The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera [Paperback]

Amanda Holden (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2006

The bewildering world of opera made manageable

Covering the most popular and most performed operas from the earliest classics to the present day, this concise edition of The New Penguin Opera Guide is an ideal reference for anyone who is entranced by opera, whether aficionado or novice.
• Explores the operatic careers of all the great composers
• Describes their operas in detail
• Notes the best recordings

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The New Penguin Opera Guide: 'For range, breadth, enthusiasm and common sense, Amanda Holden's labour of love is already irreplaceable' Dennis Marks, Observer

About the Author

Amanda Holden, editor of The New Penguin Opera Guide, has written numerous translations and texts for the opera stage, theater, and concert hall.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141016825
• ISBN-13: 978-0141016825
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Think twice., June 15, 2007

By 

Henry Thoreau (Olathe, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera (Paperback)

This "concise" edition of the significantly bulkier and heavier "New Penguin Opera Guide" (2001) includes no illustrations and covers "only" 250 operas (instead of the the other edition's roughly 2000 operas, not to mention 750 additional composers). Of course, the 250 works that ARE covered here include virtually all of the operas commonly performed. (But this edition does omit perhaps a handful of "borderline-popular" titles such as Belioz' "La damnation de Faust.")

Considering that this "concise" edition can be bought from Amazon's third-party sellers at a dirt-cheap price, it's a pretty good deal. But, whatever you do, don't pay the full retail price (of roughly $16). Heck, you could find a nice-condition copy of the unabridged "New Penguin Opera Guide" costing no more than that if you do some searching.

Of course, if neither "price" nor "compactness" is any concern to you, why even consider this edition? (Spend more and GET more!)

Finally, also be aware that perhaps the best (most comprehensive) single-volume "opera and composer encyclopedia" of them all is the original, 1993 version of "The New Penguin Opera Guide," which was titled "The Viking Opera Guide." That "Viking" edition (typically rather pricey in the used-book market!) has darker (easier-to-read) text and many more illustrations than its circa-2001 successor. Moreover, it covers somewhat more of the older composers and operas. [For more details, see my Amazon review (06-15-2007) of "The New Penguin Opera Guide."]