Don Carlos and Company: The True Stories Behind Eight Well-Loved Operas - Softcover

Morgan, Christopher

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192880098 ISBN 13: 9780192880093

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1997

Synopsis

Opera-lover Christopher Morgan wanted to know more about the historical facts on which operatic stories were based, yet he could find no one book which gave him the background he wanted. He therefore set upon writing such a book himself, taking eight of the most popular and frequently performed operas as his starting point. His search for material led him into libraries all over Europe, exploring little-known corners of European history, often to discover that the real story behind the opera libretto is even more dramatic than its operatic counterpart.
Beautifully illustrated and accessibly written, Don Carlos and Company tells the stories behind Don Carlos, Simon Boccanegra, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Traviata and La Bohème. Throughout, it is endlessly fascinating to see how fact and fiction overlap, and from what obscure sources a major work of imagination can spring. The stories range from fourteenth-century Genoa to nineteenth-century Paris, and are accompanied in each case by a brief summary of the operatic plot.
Don Carlos and Company will add to any listener's enjoyment and understanding of opera, and will be of interest to anyone who appreciates historical detective work.

About this title

About the Author

Christopher Morgan has had a lifelong enthusiasm for opera, and his career - first in the army and then in industry - allowed him to pursue his interest in a number of countries. He has now retired to a working farm in Susses where he continues to build up his extensive library of books and recordings.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0192880098
• ISBN 13: 9780192880093
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264