Topic: Opera Resources

[Anne]

I thought we could use a thread where we could mention items, books, etc. that an opera lover might use.

http://opera_on_dvd.home.att.net/        Opera DVD's that will be issued.

[beclemund]

Opera Today is very useful for CD, DVD and performance reviews and release information, but also because it has synopsi (and libretti) of many operas along with those reviews, so you can get a feel for the story even if you do not speak the language of the performance. The best part of it is the very legible format.

And if you're exploring an opera that is new to you and you just want to cut down to the meat of it by listening to the notable arias (particularly helpful before making a trip to the music store so you can sample tracks at the store if you can listen before buying), The Aria Database is a very useful information source. Some also include midi files for when you need one of those "aha" moments to recognize where a tune comes from.

If your budget opera release arrives without a libretto, Stanford University has an helpful resources page in Opera Glass. There are links to other sites with libretti and that site includes other vocal works as well, like Bach's Passions and Cantatas, and other liturgical and secular works along with opera synopsi, discographies and performance histories.

Music & Vision's online classical music magazine provides another source for opera reviews. Granted, Robert Anderson's reviews don't generally say much, but each review provides brief Quicktime clips of the opera reviewed. It can give you a good idea of how the principles perform.

Want to know where in the world you can see the next live performance of Jenufa? Or would you rather find out where the nearest opera house is to your front door? Operabase is a good place to start. A huge database of artists, operas and venues with links to the venues' web sites so you can keep up with performance schedules.

[knight66]

Good idea.....I have made this topic sticky to keep it at the top for the moment and we will see how useful it is. Here are some sites I visit.

Gossip and news...

http://www.parterre.com/

Reviews....

http://npw-opera-concerts.blogspot.com/

The reviews are by Nigel and always well worth reading. A lot of what he sees is subsequently issued on DVD.

Mike

[uffeviking]

There is

http://www.opera.co.uk/

a monthly publication with selected articles accessable on the net. Excellent world wide coverage of performances, schedules and listing of opera festivals.

[Steve]

There is

http://www.opera.co.uk/

a monthly publication with selected articles accessable on the net. Excellent world wide coverage of performances, schedules and listing of opera festivals.

Thanks for the info! 

[Anne]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/104-6944379-3143911?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=101+Opera+Librettos

This book truly has 101 Opera Librettos and is 1,474 pages.  At the time I bought it 8 or 9 years ago, it cost $25.  Now you see how expensive it is.  It was published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, NY.  Wait a second when viewing the picture as true color is blue.

Keep your eye out for it.  It is too heavy to carry around but invaluable when you can't find a libretto.

Be sure to read the reports at Amazon regarding the book so you know the book's strengths and weaknesses.

[Anne]

There is a wonderful 3-volume set of books The Operas of Verdi by Julian Budden.  I checked at Amazon and they only sell the books individually.  A friend of mine haunted the used book stores until a complete set was found.

Here are the individual volumes from Amazon:

I would look elsewhere for volume one.


The Operas of Verdi (Revised Edition)  3 Volumes:
Vol. 1 - From Oberto to Rigoletto (Blue)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Oberto-Julian-Budden/dp/0304310581/ref=sr_1_9/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-9
 
Vol. 2 - The Operas of Verdi From Il Trovatore to La Forza del Destino Revised edition (green)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Volumes-Trovatore-Destino/dp/0195204506/ref=sr_1_2/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-2
 
Vol. 3 - The Operas of Verdi From Don Carlos to Falstaff Revised edition (red)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Don-Carlos-Falstaff/dp/0198162634/ref=sr_1_1/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-1

Copyright is 1973, 1992
 
Each book is about 520 pages.

They received 5 stars at Amazon at one time.

[Anne]

Volume 3 from The Operas of Verdi has an editorial review that I missed the first time and didn't know if others might have not noticed it either.

