£83.99
£83.99
This study examines symbolism throughout the history of opera, from its mythological roots to contemporary works. It analyzes how allegory, metaphor, and imagery impart the enduring mystic and meaning of this rich genre, while reflecting on its future.
This study examines the role of symbolism in the history of opera, with its attendant use of mythology, allegory, metaphor and imagery. From the very first, Orpheus emerges as the patron and guiding light of the genre, with its roots deeply embedded in the Classical heritage. The underpinning of action and meaning in the ancient stories provides a symbolic resonance that imparts so much of the enduring mystic and meaning of this rich genre. The various types and layers of figurative concepts and language are examined throughout the history of opera, from its inception in 1597 to recent contemporary works. The effects of historical-philosophical changes through the centuries and the implications of these on theme and production is closely analyzed. The movement away from tonality and the rise of discordant stage presentation since the advent of the Brechtian Verfremdungstechnik is examined, with reflection on the current meaning, interpretation, and future sustainability of opera.
This anthology of Ukrainian carols is a prism through which Ukraine’s history, culture, and vibrant spirit are revealed. It includes the original “Carol of the Bells,” music scores, translations, and the gripping narratives of choral activism that helped a nation survive.
Sonic Mediations is a collection of essays that invites readers to rethink mediation by examining the relationships between the body, sound, and technology. It addresses key questions about performance, perception, and the role of the listener.
Once a titan of opera, Giacomo Meyerbeer’s legacy was all but erased. Based on newly recovered private papers, this definitive biography reveals the man behind the myth, charting his downfall and modern rediscovery.
The first major book to apply the timely notion of “glocality” to music, it offers a distinctive theoretical perspective and advanced insights into how music is impacted by the interaction of global forces with local conditions.
This collection of essays provides valuable insights into the richness of sources dealing with music and musical performance scattered over 3000 years and covering a wide range of geographies, from Syria to Iberia, through Greece and Rome.
Ludwig Minkus is one of music’s biggest mysteries. An influential composer for Imperial Russia’s ballet, he was scorned by critics. Now his works Don Quixote and La Bayadère are taking the world by surprise. This study discovers the man behind the powerful music.
Pauline Viardot was a seminal 19th-century opera singer, composer, and teacher whose friends included Chopin, Liszt, and Wagner. Loved by Ivan Turgenev, she was a fascinating woman at the heart of her age. This volume covers her later years.
Esteemed composer Jennifer Higdon writes fascinating and profound choral music. This book explores her works, citing the extensive relationship of the music to the texts. It presents compositional characteristics, analysis, and insights directly from the composer.
The role of scents in opera and its influence on perfumery has long been neglected. In the first book-length study on the topic, Professor Mary May Robertson explores the previously undiscussed connection between the two, revealing their ultimate marriage in Operatic Perfumes.
Once regarded as a great figure of music, with an impact as great as Rossini’s, Daniel-François-Esprit Auber is now neglected. The time has come to reassess his life and work, especially his collaboration with master librettist Eugène Scribe, and hear his elegant music again.
Adolphe Adam is known for ‘O Holy Night’, but his legacy is much more. His ballet Giselle is the quintessence of Romanticism, while his opera Le Postillon de Lonjumeau is still played worldwide. This study considers the composer’s life, examining his 42 operas and 14 ballets.
Once the leader of the French school, composer Fromental Halévy is now a shadowy figure chiefly remembered for his grand tragic opera La Juive, a work exploring freedom, faith, and tolerance. This study illuminates his life and operas, examining each one’s origin and music.
An aspect of dying in opera rarely observed is Sudden Unexpected Death. This book explores 50 operas where deaths occur without obvious natural cause, often forming the epiphany of the story. It charts the influence of philosophy and medical science on these tragic denouements.
This study explores Meyerbeer’s dramatic and vocal genius through his German Singspiels and Parisian triumphs. His later works fuse captivating beauty with extreme virtuosity, reaching new heights of technical and dramaturgical refinement.
This study examines François-Adrien Boieldieu, composer of the masterpiece La Dame blanche. Collaborating with dramatist Eugène Scribe, he stimulated the flowering of the Romantic opéra-comique. Based on Sir Walter Scott, his work influenced composers across Europe, even Wagner.
This book examines the key contributions of the Apostles John and Paul to the New Testament. In light of recent scholarship, it finds new perspectives on enduring questions about Jesus and the Church by re-considering the Gospel of John and the Letters and Theology of Paul.
An aspect of dying in opera rarely observed is Sudden Unexpected Death. This book explores 50 operas where deaths occur without obvious natural cause, often forming the epiphany of the story. It charts the influence of philosophy and medical science on these tragic denouements.
