Search - Puccini, Thomas Harper, Ingrid Kertesi :: A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
Puccini, Thomas Harper, Ingrid Kertesi
A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
Genres: Dance & Electronic, Special Interest, Pop, Classical, Children's Music
 
  •  Track Listings (19) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (19) - Disc #2

A-Z of Opera is a 762-page, illustrated book, accompanied by two-and-a-half hours of opera's most glorious and moving moments on two CDs, and reflects the ever-growing Naxos catalog of recordings ranging from Monteverdi to...  more »

     
1

Larger Image

CD Details


Synopsis

Album Description
A-Z of Opera is a 762-page, illustrated book, accompanied by two-and-a-half hours of opera's most glorious and moving moments on two CDs, and reflects the ever-growing Naxos catalog of recordings ranging from Monteverdi to the contemporary. A-Z of Opera provides a wide range of information on operas and their composers, from Handel's Rinaldo to Mozart's Die Zauberflote, and beyond. It features plot synopses, background details and cast lists for hundreds of operas including well-known standards as well as opera rarities. In addition, there is a wealth of information about all the great composers and a glossary of key musical and operatic terms.

Similarly Requested CDs

 

Member CD Reviews

Rachel L. (rachel-l) from KENNESAW, GA
Reviewed on 8/7/2006...
This is a must for the opera lover! 21/2 glorious hours of opera music.

I am swapping the CD only. Not the enclosed book.
0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

CD Reviews

Wonderful introduction to opera
F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 12/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"More than just a promotional sampler, the Naxos (8.555037-38) contains not only 2 CDs crammed with 39 excerpts from that company's seemingly bottomless catalogue, but also a 762 page book. The text offers plot summaries of almost every important opera and many of far lesser renown (Delius' "The Magic Fountain," Mascagni's "Iris," for example), a brief biography of the composers, a glossary, and finally a discography. The recorded examples are in chronological order from Monteverdi to Korngold. The entries in the book, however, are in alphabetical order--so be careful to look for "Zauberflote," not "Magic Flute," and so on. Of course, Big Names do not appear on many Naxos opera sets; but this set is an introduction to that vast area of culture and is meant to be an educational (and of course a promotional ) device. Nevertheless, many of the selections on the CDs are beautifully sung, a very few lack characterization (the arias from"Don Giovanni" and "Nozze di Figaro" for two). But at this incredibly low budget price, who can complain? As soon as I saw what this set had to offer, I immediately ordered a copy as a seasonal gift for a friend who wants to "get into" opera. I could think of no better gift. There is a sister set titled (8.555319-20) that uses the same format. There are 2 CDs with 36 selections from Gregorian Chant to Glass. The 562-page book gives us the major facts about "the Great Composers and Their Greatest Works, " a glossary, and a 45-page list of classical music heard in films. The discography is included in the composers section. Again, the value of this set as an educational tool is enormous and well worth the extremely low price Naxos is asking."
The Best
Tony Prince | Louisville, KY USA | 06/09/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is, by far, the best introduction to opera on the market. It also contains some gem performances for anyone who already has a serious opera collection. Several tracks on this collection of mostly Eastern European singers rival those of their Western counterparts. This is a collection for EVERYONE - from the opera novice to the person who has long collected all the major Western stars. At this price, it's the best opera bargain in the world. GET IT NOW!!! Thank you, Naxos! I hope that some of these Eastern European singers at last get the attention they deserve."