A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)

Monteverdi (Performer, Composer), Natale de Carolis (Performer, Composer), Roberto Servile (Performer), Andreas Martin (Performer), Peter Mikulas (Performer, Orchestra), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer, Orchestra), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Alfredo Catalani (Composer), Leo Delibes (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Antonin Dvorak (Composer), Umberto Giordano (Composer), Christoph Willibald Gluck (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Composer), Ruggero Leoncavallo (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Claudio Monteverdi (Composer), Puccini (Artist), Thomas Harper (Artist), Ingrid Kertesi (Artist), Scholars Baroque Ensemble (Artist), Hungarian State Opera Orchestra (Artist)

Product Details

• Performer: Monteverdi, Natale de Carolis, Roberto Servile, Andreas Martin, Peter Mikulas
• Orchestra: Peter Mikulas, Ludwig van Beethoven
• Composer: Monteverdi, Natale de Carolis, Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincenzo Bellini, Georges Bizet, et al.
• Audio CD (October 17, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B00004YYRR
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,616 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A-Z of Opera is a 762-page, illustrated book, accompanied by two-and-a-half hours of opera's most glorious and moving moments on two CDs, and reflects the ever-growing Naxos catalog of recordings ranging from Monteverdi to the contemporary. A-Z of Opera provides a wide range of information on operas and their composers, from Handel's Rinaldo to Mozart's Die Zauberflote, and beyond. It features plot synopses, background details and cast lists for hundreds of operas including well-known standards as well as opera rarities. In addition, there is a wealth of information about all the great composers and a glossary of key musical and operatic terms.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful introduction to opera, December 15, 2000

By	F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

More than just a promotional sampler, the Naxos <The A-Z of Opera> (8.555037-38) contains not only 2 CDs crammed with 39 excerpts from that company's seemingly bottomless catalogue, but also a 762 page book. The text offers plot summaries of almost every important opera and many of far lesser renown (Delius' "The Magic Fountain," Mascagni's "Iris," for example), a brief biography of the composers, a glossary, and finally a discography. The recorded examples are in chronological order from Monteverdi to Korngold. The entries in the book, however, are in alphabetical order--so be careful to look for "Zauberflote," not "Magic Flute," and so on.

Of course, Big Names do not appear on many Naxos opera sets; but this set is an introduction to that vast area of culture and is meant to be an educational (and of course a promotional ) device. Nevertheless, many of the selections on the CDs are beautifully sung, a very few lack characterization (the arias from"Don Giovanni" and "Nozze di Figaro" for two). But at this incredibly low budget price, who can complain?

As soon as I saw what this set had to offer, I immediately ordered a copy as a seasonal gift for a friend who wants to "get into" opera. I could think of no better gift.

There is a sister set titled <A-Z of Classical Music> (8.555319-20) that uses the same format. There are 2 CDs with 36 selections from Gregorian Chant to Glass. The 562-page book gives us the major facts about "the Great Composers and Their Greatest Works, " a glossary, and a 45-page list of classical music heard in films. The discography is included in the composers section. Again, the value of this set as an educational tool is enormous and well worth the extremely low price Naxos is asking.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best, June 8, 2002

By	Tony Prince (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This is, by far, the best introduction to opera on the market. It also contains some gem performances for anyone who already has a serious opera collection. Several tracks on this collection of mostly Eastern European singers rival those of their Western counterparts. This is a collection for EVERYONE - from the opera novice to the person who has long collected all the major Western stars. At this price, it's the best opera bargain in the world. GET IT NOW!!! Thank you, Naxos! I hope that some of these Eastern European singers at last get the attention they deserve.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars AN OPERA OPUS THAT'S A MUST!, January 19, 2003

By	Alan W. Petrucelli (THE ENTERTAINMENT REPORT (ALAN W. PETRUCELLI)) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Oh, such letter-perfect perfection! This marvel features a two-hour-plus showcase of well-known arias from "Cosi Fan Tuti," "Aida," "Carmen," "Madame Butterfly" and "The Barber of Seville." It also comes with a book --- 762 pages of remarkable facts, figures and illustrations.Encore!