100 Great Operas And Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses

100 Great Operas And Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses

An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and aficionados, <i>100 Great Operas</i> is perhaps the most comprehensive and enjoyable volume of opera stories ever written.<br>  <br> From <i>La Traviata</i> to <i>A¯da</i>, from <i>Carmen</i> to <i>Don Giovanni</i>, here are the plots of the world€s best-loved operas, told in an engaging, picturesque, and readable manner. Written by noted opera authority Henry W. Simon, this distinctive reference book contains act-by-act descriptions of 100 operatic works ranging from the historic early seventeenth century masterpieces of Monteverdi to the modern classics of Gian-Carlo Menotti.<br>  <br> In addition to highlighting the most important aspects of each opera, the author discusses the main characters, the famous turnings of plot, and the most significant arias. Here, too, is a wealth of anecdotes concerning literary background, past performances and stars, and production problems of the great operas.