Customer Reviews

The Barber of Seville (Black Dog Opera Library)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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As with the other Black Dog Opera Library Collections, the Barber of Seville combines CDs of the full opera with a 140+ page hardbound book of pictures, history, libretto and critique. It is perfect both for those new to opera and for the opera savvy.

Author David Foil offers a historical critique of the Barber of Seville and relates the impact it had on the music world. Foil also tells the story of Rossini's experiences writing the opera, which took less than one month.

The musical recordings alone are reason to buy the book. Perhaps the greatest opera conductor of our time, James Levine, conducts Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes and the London Symphony Orchestra in a wonderful rendition of this famous opera.

I highly recommend this book and CD to anyone. Nowhere else can you find such a complete package of music, words and pictures for such a reasonable price. So, if you wish to listen to the famous strains of "Figaro, Figaro, Figaro" this is your book.

This book and CD set are the perfect combination for those who are new to the world of opera and not fluent in foreign language. Better than just a synopsis, the libretto in English lets you read every word so you won't miss the humor or pathos. As a homeschooling mom, I really appreciated this set as a teaching tool. I hope to increase my collection of The Black Dog Opera Library series.

Be aware that the book shown when you take a "Look Inside" is NOT the book you get. What they show is a bound copy of the musical score with the libretto added. What you get is the libretto described in the written review, no musical score. That having been said, the book you get is useful and of interest, and the CD is a great recording.

I have several "Black Dog Opera" recordings, and they are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to opera WIHTOUT spending a lot of money. This label primarily offers recordings of extremely well-known operas. I had some initial concerns regarding sound quality given the price, but I have yet to be disappointed by them -- Barber of Seville is no exception. Each opera comes in a neatly packaged book that contains the full libretto in its original language and in translation; the history of the opera and its performance; and short biographies of the composer and cast. The books are just the right size to tuck them in your purse (or bag!) so that you can follow the libretto along at a live performance -- I took Barber with me to last year's Chicago Opera Theater production and plan to take Tosca along to Lyric later this year! What a great idea!

I highly recommend the Black Dog opera books. They're the perfect way to learn about an opera: They include cd's of the opera by outstanding singers, photos of performances, historical and critical commentary, a scene-by-scene summary of the plot, and the complete libretto in both English and the original language, so you can play around with the translation if you're interested. They can't be beat.

Maybe this goes without saying, but I don't think that the libretto and music combined are enough to bring this opera fully to life. In my opinion, the set, costuming, and possibilities for great comedic acting are what makes this opera special. There are tons of videos on youtube of this opera: watch them with this book in hand, but do not read this without watching the opera first or unless you plan on seeing the opera very soon. While humor can be derived solely from the libretto, it really sparkles when brought to life on stage. If you can see it with Peter Mattei and Juan Diego Florez, then all the better in my opinion (on youtube, search "barber of seville met": the one I'm referencing played at the Metropolitan Opera). While for many the advice in this review may seem rudimentary, I just wanted to point out to anyone who may be as inexperienced in the realm of opera as myself that there are many layers to an opera, visual as well as auditory, and that in order to do this magnificent opera justice you must see it as well as hear it and read about it. I do love this book though, and the recordings are excellent.

The CD correlates well with the small, easily-held book so the novice can track which elements to listen for...one has the Italian arias as well as the English translation. A bonus is the worthy background material on composer Rossini. This small volume was the best preparation for attending the Verona Opera Festival in July 2009; now it serves as a wonderful way to conjure memories of the elegantly-clad cast and lilting melodies of Rossini's charming romantic comedy.

Great seller, Shipped and arrived on time as described, doing business was a pleasure and I dont say this just because...I say it because you are a great person to buy from.