A Song of Love and Death: The Meaning of Opera (Graywolf Rediscovery) [Paperback]

Peter Conrad (Author)

Book Description

Series: Graywolf Rediscovery | Publication Date: March 1, 1996

A Song of Love and Death: The Meaning of Opera

Graywolf's updated edition of this classic book on opera includes a new afterword by author Peter Conrad.

Arguing that opera's deepest roots lie in our most fundamental human rituals, Peter Conrad shows us the faces of the gods that still hover over the pageant--gods of music, abandon, evil, love. then, with the dizzying skill of a practiced literary and cultural critic, the author takes us on a ride through the repertoire of operas past and present. Finally, he brings us to the climactic moment of the form: the performance. We meet the great personalities--from Puccini to Bernstein to Domingo--in their element, and see anew how their celebrity and their artistry affect us all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This study of opera's rites, repertory and performers is perhaps the most intellectually stimulating book on the subject in the past 30 years. Conrad, a professor at Oxford, identifies opera's chief gods and monsters: Orpheus (from Monteverdi through Offenbach to Gershwin and Stockhausen); Dionysus (whose drinking songs are synonymous with opera); Eros (Don Giovanni and Carmen are similar in their existential capers and courting of danger); Mephistopheles (in the music dramas of Berlioz, Gounod, Boito and Busoni); and Dagon (as portrayed by Handel, Saint-Saens, Meyerbeer and Schonberg). A related section examines the repertory from 1607 to Mozart, significant 19th century romantic, bel canto, political and historical operas, the distinctive contributions of Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Strauss and more recent composers. The final section surveys and evaluates the achievements of the Paris Opera, the Met and Glyndebourne, film versions of opera, various directorial and conducting approaches and the prowess of leading singers of our time. Discussed in passing are oratorios, Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, Schonberg's Gurrelieder and Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce, the film based on a novel by James M. Cain, who had guilty misgivings about his weakness for opera. Performing Arts Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The premise of this intelligent, self-indulgent, idiosyncratic discussion of the meaning of opera is buried in a brilliant maze of discursive analysis. As he follows the musical treatment of five prototypical characters who appear continually throughout opera, Conrad bogs down in endless explication of plots. Far too many operas, as well as performances of directors, singer/actors, and conductors, are analyzed in merciless, often psychological detail. When Conrad turns to the opera houses themselves, discussing audiences and recent house design, he is both more interesting and bitingly funny. Tightly and colorfully written by a literary scholar, this book will appeal to fanatical opera buffs only. Philippa Kiraly, Cleveland, Ohio
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 406 pages
• Publisher: Graywolf Press (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555972411
• ISBN-13: 978-1555972417
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,407,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book to find out how opera 'feels'., January 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Song of Love and Death: The Meaning of Opera (Graywolf Rediscovery) (Paperback)

Sometimes 'A Song of Love and Death' is a bit over the top, but then so is its subject matter. Peter Conrad's subtitle, 'The Meaning of Opera' could be expanded to: 'The Meaning of Opera to me, personally. Here's what it feels like to experience opera, up close, and in your soul.' The last chapter, 'The Ecstasy and Agony of Song' would also make a good alternative title. If you want to know what opera 'feels' like, read this book. It's my favorite, with the possible exception of Father Owen Lee's writings, even though the author makes fun of one of my favorite singers for baring his chest on stage.

If you are looking for a thoughtful, immensely readable alternative to 'A Dummy's Guide to Opera', read 'A Song of Love and Death'. It's the closest you'll ever get to 'reading' the liebestod.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of its kind!, July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Song of Love and Death: The Meaning of Opera (Graywolf Rediscovery) (Paperback)

This is absolutely the best book about opera that I've ever read, and one of the best books (about ANYTHING) that I've ever read. . .EVER! Conrad really knows how to describe the psychological and emotional chords that opera strikes in its most ardent fans, and he made clear to me why I am an "opera addict" (i.e., why this unique, wonderful, and yet preposterous art form has meant so much to me for so many years).