100 Great Operas and Their Stories: Act-By-ACT Synopses

by Henry W. Simon

Book Overview

An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and aficionados, 100 Great Operas is perhaps the most comprehensive and enjoyable volume of opera stories ever written. From La Traviata to Aïda , from Carmen to Don Giovanni , here are the plots of the world's best-loved operas, told in an engaging, picturesque, and readable manner. Written by noted opera authority Henry W. Simon, this distinctive reference book contains act-by-act descriptions of 100...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385054483
• ISBN13: 9780385054485
• Release Date: May 1989
• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.7" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Ultimate Opera Lover's Book

I knew very little about operas because Herman would never take me to one. I love the music but I wanted to know more about the actual opera and the characters in them. I selected this book because it appears to have all the information one would need to understand and enjoy an opera. It goes so far as to give you the character's vocal ranges and some history on the librettos to boot. This book is timeless, just like me!

A rare and USEFUL guide

I took an intrest in Opera and wanted to discover more about it. To my dismay, when I read reviews in the papers, I found nearlly nothing of value because they never did the simple job of brifely explaining what the story was actual about. That's why this book is great; it gives a brief summary of what the Opera is about act by act. Thus, this guide is a great tool to find a story that you like; however, one should still look into a local review of an Opera to see how the singers perform and the rendition is done; this book gives reviews in the general.

If you only buy one book on opera...

This is a great book for the opera novice or seasoned opera affectionado. Going to an upcoming opera? Reading the synopsis will refresh one's memory or help the novice to better understand what is going on by acts. This is a well written book and a true bargain for the extensive information provided. I have purchased one for myself and another for a friend. A great gift book!

An opera lover's bible

I bought this book a number of years ago and it has made attendance at both the Metropolitan Opera and NYC Opera that much more rewarding. I have read the few page outlines of each of the operas before attending and thus, at the performance, I follow the highlights of the given opera well. I remember when I once attended "Die Walkure," I spent plenty of time preparing (this was back before they projected the libretto while the opera takes place) and this book's coverage of the Ring cycle in general, and this opera, in particular, was a great starting point for me. I was well prepared to fully appreciate the performance. Even operas I have seen over and over merit a review before attending a performance and this book gives a great review. In addition to a good synopsis of the plot, the book gives interesting facts and histories of the operas covered. This book has been in print for a long time. There is a reason for this .. because it is truly a well written, valuable reference. Purcahsing this book is money well spent.

Very insightful, very helpful, and well written

A great collection of the 100 most beloved operas. Very helpful for any aspiring opera singer, such as myself, to dig up interesting information about the background of the opera, the plot, where and when the arias take place, and many interesting factoids about the origin of the librettos and the circumstances under which the composer chose to write the opera. An absolute must-have for an opera lover!!!