Opera Fashion and Intrigue
592989
Enjoy top of opera and referrals to European locations, vocabulary and musical terms.
3819742
Lyn Hamilton has another winnner with this complex tale of greed and betrayal set in Italy. Few writers can compare with her in presenting layer upon layer of deceit together with intricacies of plot and character.
This mystery novel, set in Tuscany and Rome, illuminates the dramatic scenery of the region and shows the reader the world of antique hunting and the people within it. These are not your gentle Sunday afternoon antique shop browsers but sharks in Lamborghinis, some motivated by financial greed, others by the need to possess the finest Etruscan artifacts. They have the money and the motivation to establish expensive smokescreens, sending antique dealer Lara McClintoch to Paris and back through Tuscany in an attempt to retrieve the Etruscan Chimera.
But the chimera is just that. The characters are never so simple, and just as one could not trust a chimera, one cannot trust anyone but Lara McClintoch in this book. Their deceits are so manifold and intricate that it's almost hard to keep track. Chimera indeed.
This is a vivid and and well-told tale. It is carefully researched, even scholarly, but never loses its drama and immediacy.
2946007
Firstly, I love seeing the historical aspect dramatized, as far as, the class hierarchy, & gender roles and, of course, the period wardrobes.  The storyline follows a singular idea and is then brought around in clever circle while the characters is given am opportunity to grow.
1318379
This novel is at once a neatly plotted mystery and a lacy confection worthy of the Baroque in gilded, dissolute Venice.  The writing is so smooth as to become rapidly invisible, leaving me immersed in the world of Tito Amato:  his home life, his singing background and aspirations, his adjustment to his new role as a fted darling of the haughty ruling families of Venice.  The secondary characters are well rounded and believable.  The investigation of a dire crime at Tito's first opera job is motivated and convincingly conducted. It was not necessary to know anything about opera, and very little about Venice, to follow this tale, but I learned quite a bit about both without being at all distracted from Tito's travails.  A wonderful book, and highly recommended to historical mystery readers and those looking for a solid mystery outside the usual.
3330464
Tout le monde (ou Presque) connait le fantome de l'opera, mais j'ai surtout achete cette version pour les nouvelles terrifiantes que je ne connaissais pas et j'ai pris beaucoup de Plaisir a les decouvrir.
3897649
I am not a great fan of Rossini, but I love Renee Fleming.  I heard the Met broadcast of this opera and loved it.  The music actually changed my opinion of Rossini.  I bought the DVD out of curiosity to see the production.  I found some of the choreography, costumes and sets actually distracting - a little too much Broadway glitz. In spite of that, it tells a wonderful story and Fleming and Brownlee are superb.  I highly recommend it.
2408608
These two melodramas are examples of the "verismo" opera.  That is, instead of classical heroes or mythical Gods or fantastical worlds, we are supposed to see real people on the stage in more or less real life situations.  However, you have to remember this was a more than a century ago in a world and culture that saw itself much differently than we view ourselves.

The first, "Cavalleria Rusticana" (Country Manners) was a sensation when it was first performed and swept the world's opera houses like a wild fire.  The music is lush, the choruses beautiful, and the story sensational for the times.  Turiddu is off with Lola, the wife of Alfio.  Turiddu had pledged to remain faithful to Lola when he had gone off to war, but Lola was married when he returned.  In spite, Turiddu turned to Santuzza and despoiled her.  Santuzza is actually smitten with Turiddu.  This and that happen and Alfio challenges Turiddu to a duel to the death.  Before he goes to the duel Turiddu pleads with his mama Lucia to take care of Santuzza if he should die.  Talk about milking it!

Well, Ruggero Leoncavallo was a young composer and when he heard "Cavalleria Rusticana", he was inspired to write "Pagliacci (the Touring Company)".  It is the story of a play within a play.  Nedda, who is Cannio's wife, is not really capable of remaining faithful to him.  Cannio is jealous in real life and the character of the clown he plays on stage is also a cuckold.  Nedda also plays the unfaithful Columbina on stage.  Cannio is heartbroken when he is preparing for the stage and sings this opera's immortal aria (track 14).  On stage his real jealousy is enflamed by the role he plays and tragedy ensues.  The audience thinks it is simply watching the play.

Both of these operas were very popular in their day and remain audience favorites.  They are often performed together because each is just over an hour long.  They ended up being the one big hit each composer had even though they wrote many other works.  Leoncavallo has a couple of other works that are still performed in Italy.  Mascagni's reputation is still trying to recover from the bad judgment he had in working with the fascists during World War II, but after a festival was held honoring his memory on what would have been his 100th birthday, much was forgiven and there were performances of his other music as well as this opera.

These disks provide these operas in English.  It is a good thing, I think, since English speakers tend not to be as multi-lingual as Continental Europeans.  However, most performances you will hear in an opera hall will likely be in the original language with supertitles.  I like this solution because the English underlay of the music is tricky and making the English idiomatic is tough while still remaining faithful to the original.

