150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre [Hardcover]

Andrew Lamb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2001

From the Parisian operettas of Jacques Offenbach in the 1850s to such current blockbuster musicals as Les Miserables and Rent, musical theatre has given joy to audiences throughout the world. This lively book - an illustrated history of popular musical theatre - provides a compendium of fascinating details about the origins and development of the genre over a century and a half. Andrew Lamb moves from country to country, showing how different cultures interpreted and were influenced by different types of musical theatre. He examines, for example, the development of the European operetta style from French and Viennese woks to such lesswell-known schools as the Spanish zarzuela. He also traces the evolution of English-language works from the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan and American vaudevilles and extravaganzas to the latest Broadway and West End musicals. For each significant work he provides a brief description of the plot and references to the principal musical numbers. While his focus is on composers, librettists, and lyricists, he also gives information about principal performers, directors, and other creative influences. In a masterful way he conveys the differences between works of the same composer and works by various composers, and shows how they reflect changing cultural tastes and musical and dramatic conventions. Displaying a deep and wide-ranging expertise, this authoritative book is an invaluable resource for all lovers of the musical theatre.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Both informed and engaging, 150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre by British musicologist Andrew Lamb traces the development of modern musical theater from its beginnings in Paris roughly a century and a half ago to productions seen today on Broadway, in New York's East Village and the West End of London. Lamb contends that the dawn of the Industrial Revolution brought an increase in the uneducated working population to urban centers where the demand for "less sophisticated, more accessible theatrical entertainment" gave rise to the operetta, particularly as created by Jacques Offenbach. From there, Lamb proceeds across Europe to America, where he follows musical theater through various countries and composers, concluding with Jonathan Larson's rock opera Rent. 35 b&w illus.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Lamb, a British musicologist, writer, and broadcaster, has really done his homework for this incredibly detailed history of popular musical theater. From the earliest European operetta styles of France and Germany to the modern musical of the United States and Britain, Lamb covers every turn in the development of musicals. Though well indexed, this is not so much a reference book as a historical narrative. Lamb's intent is to provide a discussion of the composers and their works, with special attention paid to their place in the evolution of the genre: "Focus is on the various creative teams in turn, rather than necessarily on dealing with key works in chronological order." Major performers, producers, and directors are also discussed. This thoroughly enjoyable read is guaranteed to provide happy surprises for even the most avid fan. Recommended for academic and public library theater collections. Laura A. Ewald, Murray State Univ., KY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300075383
• ISBN-13: 978-0300075380
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,633,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The author needs to do his research, October 29, 2001

By 

"aidaonbroadway" (California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre (Hardcover)

This book is TRYING to organize well the history of musical theatre, but he gets all jumbled where he talks about 1999 and then moves back to 1984 and then goes to 1997, and you just wonder where he is taking you, and you can easily get confused. He also made some false claims, especially about RENT, where he said that the creator died of AIDS on the night of the first preview. Johnathan Larson did not die of AIDS, and it was the opening night of the NYTW try out. He also makes vague generalizations of the plot and everything of different musicals, and he just isnt complete where he should have been, and instead wastes alot of the time with just boring pointless BLAH. If you want a good musical theatre book, don't look here.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The author needs to do his research, October 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: 150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre (Hardcover)

This book is TRYING to organize well the history of musical theatre, but he gets all jumbled where he talks about 1999 and then moves back to 1984 and then goes to 1997, and you just wonder where he is taking you, and you can easily get confused. He also made some false claims, especially about RENT, where he said that the creator died of AIDS on the night of the first preview. Johnathan Larson did not die of AIDS, and it was the opening night of the NYTW try out. He also makes vague generalizations of the plot and everything of different musicals, and he just isnt complete where he should have been, and instead wastes alot of the time with just boring pointless BLAH. If you want a good musical theatre book, don't look here.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One fact wrong, January 5, 2010

By 

avid reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: 150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre (Hardcover)

A couple of reviewers got their knickers in a knot because the author said the Rent guy died of aids and he didn't. This is an excellent overview of the genre and overall very well researched.