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Reclams Opernführer
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February 8, 2024
Yes and indeed, Reclams Opernführer (which is basically an opera guide and is of course penned entirely in German, and therefore a decent and in fact even a pretty advanced level of language fluency is naturally required) is certainly both very much extensive as well as intensive with regard to the operas author and editor Rolf Fath presents.
And my perusal of Reclams Opernführer has definitely shown me that although I am familiar with very many operas and their composers, there are in fact and actually still very very many composers with whom I am not at all or at best only extremely vaguely acquainted and equally a copious amount of completely unknown to me operas from some of my favourite composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini and so on and so on), with Reclams Opernführer therefore and truly being a wonderful treasure trove of music and opera knowledge and information, and yes, the book's small size also rendering Reclams Opernführer superbly portable and as such easily fitting into a tuxedo pocket or a small handbag (perfect to take along to the opera in fact, and with my only and minor complaint being that the small size of Reclams Opernführer also means that the font size of the presented text is naturally and equally rather tiny, if not minuscule and thus rather difficult to read without adequate eyewear or a magnifying glass).
However, I unfortunately also do think that the general set-up of Reclams Opernführer is in my humble opinion just a trifle unfriendly and in particular if one is trying to quickly find or identify a certain, a specific opera (or a bunch of them). For honestly, having the composers and their operas listed chronologically does in my humble opinion not really facilitate research and in my opinion makes the latter much slower and more potentially confusing than if in Reclams Opernführer Rolf Fath would list the composers (and their operas) alphabetically. And well, because this chronological way of listing and presenting the operas and their composers has actually, has in fact very much slowed me down if or when I am trying to locate a specific opera or a specific composer, while I definitely find Reclams Opernfüher a useful research and reference guide and tool, my rating will also only be three stars, and that indeed, better organisational headings would definitely also greatly increase the educational and research value of Reclams Opernführer (although I do still warmly recommend Reclams Opernführer but with the caveat that there are a huge number of editions available and an interested reader should naturally consider the most recent one).
And my perusal of Reclams Opernführer has definitely shown me that although I am familiar with very many operas and their composers, there are in fact and actually still very very many composers with whom I am not at all or at best only extremely vaguely acquainted and equally a copious amount of completely unknown to me operas from some of my favourite composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini and so on and so on), with Reclams Opernführer therefore and truly being a wonderful treasure trove of music and opera knowledge and information, and yes, the book's small size also rendering Reclams Opernführer superbly portable and as such easily fitting into a tuxedo pocket or a small handbag (perfect to take along to the opera in fact, and with my only and minor complaint being that the small size of Reclams Opernführer also means that the font size of the presented text is naturally and equally rather tiny, if not minuscule and thus rather difficult to read without adequate eyewear or a magnifying glass).
However, I unfortunately also do think that the general set-up of Reclams Opernführer is in my humble opinion just a trifle unfriendly and in particular if one is trying to quickly find or identify a certain, a specific opera (or a bunch of them). For honestly, having the composers and their operas listed chronologically does in my humble opinion not really facilitate research and in my opinion makes the latter much slower and more potentially confusing than if in Reclams Opernführer Rolf Fath would list the composers (and their operas) alphabetically. And well, because this chronological way of listing and presenting the operas and their composers has actually, has in fact very much slowed me down if or when I am trying to locate a specific opera or a specific composer, while I definitely find Reclams Opernfüher a useful research and reference guide and tool, my rating will also only be three stars, and that indeed, better organisational headings would definitely also greatly increase the educational and research value of Reclams Opernführer (although I do still warmly recommend Reclams Opernführer but with the caveat that there are a huge number of editions available and an interested reader should naturally consider the most recent one).
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