Opera for Dummies |
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| Title: | Opera for Dummies |
| Author: | David Pogue
Scott Speck (Reader)
David Pouge (Reader) |
| Publisher: | HarperAudio |
| Type: | Book / Audio Cassette |
| Publication Date: | 01 September, 1997 |
| ISBN / ISBN-13: | 069451909X / 9780694519095 |
| List Price: | $18.00 |
| You Save: | $8.01 |
| Amazon Price: | $9.99 (via Amazon marketplace seller) |
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Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
With music from Puccini, Mozart and many others, this is a perfect way to educate oneself on the topic of opera. Simultaneous release with IDG trade paperback. 2 cassettes.
Amazon.com Review
Opera is growing--in the size of its audience, in the number of companies, in general interest--and is attracting a lot of attention among younger, more visually oriented people. But opera can be intimidating to the uninitiated: it's sung in foreign languages and has odd little customs (such as women singing the parts of young boys, and hefty middle-aged singers portraying teenaged lovers) that may be disconcerting at first. But opera needn't be at all intimidating, thanks to the miracle of supertitles (like subtitles, but projected above the stage), the advent of generations of singers who work at staying in shape, and the appearance of reference works like Opera for Dummies that are designed to remove the snobbery and mystery from opera. If you don't mind the flippant tone, IDG Books' Opera for Dummies makes an excellent guide for those who are new to this splendid art form. All of opera's details are explained clearly and without pretension; there's a lot of useful information packed into its 358 pages. The package includes an enhanced compact disc (listen to it in your stereo's CD player or in your computer's CD-ROM drive), with more than an hour of operatic excerpts from classic EMI releases. The illustrations, while not lavish, are adequate. There are, however, a few glaring errors in this book that demand correction: Scott Speck and David Pogue confuse the opera chorus with the supers (the "extras" who march in armies, wait on tables, and never, ever sing), and--even worse--maintain that soloists and choristers are two entirely separate breeds. In fact, there's not a soloist alive who has never done chorus work--and choristers frequently do solo work as well. These are rather foolish mistakes for a pair of acclaimed experts to make in a book that wants to be taken as a basic guide to opera.
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Customer Reviews:
• Entertaining And Different!
07 January, 2008
This book has a different "dummies" approach to opera, which is very entertaining. This is excellent, easily readable and very comprehensive. The "50 big cahunas" gives a good introduction to these operas.
- Amazon Customer Review
• Would Have Earned 5 Stars Except For The Crass Commercialism
28 December, 2002
Pogue and Speck provide a wonderful, humorous, and accessible text in "Opera for Dummies." I just wish they or IDG (publishers) would stop pumping the "free CD" on every page. Readers don't need reminding, after the dozenth time, that a CD is included with the book ... besides at [$$] (retail) for book and CD, it's NOT free, we paid for it. Also the multiple reminders of their "Classical Music for Dummies" is nearly as annoying.That said, I found the book highly entertaining and educational.
- Amazon Customer Review
• Great Book For Opera *newbies*
12 July, 2008
As you see in many of the other reviews, this is a great guide that will introduce you to opera without overwhelming you. I am new to opera, and this book gave me what I was looking for - a great understanding of opera terms, a history of the composers, and best of all, a scene-by-scene overview of 70+ operas (I didn't even realize there were that many operas!). The writing is informal, easy reading, and full of witty comments and references to the modern era. And don't forget the music CD (which I only played on my car stereo, not on my computer). The music and singing is really gorgeous, and a real treat when paired up with what you learn in the book.
If you are just stepping into the wacky, wonderful world of opera, you can't go wrong this book and CD combo to jumpstart your learning.
- Amazon Customer Review
• Opera For Dummies
30 May, 2009
thank you for sending opera for dummies. it helped me write an
installation of officers for an Opera Guild. it was well-received.
it supplied the opera terms that were appropriate to my installation
and the title added a light touch for members who are well-versed in
opera. written by pat scofield, spouse of george
- Amazon Customer Review
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