Mozart on the Stage (Composers on the Stage) [Paperback]

John A. Rice (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521016614 | ISBN-13: 978-0521016612 | Publication Date: February 23, 2009 | Edition: 1

Presenting a fresh approach to Mozart's achievements as a composer for the stage, John A. Rice outlines the composer's place in the operatic culture of his time. The book tells the story of how Mozart's operas came into existence, following the processes that Mozart went through as he brought his operas from commission to performance. Chapters trace the fascinating series of interactions that took place between Mozart and librettists, singers, stage designers, orchestras, and audiences. In linking the operas by topic, Rice emphasizes what Mozart's operas have in common, regardless of when he wrote them and the genres to which they belong. Overall, the book demonstrates how Mozart's entire operatic oeuvre is the product of a single extraordinary mind and a single pan-European operatic culture.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'With its expert handling of evidence of all kinds, Rice's study must count as the best portrait yet of Mozart as a man of the theatre, sharply and convincingly drawn.' Eighteenth-Century Music

Book Description

Presenting a fresh view of Mozart's achievements as a composer for the stage, John A. Rice considers Mozart's place in the operatic culture of his time. Linking the operas by topics, this book follows the processes that Mozart went through as he brought his operas from commission to performance.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (February 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521016614
• ISBN-13: 978-0521016612
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,637,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting overview of Mozart's work for the theater, March 21, 2010

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W. Billingham (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart on the Stage (Composers on the Stage) (Paperback)

"Mozart on the Stage" has lots of information about the genesis of Mozart's stage works, grouped in a unique way - instead of dealing with each opera in turn, Rice treats each aspect (commission, theater, singers, etc.) in its own chapter. This does allow for a different perspective on Mozart's stage world, but can be frustrating if the reader's interest lies particularly in one opera. There is a lot of information presented, especially gathering contemporary quotes, but I found the coverage superficial.