Roger Parker Book order (chronological)

Eine unterhaltsame und umfassende Geschichte der Oper, die ihre Entwicklung und bedeutende Werke von Komponisten wie Monteverdi, Händel und Wagner beleuchtet. Das Buch bietet Einblicke in soziale, politische und wirtschaftliche Kontexte und zeigt, dass die Oper auch heute noch lebendig und faszinierend ist. Ideal für Opernliebhaber und Interessierte.

Opera paints the human passions with astonishing power and drama. This book tells the history of opera for more than a generation provokes in-depth discussions of many works by the greatest opera composers, from Monteverdi, Handel and Mozart, to Verdi and Wagner, to Strauss, Puccini, Berg, and Britten.

Puccini's opera "Tosca" is based on a play by Victorien Sardou, which the composer saw in Milan with the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt. The story is partly set during the time of Napoleon and revolves around the tragedy of the renowned singer Floria Tosca. After much effort, Puccini secured Sardou's approval for an opera based on this narrative, leading to the premiere of "Tosca" in Rome in 1900, which was a resounding success for the composer. The text juxtaposes the Italian libretto with a widely used German translation, providing insights into the musical and dramatic elements of the opera, including compositional structure and thematic connections. A brief summary of the plot, an overview of its creation, and discussions of the themes and story place the work within the broader context of the composer's oeuvre and biography, offering a comprehensive and richly illustrated introduction.

A historical survey of opera, from its beginnings in Florence 400 years ago, up to opera in the 1990s.

Each entry in this New Grove series of composers and their operas is based on articles in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera , that feature information on the lives of individual composers, their works, their librettists and interpreters, and the places where they performed. These unique books compile the meticulously researched articles into organized narratives, designed to make finding information as easy as possible without sacrificing readability. Each volume is completely up-to-date, and includes a suggested listening guide and an eight-page glossy insert containing relevant illustrations. Each volume is a must-own for lovers of opera and classical music.Giuseppe Verdi is the most famous Italian composer of opera. While he was sometimes criticized for writing music considered too "simple," his works have endured, and are still performed throughout the world today. This concise volume is a handy guide to the Verdi's life and operas, revising the original New Grove articles and adding a new introduction, a new section on modern Verdi productions, and an updated bibliography.