Good set to have.
2337082
Fanfare Magazine, Colin Clarke

Here is a fascinating disc, entitled Roaring Dramas, of fantasies on operatic themes by Alessandro Lucchetti (b. 1958). Lucchetti, born in Brescia, where he now teaches at the conservatoire, models his fantasies on the operatic paraphrases for piano from a previous, Romantic era (Lucchetti himself is referred to as neo-Romantic in the booklet notes), but uses, generally, the violin to sing while the piano becomes the orchestra, although the two do swap roles from time to time. More interesting is the fact that Lucchetti tries to treat themes like personalities, while retaining the original tonalities of the themes. The script, therefore, is more challenging than might be thought on initial encounter, and in fact the four fantasies here are all fine works indeed.

Puccinis Tosca is replete with soaring, searching lyrical melodies that seem to stretch on into a twilit eternity. Lucchettis Fantasy on themes from Tosca is given a tremendous performance, not least because of the purity of Ambra Albeks tone and her impeccable intonation. The sisters enjoy a close link (although to my knowledge they do not claim the telepathic abilities of the Pekinel piano-playing sisters: see the interview above for more on this). Fiona Albek is clearly a fine pianist, and her musicality shines through everything she does. She possesses a fine staccato, too (much on show in parts of the Tosca Fantasy). The piece, incidentally, also appears on the Albeks disc South of the Alps (Eroica 3450, reviewed by myself a few years ago in Fanfare 35:3). Clearly the idea of operatic fantasies is popular and has spawned the present disc.

To move to the echt-verismo world of Mascagnis Cavalleria rusticana seems the most natural thing in the world. This fantasy seems more extrovert, especially in its piano writing. There is a suggestion of shadowy dance here that is most appealing. The fantasy on Leoncavallos I Pagliacci is rather more happy-go-lucky, and delivered with a lovely sense of lightness by both performers. There are some sensational evocations of the charged yet tissue-delicate sonorities the verismo composers could conjure up, here transferred magically to the medium of violin and piano. The extended passage for solo piano towards the end really lets Fiona Albek shine, prior to Ambras smoky rendition of Vesti la giubba (around 13:50).

Perhaps the Puccini opera that makes the greatest emotional journey, from the student digs japes and the antics at the Caf Momus through to the impossibly touching death of Mim, it is La bohme that allows for a quarter-hour prcis of maximal contrasts. Much credit to Ambra Albeks high, soaring violin lines for conveying the specifically Puccinian sense of heightened emotion here. The heavy, laden atmosphere of the final moments of the Fantasy are performed with great poignancy. One might expect a disc of fantasies to end with a bravura flourish, but nothing could be further from the truth. The disc in fact ends with a verismo question mark, possibly as if inviting in more; or possibly reminding us of the depth of the music under consideration here.

The four works are broadly equidurational at around a quarter of an hour each. This is an intriguing release, not least for the brilliant artwork of the cover, a drawing of the two performers as clowns, one lachrymose, one traditionally happy, with outlines of their respective instruments. A first-class release.
3279923
Mary Gentle has created an alternate 19th Century Naples afrenzy with the power of Bel Canto opera and the debate between natural philosophy and religion.

We have the King of the Two Sicilies, King Ferdinand facing French and Italian intrigues; the inquisition, Darwin's theories, and of course the magical melodies of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini slowly giving way to Wagner and Verdi.

In the midst of this hot mess we meet Conrad Scalese, atheist librettist celebrating his first (he's not popular being an atheist during the inquisition) Operatic success. But then lightning strikes his opera house causing it to burn down, he wakes up with a migraine headache that gives him visions of fiery eruptions, and the inquisition arrives at his rooms to drag him to the dungeon.

He ends up with King Ferdinand, instead, who charges him with a vital project. A conspiracy in Naples is attempting to put on a "black opera", using the power of musicodramma to tap into the galvanic power of human brains/emotions to raise a powerful entity. The King desperately needs to stage another opera as an antidote to this opera and he wants Scalese to write and produce it.

Scalese, along with his trusted servant Tullio, his transvestite sister, a cast of amazingly varied operatic singers with fiery personalities, and the King's soldiers will brave sabotage and murder to see that the antidote opera is sung.

This is an alternate history with fantastic elements. The emphasis here is on HISTORY. Gentle takes us deep into the heart of the creation and staging of a bel canto opera.

For opera fans, or European history/philosophy buffs, this is a terrific book. The extended dialogues about the nature of god, creation, music, and the soul is definitely an intellectual delight.

If you're looking for action/adventure, there's a bit of that, too, but its completely overshadowed by the slow unfolding of the opera amongst political intrigue.

