"The Rough Guide to Opera" is the definitive handbook on the subject, spanning nearly four centuries from Monteverdi to the avante-garde. Features include:

Review

As an entry into the Rough Guide canon, Opera: The Rough Guide offers a slightly breezy approach to the art form, along with a touch of attitude and a tendency toward British idioms. Like its sibling Classical Music on CD: The Rough Guide, it gives brief biographies of composers, plot outlines of significant works, and recommendations for which recordings are best. Oddly, the book takes a number of strange stabs at politically incorrect figures of the past--comparing Wagner to Hitler because of their shared vegetarian eating habits--and makes some downright erroneous statements: Maria Callas was never a student of Rosa Ponselle at all, much less her "most famous student."

Most of the recordings recommended are fine, though there is a limit on how many compact discs are suggested for any given opera (the maximum seems to be three each), and the authors have a strong prejudice in favor of older recordings. These have the advantage of being generally cheaper and often offer great singing, but the sound is usually far superior on more recent releases, and accurate chorus work is a rarity on many vintage sets. Bearing that in mind, this is a useful volume for someone building an opera collection or learning more about the art form. It might be useful to consult this volume, along with other guides, before investing a lot of money in opera CDs. --Sarah Bryan Miller

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

It is an electronic store that sells books

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Aragon Books Canada
ON, Canada

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web sites. If you're
dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't
arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed
your mind about a book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to contact
us and we'll respond within 2 business days.

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates from Canada to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from Canada to U.S.A.
Order quantity	7 to 14 business days	4 to 5 business days
First item	US$ 23.00	US$ 62.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.