Opera

by Edward Joseph Dent

Not a collection of plots, but a book explaining how Opera came to be what it is, its aims and methods, its changing fashions, its failures, its achievements, its conventions and its absurdities. Illustrated with 16 pages of photogravure and drawings by Kay Ambrose.

Genres: Music

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Maris Ozols]

Read the 1949 revised edition. Interesting historical perspective; especially on British views on opera at the time. Interesting that he saw the future as entirely being in English operas and English translated operas for the future. I believe it was like that for a while (and in Australia also) but for many years original language productions dominate (I guess translated surtitles have helped a lot)

[Thomas Schulte]

Kinda chronological, but more chronological within region. So, Italy first, England and America last... Key composers, format, and technical (effects) development with quirk illustrations and synopses of many of the operas

[Alec Rigdon]

Despite the operatic history covered here by Dent, I don't find much else useful about this text. The writing style is dry, riddled with questionable opinion, and confusing to follow. Many chapters begin covering one subject, then change topic dramatically for a paragraph or a page before finding the way again. It is, however, interesting to hear these antiquated views of works that are often held to great esteem in contemporary opera repertoire.