The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera [Hardcover]

Shahrukh Husain (Author), Shahrukh (Author), James Mayhew (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The author's rewriting of opera stories from seven different composers combined with illustrations and a select discography, introduces to children some of the great operatic themes of the last 200 years.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-A collection of seven opera plots, chosen for their potential interest to children. The book includes Benjamin Britten's The Little Sweep, Mozart's The Magic Flute, Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, Rossini's La Cenerentola, Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve. Each retelling begins with a page of information on the origin of the story and a few facts about the composer, and is delightfully illustrated with renderings of graceful costumed figures from the opera and at least one dramatic full-page ink-and-watercolor painting. Although the writing flows nicely and dialogue enlivens each narrative, the complexity of the plots with their many characters, twists of fate, and magical elements may confuse youngsters unfamiliar with the stories. However, in music-loving homes and for classroom use as an introduction to listening to an opera performance, this title will be a valuable addition.
Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This colorful book provides children with stories from seven operas: Britten's The Little Sweep, Mozart's The Magic Flute, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, Rossini's La Cenerentola, Von Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve. Each retelling takes about 10 pages, including a one-page introduction, and features many illustrations. James Mayhew's colorful ink-and-watercolor paintings bring a sense of music and drama to the pages. A useful volume for libraries where parents and teachers seek introductory material on the opera. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books; 1ST edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1902283287
• ISBN-13: 978-1902283289
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Opera Haters Will Love This Delightful Book, December 20, 2001

By 

Emily J Wright (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera (Hardcover)

My children, ages 5 and 2, and I, a musician mom, love this book. The pictures are colorful and beautiful. The first page of each story is a picture of all the main opera characters with their names underneath, so the children can refer to this page if the story begins to confuse them. This is followed by a synopsis of the opera, a blurb about the composer and then the opera itself. The text is simply magnificent. The stories are interesting all on their own, and even if you don't like opera you will love this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Child-Friendly" Opera, July 1, 2000

By 

"narya58" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera (Hardcover)

This book would be a good choice for introducing children to the stories from operas. The author does a nice job of retelling in simple terms, the often-time complicated stories from seven different "child-friendly" operas. Some of the stories will be new to children and are sure to hold their interest. A couple of the operas are based on fairy-tales the children already know and they will be interested to see the differences in these versions. My only complaint was that I did not feel that the illustrations lived up to the same high quality as the stories.