Customer Reviews

Opera for Dummies (Book and Audio CD)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Opera for Dummies" is my favorite of the several "For Dummies" books I've read. I enjoy classical music and musical comedy but was always put off by the mystique of opera, and this book was just what I needed to break that barrier. The authors patiently take us on a quick chronological tour of opera, give us a peek into a fictional aspiring opera singer's career (as she lies about her age!), and briefly describe the plots of several dozen of the best-known operas. The bulk of your opera company's offerings will come out of this standard repertoire each year, so with a little study you can become an instant expert.

The book includes a handy CD containing operatic snippets from Mozart to the present. The book's corresponding CD guide is timed to the second, and the authors cue you in to dramatic "color" changes in the orchestra and singing, so be sure your CD player displays play times to the second.

Both beginners and seasoned opera buffs alike will enjoy the witty, irreverent plot synopses (said of one lusty hero: "He wasn't exactly thinking with his BRAIN"). After I finished "Opera for Dummies," I really put it to the test--I talked myself into a free dress rehearsal of "Tales of Hoffman" and enjoyed it thoroughly!

This is a great book. But there's nothing "dumb" or "for dummies" about it. Any person who is bright and has a sense of humor and who is just beginning to be interested in opera will find this funny, clever, irreverent book to be fascinating. Plus, the included CD is of high quality and has a great selection of tracks.

In sum, this book (while being not as hefty or as chock full of information as competing introduction-to-opera guides) is an intelligant, useful, user-friendly welcome to the universe of opera. The genuine passion of the authors shines through, a trait not found in many of the more traditional guides. All in all, "Opera for Dummies" is not at all for dummies, and is a "must-have" item for the opera beginner.

I bought this book when I knew absolutely nothing about opera, other than a lot of big people sing very loudly in Italian.

After reading this excellent book, I now consider myself an opera snob, I mean I know when to say Bravo or Brava or Bravi. Okay, well actualy I am not an opera snob, but after reading this book I know enough about opera to be one, if I so chose.

For anyone who wants to know anything and everything about opera this is an excellent resource. It is entertaining and Pogue and Speck have a humorous and easy to follow style. I highly recommend this book.

I feel compelled to give a standing ovation to the Authors of this book. I'll admit it, I'm an opera lover and live for the purity of moment when a human voice, a dynamic orchestra, and a fantastic stage setting all come together in a powerful moment and literally raise every hair across my body. That thrill is rapturous and intoxicating.

When I first picked up the book, even I was skeptical about how interesting this book could be. However, from the opening page the humor in it had me laughing while giving me a greater insight into the opera world. You'll get an education in the components of opera, styles of opera, composers and their contributions, opera etiquette and some just plain fascinating stories about the lives of people who advanced this art form.

If the Authors could give High School students across the country some of the toungue in cheek insight into opera this book is filled with, we would see a dramatic increase in the opera crowd and gain new converts in the process.

Opera seems to be on the rise thanks in part to a book like this, Broadway Musicals and movies such as Moulin Rouge that allow people to take baby steps towards the ulitmate, bonafide, time honored Classics. Way to go David Pogue & Scott Speck, you definately deserve a Bravi! (Note to readers, see page 134 under variations of Bravo)

If you're one of those people who thinks opera is strictly for men in tuxedo's and women in pearls, this book will change your mind and have you enjoying this art form.

The book takes you through the basics of the voices and the players, gives you plots of the 75 most commonly performed operas, explains how to watch an opera live and gives you a sample of some of the music on the included CD.

The book also traces the history of opera from the ancient Greeks to the present.

Think of this book as a map for a journey that you can follow for life and never need to turnback from.

I wasn't expecting to be entertained when I picked up Opera for Dummies, but the book is like having a personal stand-up comedian (and one who is well informed in all things operatic) around your house to tell you stories about opera and systematically building up your knowledge in it.

But make no mistake, this is not "merely" a funny book, it is a well researched miniature course on opera. If schoolteachers and professors taught the way the authors of this book do, I'd been a Nobel laureate years ago as opposed to not yet... Imagine attending an opera class taught by Victor Borge or Eddie Izzard , and you'll get my drift.

With a sound music background the authors can make generalizations of opera phenomena, getting beginner going; e.g. telling what kind of "voices" usually play what kinds of characters, etc.

Even if you will never go to opera, reading this book is worth your time (and I am not related to the authors).

I am writing these lines at 1:55 a.m. while suffering from stomach influenza and fever, and although I feel like I'd eaten acouple of kilos of soap, shampoo and baking powder, I don't mind being awake as this book keeps me company.

P.S. A minor minus, but not one concerning the book itself: The enclosed CD tried to install Quicktime without informing me whether it would be replacing my newer version with an older one or vice versa. When I tried to cancel the installation (leaving my version of Qt intact and skipping the installation of the version on the CD was not an option) my Win98 halted like a donkey, and only got going after two power-ups and some automatic file recovering. I might just stick to listening to the CD with my CD player while browsing the book. (No big deal, really.)

By the way, during my life I have seen one opera, Don Pasquale. I considered it higly (and hopefully unimitably) boring. This stomach thing is much more fun than that opera was. (Feh!) Maybe one day I will go to see some other opera; now that I know which ones I might hate the least.

A flu patient from Finland.

Open your heart and open your ears. In today's society, when it comes to youth and music, opera is seldom mentioned. Nevertheless, there is still a great number of young opera lovers, thanks to the efforts of great opera singers who are younger- such as Renee Fleming and Samuel Ramey (a baritone who has the MTV touch). Opera is a very old, noble and artistic theatrical musical drama. This Intro is a fascinating inside look at opera singers and the plots of many operas, including the bigger, brand name operas- Tosca, Aida, La Traviata, La Boheme. I don't necessarily think that this is the Bible for opera beginners, there are many other sources for which one can appreciate opera, such as films and books on tape. But this is a very good introduction, with witty dialogue and with a keen connosseurship of the art form. Among the list of tenors that are highly regarded, and mentioned in this book, are Placido Domingo, Jon Vickers and Nicolai Gedda (all great tenors), and sopranos Beverly Sills, Joan Sutherland, Renee Fleming, and mezzo sopranos Cecilia Bartoli and Grace Bumbry. I don't believe they even mentioned Maria Callas, who was a turning point bot in opera recordings and performance. Nevertheless, a very interesting book.

As Education Coordinator for The Atlanta Opera, I am often in a position to suggest resources for people who are approaching opera with a myriad of questions. Every time I'm asked about ways to make opera more approachable, I suggest this book. Not only is it done with the usual delightful tongue-in-cheek approach of all the "Dummies" books, but it is full of accurate information as well. I even have school children reading this book and getting excited about going to the opera!

David Pogue and Scott Speck have collaborated on a delightful book that both the novice and "knowledgeable" opera-goer will find interesting. There's something for everyone in the book. Having enjoyed opera for most of my adult life and becoming passionate about it in recent years, I'm still learning about the art form. This book has increased my opera knowledge-base considerably and has added to my continued appreciation of the wonderful (and often wacky) world of opera. The book discusses many issues not found in other books on opera, such as differences between voices, how to get the most out of a given opera, how to attend and opera, etc. Anyone who has the slightest interest in opera should definitely read this book.

I listened to this book on tape and I still smile when I think about it. The book was so funny, so irreverent, and so informative. It was an absolute pleasure. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who wants to demystify opera!