As I'm an opera fan, you can guess how much I enjoyed going along with Scalese for his opera ride. I did have a little problem following the flow of action sometimes as the characters have the habit of starting to think or say something, get cut off, and then say something else. I had to go back and reread bits of dialogue sometimes to follow thoughts, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment that much.

This Book's Snack Rating: Buffalo Blue Cheese Kettle Chips for the heavy, distinctive flavor of bel canto and philosophy on the backs of truly crunchy/delicious characters
1494182
There is an energy here  from the orchestra and ensemble that is irresistible! The female protagonists are beautifully balanced and the men full of brio. The differences of character of the three female leads implied by Mozart's music are all brought out by these sopranos distinctly. Zerlina is a stand out here as the country girl who falls for the wiles of our anti-hero. This is my favorite opera of Mozart's and perhaps my all time favorite. Of the four versions I own this recent purchase is in heavy rotation. The second act music is darker, and forebodes the fall of our hero magnificently. Ensembles, arias and recitatives match Mozart's wondrous music and the Don's tumble into hell cooks up some heat. Recommended!
331537
First, I should mention that this is not the complete opera, "The Abduction from the Seraglio."  The program notes call it "one-third documentary and two-thirds filmed opera."

Even that just begins to describe this performance.
It is performed in a palace in Istanbul, where the beauty and color of the location and the costumes are stunningly bright and authentically Turkish.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, led by Charles Mackerras, and the singers, especially Paul Groves (Belmonte) and Desiree Rancatore (Blonde) do full justice to Mozart's most popular work during his lifetime.

You'll find all of the most popular scenes of "The Abduction," sung wonderfully and with the most crystal-clear photography you can imagine.

An extra treat is commentary, which helps explain Mozart and his music, AND a seat for you at the dinner table as you watch the singers eat, relax, and playfully sing bits of their favorite songs.

Though not the full opera, this is a delightful and beauty-filled presentation.  (It would be a great way to introduce newcomers to the world of opera, or to show those familiar with the work a colorful new perspective.)
2245449
In his book, Opera Singers of the Twentieth Century,Tom Crawford has crafted a unique approach in bringing to life fifty opera singers, who with their magical voices  and irresistible stage presence, brought emotion and joyful pleasure to thousands who witnessed their performances.  His hand painted, costumed opera greats, accompanied by a concise narrative of their life and work stands alone among books on the opera.  A wonderful and satisfying treat for those lovers of opera.
1593631
Very interesting study of fashions for this period.
287823
If you like opera and Italy, you will love this book. I loved reading the stories of many operas and the words to certain arias.
2278320
I think this is a great example of how the wonderful genre of opera can survive in modern times. A real theatrical thrill all round. The second act is fabulous and powerful -- the dancing, the singing, the dramatisation of politics.
3631203
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Tasha Alexander brings all of the glamour of Russia in the waning years of the Tsar and the allure of the ballet to this twelfth installment in the Lady Emily mystery series.  Death in St. Petersburg is a worthy addition to one of my favorite historical mystery series.

Death in St. Petersburg finds our intrepid amateur sleuth on holiday for New Years 1900.  Winter in Russia is both beautiful and brutal, something Lady Emily quickly finds when she leaves a stunning ballet performance to find the prima ballerina assoluta, still dressed in her Swan Queen costume, stabbed to death outside the theater.  Lady Emily is quickly drawn into the investigation when the ballerinas lover asks her to look into Nemetsevas untimely death.  This takes Lady Emily behind the scenes of the most prestigious ballet company at the time to the heart of revolutionaries and back to the Winter Palace and the Tsar, all the while weaving a complex multi-pronged puzzle of life and death.

I feel totally transported to St. Petersburg while reading, completely engrossed in the period and place.  Alexanders love for the city and the ballet is palpable through every description and detail.  I like that real historical figures are intertwined in the fictional murder mystery; it really gives a feeling of authenticity to the tale.  Of course, Alexanders fabulous research shines through, too.  The story is told from alternating points of view, and it works well here.  Interspersed with the current day investigation are short chapters told from the ballerinas point of view, giving readers an insiders look into their world and providing necessary background for the mystery.  Not being much of a dancer myself, this behind the scenes look at the insular world of the ballerinas is fascinating.

The characters are all intriguing.  At times I find Lady Emily to be too modern for her time, but she is still an intelligent and astute investigator.  Colin is, as always, rather enigmatic, mostly because his work for the Queen and country is so cloak and dagger.  I am so happy to see Sebastian Capet again.  He provides much needed comedic relief throughout the book.  The steady pace of the story serves the complicated mystery well.  Layer by layer the truth is revealed with a few surprises thrown in to keep it all interesting.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Lady Emily in Russia and highly recommend Death in St. Petersburg to fans of the series and those looking for a strong female sleuth in an exotic historical setting.
2979026
Good background details and pointedly illustrative comments on each act, with informative closing remarks on significance of the work in the world of opera.