100 Great Operas And Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses (Paperback)

by Henry W. Simon (Author) "Mozart composed The Abduction from the Seraglio at one of the happiest times in his short life..." (more)
Key Phrases: historically curious, concerted number, long duet, Bass Time, New York, Don Alfonso (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and afficionados, this volume contains act-by-act descriptions of operatic works ranging from the early seventeenth century masterworks of Monteverdi and Purcell to the modern classics of Menotti and Britten. Written in a lively anecdotal style, entries include character descriptions, historical background, and much more.

From the Publisher
An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and afficionados, this volume contains act-by-act descriptions of operatic works ranging from the early seventeenth century masterworks of Monteverdi and Purcell to the modern classics of Menotti and Britten. Written in a lively anecdotal style, entries include character descriptions, historical background, and much more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; Revised edition (April 22, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385054483
• ISBN-13: 978-0385054485
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,745 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An opera lover's bible, December 13, 2000

By	David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I bought this book a number of years ago and it has made attendance at both the Metropolitan Opera and NYC Opera that much more rewarding. I have read the few page outlines of each of the operas before attending and thus, at the performance, I follow the highlights of the given opera well. I remember when I once attended "Die Walkure," I spent plenty of time preparing (this was back before they projected the libretto while the opera takes place) and this book's coverage of the Ring cycle in general, and this opera, in particular, was a great starting point for me. I was well prepared to fully appreciate the performance. Even operas I have seen over and over merit a review before attending a performance and this book gives a great review. In addition to a good synopsis of the plot, the book gives interesting facts and histories of the operas covered. This book has been in print for a long time. There is a reason for this .. because it is truly a well written, valuable reference. Purcahsing this book is money well spent.

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, but limited, May 1, 2000

By	David Gottner (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews

I owned this book last year when I started to get into opera. I like this book because the background material is interesting, the synopsis of each opera is covered in enough depth to understand what the opera is essentially about, and each synopsis is clear. (Unfortunately, Opera synopsi tend to be confusing and dry in most books.)

However this book only covers 100 operas (as it states in the title.) So, if you are mostly interested in the "Warhorses" such as La Traviata, Turandot, Boris Gudonov, et. al. then this is the book for you. However, don't be surprised if an opera that sounds intriguing that your local opera house is playing or you see at a music store is not represented.

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful, very helpful, and well written, March 14, 1999

By A Customer

A great collection of the 100 most beloved operas. Very helpful for any aspiring opera singer, such as myself, to dig up interesting information about the background of the opera, the plot, where and when the arias take place, and many interesting factoids about the origin of the librettos and the circumstances under which the composer chose to write the opera. An absolute must-have for an opera lover!!!