Editorial Review:

Amazon.com
The three volumes of studies of Verdi's operas by Julian Budden are rightly classics of the genre. This is owing to their scope of information on the genesis, circumstances, variants, and specifics of the operas themselves--certainly the fullest description these works have ever been given--as well as to the wealth of surrounding information about the composer, his life, his friends, and his times. It is a measure of the excellence of Budden's achievement that this cornucopia of information is surveyed in very readable prose--readers get a picture of each work within its context. Budden's knowledge of 19th-century opera--both in Italy and in France--is wide-ranging, and he is able to place Verdi and his works in comparison with those of Donizetti, Pacini, Mercadante, and Meyerbeer. He discusses how the great operatic genius emerged from the background of early-19th-century opera and how Verdi's own early, uneven works blossomed into the glory of his later ones. Budden, thankfully, is not a hagiographer, and he recognizes Verdi's faults as well as his strengths, but few--if any--writers have managed to demonstrate how Verdi both blended in with his musical surroundings and stood out from them. These studies, with all their richness, are a good source of information about a host of lesser composers of the time. Budden includes many musical examples to highlight his writing in this, a work of scholarship of the highest order. --Patrick J. Smith --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description
Volume 3 covers roughly a quarter of a century, a period which saw grand opera on the Parisian model established throughout Italy, the reform of the Conservatories, and the spread of cosmopolitan influences to an extent that convinced many that Italian music was losing its identity. Verdi produced his four last and greatest operas - Don Carlos, Aida, Otello, and Falstaff - in this period, which ended with the advent of `verisimo', in which a new, recognizably Italian idiom was inaugurated.

Citations (learn more)
21 books cite this book

[Hector]

There is a wonderful 3-volume set of books The Operas of Verdi by Julian Budden.  I checked at Amazon and they only sell the books individually.  A friend of mine haunted the used book stores until a complete set was found.

Here are the individual volumes from Amazon:

I would look elsewhere for volume one.


The Operas of Verdi (Revised Edition)  3 Volumes:
Vol. 1 - From Oberto to Rigoletto (Blue)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Oberto-Julian-Budden/dp/0304310581/ref=sr_1_9/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-9
 
Vol. 2 - The Operas of Verdi From Il Trovatore to La Forza del Destino Revised edition (green)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Volumes-Trovatore-Destino/dp/0195204506/ref=sr_1_2/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-2
 
Vol. 3 - The Operas of Verdi From Don Carlos to Falstaff Revised edition (red)
 
http://www.amazon.com/Operas-Verdi-Don-Carlos-Falstaff/dp/0198162634/ref=sr_1_1/104-6944379-3143911?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181924762&sr=1-1

Copyright is 1973, 1992
 
Each book is about 520 pages.

They received 5 stars at Amazon at one time.

These are, currently, the reference works in English on Verdi's operas.

He puts the works in historical context.

[Anne]

There are 2 books each accompanied by 2-Cd's from Naxos that may interest everyone.  Operas are alphabetically listed with summary, list of characters and their vocal range, premier date, # of acts and sometimes how accepted the works were then and now.  In addition the composers are listed alphabetically with all their operas listed with page #'s.


The first book/2-Cd's is The A to Z of Opera and has 762 pages.  Price $9.97.  At amazon 5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/Z-Opera-762-page-booklet/dp/B00004YYRR


The second book/2-Cd's is A to Z of Classical Music and has  562 pages.  Price #9.97.  At amazon 4 1/2 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/Z-Classical-Music-Ernst-Ottensamer/dp/B00004YYRT/ref=pd_bxgy_m_img_b/104-6944379-3143911

A friend sent the 1st set to me as a gift.  I found it rather complete for listing the operas written by the composer.

These books are listing the Naxos recordings.  As my friend said, "Who cares about the Naxos Cd's, we want the book!"  I agree.  It is useful for beginner to the experienced listener.  The books are printed on good paper and have numerous photos.  The only way a book of this quality + 2 Cd's can be sold this cheaply is charging it off to advertising.  Much work has gone into these 2 sets.

[Anne]

Joseph Kerman's book, Opera As Drama, "is one of the most controversial, thought-provoking and entertaining works of operatic criticism ever written...."

Paul Henry Lang, author of The Experience of Opera - An Informal Introduction to Operatic History and Literature, has offered the reader and opera enthusiast a unique combination of scholarly breadth and critical acumen.  It is based on Dr. Lang's experience as a music critic of the New York Herald Tribune.

Both of the above books are fascinating and insightful reading for anyone interested in opera.

The next book Debussy, The Quiet Revolutionary, is from the "Unlocking the Masters" series available at Amazon.  It has a 20-page section on Pelleas et Melisande.  I have searched for quite some time to find help understanding this opera and this book really has the type of info I was looking for.  That entire series of books is terrific.  Most of them ($19.00 paperbacks) have one or two Cd's secured on the inside back cover that illustrate the text in the book.  Highly recommended.

