work. And the book is full or wonderful pictures of the composers, the operas in their various performances, set designs, the great stars over the centuries, an the opera houses. A few musical examples of great moments in the opera are often included.

This book is wonderfully informative and very entertaining. Given how inexpensively this book can be purchased used, I don’t see why anyone would want to be without it.

Review by Dennis Wu:

You might be impressed by the size and dimension of the book at your first glance when you opened the carton box. This big and thick book is full of colorful photographs, pictures and illustrations on opera that we have in music history, including composers’ biographies and the synopsis of the opera in feature. That’s not the end. There are some medium-length, reader-friendly articles on some interesting topics of opera, like how an opera come into shape, Haydn’s opera at Esterhaza, Italian opera in England etc. An impressive volume for both amateur listeners and opera lovers.

Review by E. A Solinas:

The mask, the music, the dark mysteries, and the tortured, deformed genius who just wants love. “The Phantom of the Opera” is so well known that its story needs no explanation.

But Gaston Leroux’s novel is still a spellbinding experience, full of atmospheric horror, a sense of gothic mystery, and lushly evocative language. But its crown jewel is Erik: a magnificently tortured anti-hero who inspires more horror, pity and sympathy than the rather flat hero and heroine.

The Paris opera house is said to be haunted by a ghost with a “death’s head,” who demands a small salary and a reserved box. Despite the sightings and fears of ballerinas and stagehands, the new managers are determined to stamp out this ridiculous story — despite threatening letters and increasing accidents that happen around them.

Meanwhile, budding diva Christine Daae is taking Paris by storm, although nobody quite knows who taught her how to sing. And when her childhood friend Viscount Raoul de Chagny pays her a visit, he hears a passionate exchange between her and a man — but there’s no man there. She credits her new vocal abilities to the Angel of Music, but of course, that self-same Angel is the opera ghost.

As the Phantom becomes even more attached to Christine, Raoul soon finds that the ghost is actually a half-mad, horribly deformed musical genius named Erik — and that after Christine saw his true face, he made her become engaged to him. The young lovers plan to run away together, but the “Angel of Music” isn’t about to allow his beloved Christine to leave him…

Apparently there actually were some odd events — including rumours of an opera ghost — happening when Gaston Leroux began writing “The Phantom of the Opera.” And it’s a credit to his imgination that he was able to spin a some odd facts into a harrowing, heartbreaking love triangle that’s based on music, obsession, adoration, and a bit of pity. And, of course, a frighteningly sympathetic “villain.”

Admittedly the style is very “penny dreadful”: melodramatic and overloaded on prose. But Leroux’s talent shines through — he drapes the book in a haunted atmosphere, full of snowy graveyards, dark opera backstages and underground labyrinths, all with Erik’s presence hovering over it. The plot is mostly a slow, satiny procession toward the inevitable blowup, but Leroux does tinge it with scenes of romantic drama, a feeling of dread, one shocking action scene, and even some quirky humour at times.

And Leroux’s writing is simply astounding as he describes the corpselike appearance of Erik (“… tore his terrible dead flesh with my nails”) and his “death’s” head appearance at the party. But he also excels at the more poignant moments — Erik’s final, rambling monologue to Christine after she kisses him is heartbreakingly clumsy and saddening.

Though Christine and Raoul are the hero and heroine of the book, they’re actually kind of flat. Erik is the real star — an arrogant genius who is also pitifully lonely. And insane. Despite his crazed behavior — which results in at least two deaths — it’s hard not to feel sympathy for someone cursed with such a ghastly appearance, and so starved for human contact that a single kiss changes his life (“… he tried to catch my eye, like a dog sitting by its master”).

Despite being a bit overblown in the style of its time, “The Phantom of the Opera” is a triumph of atmosphere, horror, and one of the most memorably sympathetic “villains” that you can find on the shelves. Magnificent.

Review by Maritsa:

French is a beautiful and romantic language and English translations of the Phantom of the Opera haven’t always come through quite as beautifully and often times they sound military. This translation flows very well. I was very surprised when I found it. I had read about three or four versions of the book in English from different translators when I stumbled onto this one by accident at the local library. I prefer books in hardcover and searched for this translation in that format but was not able to find it. Now, I have only one classic French book in paperback. This is really the best translation of this book. It flows easily although not as perfectly as the French does. Who knew Bantam could pull this off successfully?

