Customer Reviews

150 YEARS OF OPERA IN CHICAGO

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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I have not thoroughly perused the book as yet. Rather than containing the specific information I am looking for, it is a beautifully crafted Overview of the general subject. It should be a superb introduction to the subject for anyone looking for that kind of material. In other words, it rates as many stars as there are in your system! The chosen photographs are excellent, the chapter breakdown logical and pleasing.

Readers of Robert C. Marsh -- for 35 years music critic of the Chicago Sun-Times -- will see this as a capstone to a marvelous career, but it is more than that. This is an original work, not a collection of critical pieces. It combines scholarship and judgment, not only on the artistry of opera in Chicago over 150 years, but also on the business of the arts: "both filled boxes and a packed gallery are essential for a firm base of operations." For those who agree with Marsh that "an opera house is a constant invitation to personal growth and discovery," the book will offer fresh insights. The listing of all the operas offered at Chicago's major opera companies from 1850 - 2005, both by composer and by year, is an important new reference tool.

For those who love history, Opera and Chicago this book is a must have on your bookshelf. It was especially interesting to me because my family has lived in Chicago for 4 generations. It is also very interesting to see how the development of a city parallels social trends like immigration, economic development etc. I have put this book on my bookshelf next to a broader history of Chicago and a history of the Chicago mafia.