Stories From The Great Metropolitan Operas

This is a new release of the original 1943 edition.

This is a new release of the original 1943 edition.

An illustrated retelling of the plots of fifteen well-known operas.

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 operatic works ranging from the historic early seventeenth century masterpieces of Monteverdi to the modern classics of Gian-Carlo Menotti. In addition to highlighting the most important aspects of each opera, the author discusses the main characters, the famous turnings of plot, and the most significant arias. Here, too, is a wealth of anecdotes concerning literary background, past performances and stars, and production problems of the great operas.

“Engaging. . . . The text and illustrations exude the glamour, passion, and lyricism of opera.”—Publishers Weekly Jane Rosenberg’s delightful retellings for children of the greatest operas—whether the tales are read as introductions to a opera or to relive a production already seen, art and text combine to give a clear understanding of plot, scene, and character. Young children in particular will enjoy reading the stories—or having them read—both as lovely fairy tales and to help them share in the magic of a real dramatic performance. Here are the gaiety of The Barber of Seville and the lavish spectacle of Aida. Sets, costumes, and lighting are re-created to give the true flavor of authentic productions and to approximate, as fully as possible, the experience of attending the opera oneself.

THE STORIES: PART I: SEYMOUR IN THE VERY HEART OF WINTER. It's Christmas Eve; Viv, a fading actress, is reminiscing about her ex-husband and her life before, to Bob, the man who currently loves her. With a fancy restaurant as her stage, Viv rants a

"Play-by-play descriptions of seventy-six famous operas, covering plot, dialogue, and every important aria." Publisher's note.