Review by E. A. Lovitt:

Suppose you had an eccentric, British uncle who was absolutely nuts about opera. You’re a tyro yourself, so whenever you go CD shopping or attend a live performance, he entertains you with a humorous summary of the libretto (not too hard to do with an opera if it’s not “Wozzeck”), tells you which bits to really listen for, and provides a critique of singers. He’s an expert—after all he was the deputy chairman of one of England’s great opera houses—but he’s not a snob. Listen to what he has to say about death in the mystic land of Oprania:”Death is extremely common and has an almost universal characteristic unknown in our world, namely a period of Imminence during which the doomed person suffers a compulsion to sing. There are few known cases in Oprania where death has occurred without an aria, or at least a cavatina, being delivered during Imminence. The period of Imminence for long deaths can last for up to a whole act. Not even decapitation can ensure an aria-free death…”If you think bursting into song at death’s door is highly unlikely, listen to what the author–I mean your uncle–has to say about Valentin’s death (he was stabbed by Faust with the help of the devil) in Gounod’s “Faust:”"Valentin is found dying in the street by a respectful and horrified chorus. He makes the customary brave gestures of a soldier in the face of death and turns on Marguerite [his sister who is Faust's lover] rather nastily (first in recitative and then in a short aria) saying that the only course open to her now is to become a hooker for the rest of her life.”Valentin curses his sister and dies, and for all his musical effort is only awarded one star (out of a possible three) by Sir Denis. “Faust” itself is rated a ‘beta’ (on a scale where ‘alpha-plus’ is reserved for truly great operas such as “The Marriage of Figaro”, and ‘gamma or less’ for truly forgettable operas such as “La Rondine”). I almost subtracted a star from my review because Sir Denis awarded ‘betas’ to two of my favorite operas (Handel’s ‘Caesar’ and Verdi’s ‘Forza’), but “A Night at the Opera” is way too good and funny and idiosyncratic (in the grand style that only British authors seem to be able to carry off) to be anything but a five-star book.The eighty-three operas that were chosen to appear in this book all had three or more versions listed in the “Gramophone” CD catalogue of December 1992, from Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” to Berg’s “Wozzeck.” Each opera’s libretto is lovingly (and somewhat whackily) described. There is a “Look Out For” section that describes and rates the opera’s arias, preludes, choruses, intermezzos, etc. with one to three stars. Example: “Si adempia il voler” from Puccini’s “Tosca”:”The final scene [of Act II]: Scarpia sits down to write the phoney letter of safe conduct to a sweeping melody,** calm but full of menace, giving us a breathing space between the storms past and the storm to come: then the ‘kiss of Tosca’ [she stabs Scarpia] with all the stops out–and the calm melody plays the scene out (All Rome trembled before him) ending with a sonorous funereal version of Scarpia’s theme accompanied by a death rattle of drums. Stupendous.”Stupendous, indeed, even though Sir Denis only gives it two stars.The final two sections describing each opera are “News and Gossip”–background on how and why the opera was composed, and “Comment”–the author’s summary of where the opera fits in the repertoire (plus any other remarks he chooses to make).This is a grand old book, all 959 pages of it. I read the whole thing, even the penultimate “Words Words Words” dictionary, and the final page of acknowledgements, “Friends, Supporters, Colleagues and Minders.”Please, just one more quotation from the final page:”I would like to thank: Bamber Gascoigne for giving me the idea in the first place (and let it be noted that this handsome acknowledgement in no way affects the author’s title to 100% of the copyright).”I loved this book and you will too, even if you only have a sneaking fondness for the ‘Queen of Music’.

Review by dcreader:

Much more than just a collection of synopses of the great operas, A Night at the Opera provides a great starting point for learning about any major opera.First, you’ll learn about how the opera came to be written and the story behind the story. Then, there’s a full synopsis of the opera. Next is a musical description of the numbers, with a system of noting the highlights to watch out for. Finally, there’s an essay by the author, Covent Garden’s Denis Foreman and his rating.There’s about five pages or so per opera, with longer ones getting much more (there’s a whole introduction to The Ring). The style is breezy and colloquial. Foreman writes in a very tongue in cheek way that obviously some people don’t get or like. Still, unless you despise dry English humor, it’s a lot of fun. The synopses can get a little hard to follow with some of Foreman’s jokes at times, however.Also, there’s a large glossary in back with lengthy dissertations (again, very tongue in cheek), and composer/singer/conductor bios. All in all a great resource, even if you already have a book of opera synopsis.