Stanley Sadie

This book combines meticulous scholarship with a lightness of touch that will delight the opera-goer. The fascinating illustrations bring an amusing dimension showing how opera has been staged from its beginnings to modern 'deconstructed' productions. The operas are listed in alphabetical order. In addition to a full synopsis of every plot, there is a cast list and a note of the singers in the original production, as well as information about the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Each contribution concludes with a brief comment on its place in operatic history. There is also a listing by composer, a glossary and indexes of the names of operatic characters and the first lines of arias; so if you are not sure which opera Gilda or Agathe, sings in, or are apt to confuse Vespina with Despina, your problem is quickly solved.

A child prodigy who performed throughout Europe in his early years, Mozart excelled in every medium of his time, including chamber music for strings, the piano and concerto and opera. Along with his contemporaries Haydn and Beethoven, he is one of the composers who brought the Viennese Classical style to its height. His mature music, distinguished by its melodic beauty, formal perfection and richness of harmony is rooted in both Austrian and German traditions. He is widely regarded as the most universal composer in the history of Western music. In addition to a detailed view of Mozart's life and works, this book includes comprehensive, tabular work-lists and a fully revised and updated bibliography.

THE CAMBRIDGE MUSIC GUIDE is for all those who love music and wish to know more about its colourful history, development and theory. Superbly illustrated, the Guide is a comprehensive tour of every aspect of the musical world, expertly edited by Stanley Sadie, editor of the New Grove Dictionary of Music. The Guide explains all the elements of musical notation, of pitch and harmony, of different musical genres.

The Grove Book of Operas is the ideal reference for the opera lover. First published in 1996 to great critical and popular success, it provides succinct yet insightful synopses of more than 250 operas. This second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas, including John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, Poul Ruders's A Handmaid's Tale, and Mark Adamo's Little Women. The widely differing literary and musical styles represented by these works is testimony that opera continues to thrive and grow. The second edition features a new, more readable design, and is richly illustrated in both color and black and white. New images cover the history of opera from reproductions of the earliest libretti, to portraits of singers from the earliest days of photography, to productions staged in 2005. And in a fascinating new introductory essay, scholar and dramaturg David Levin surveys contemporary trends in opera performance, identifying their ancestors in early and mid-20th century performance and examining the current intellectual and cultural context in which they flourish. Each entry includes a wealth of information about the opera under discussion. In addition to a full synopsis of every plot, there is a cast list and information about the first production, as well as a discussion of the opera's history and its literary and social background. The index first lines of arias will help you find your favorite, and the index of role names will come to your rescue when program notes or reviews tell you that 'he sang Colline at the Met in 1992'. Ranging from Monteverdi's Orfeo to Maw's Sophie's Choice, The Grove Book of Operas remains the most authoritative, comprehensive, and readable resource on opera, an indispensable companion for both casual opera-goers and serious opera aficionados. - Jacket flap.