Yesterday on one of the threads at GMG people were discussing Debussy and Wagner.  This last book has interesting things to say about that topic.

[stridonolassu]

I thought we could use a thread where we could mention items, books, etc. that an opera lover might use.

http://opera_on_dvd.home.att.net/        Opera DVD's that will be issued.

The invaluable site that Anne mentioned sadly went dark in December 2007.  It was a great resource for avid opera on dvd collectors such as myself.  A replacement for this site can now be found at:

http://stridonolassu.googlepages.com

The complete catalog list is still under construction but the new and upcoming releases are being updated almost daily.

[Anne]

I felt bad when the sight went dark also.  Thanks for giving us a replacement!

I just went to the site for which you gave us the address.  Unfortunately I see nothing that makes it look like the site that went dark in December.

[Wendell_E]

I felt bad when the sight went dark also.  Thanks for giving us a replacement!

I just went to the site for which you gave us the address.  Unfortunately I see nothing that makes it look like the site that went dark in December.

Try this:

http://stridonolassu.googlepages.com/

googlepages, not googlespages.   

[Anne]

http://www.hmv.ca/hmvcaweb/en_CA/displayProductDetails.do?sku=1065342

Good Price!

[jhar26]

blogs...

http://operachic.typepad.com/opera_chic/

http://mostlyopera.blogspot.com/

http://operatattler.typepad.com/

[Brünnhilde forever]

Remember Nigel Wilkinson? His blog:

http://npw-opera-concerts.blogspot.com/

[Anne]

I received this email today which says the author can deliver a libretto of Verdi's opera Attila.*  The man's prices are high IMO but sometimes price is no object.

If you read his mini-resume, he sounds very competent.  Does anyone know him or have any info on him?  He started sending monthly advertising via email about 8 - 12 months ago.

I have never bought anything from him but he might be a good source for desired librettos that we can't find elsewhere.

*  The La Scala DVD of Attila with Sam Ramey  is excellent.  When he and the soldier from Rome sing their duet in act I, it always sends chills tingling down my arms and spine.  This DVD has been praised many places.  Ladies or anyone else, if you like your "heroes" bare-chested, this is the DVD for you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A New Opera Journeys Libretto Attila with Italian/English translation side-by-side interspersed with music highlight examples.

Available in print $ 10.50 plus S/H
or Ebook $ 9.00

Giuseppe Verdi’s rousing 9th opera (1846) will have its Met Opera premiere during the 2009-2010 season, together with the Met debut of acclaimed conductor, Riccardo Muti.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 About Opera Journeys' author and editor: Burton D. Fisher is a former opera conductor who studied at the Mannes and Juilliard schools. He is the author and publisher of over 130 books about opera: the Opera Classics Library Series, Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series, Opera Journeys Libretto Series, the popular college textbook, A History of Opera: Milestones and Metamorphoses, the Opera Classics Library Puccini Companion: the Glorious Dozen, and recently, Mozart's Da Ponte Operas. He is principal lecturer for the Opera Journeys Lecture Series at Florida International University; a lecturer for opera and music "theme" cruises; a commissioned author for Season Opera Guides and Program Notes for regional opera companies; a translator of librettos for new CD/DVD releases for SONY-BMG; and a frequent opera commentator on National Public Radio.
 

For photocopy and re-use requests, contact:

COPYRIGHT CLEARANCE CENTER

Phone: (978) 750-8400 Fax: (978) 646-8600
Email: info@copyright.com or On Line www.copyright.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Burton D. Fisher
www.operajourneys.com

Opera Journeys
Opera Journeys Publishing
2850 Palmwood Terrace
Suite 228
Boca Raton FL 33431
(561) 347-6713

[Coopmv]

I have a few dozen operas on LP.  I only started buying ALL the Wagner operas on CD about 2 1/2 years ago and now have all his operas on CD in addition to LP.  To me, opera lovers must have at least some operas on LP since the liner notes that come with LP's are so much better than those that come with CD's.

[knight66]

I am an opera lover and have no LPs. Although what you say is true in part, often the CD issues have excellent notes and some reissues give you everything that was in the LP versions, just in a smaller format.

I don't see having LPs as being vital to the life of the opera lover.

Mike