Opera offstage : passion and politics behind the great operas / Milton Brener.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brener, Milton E., 1930-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Opera--Social aspects.

Opera.

Opera--Political aspects.

Operas--Stories, plots, etc.

Operas.

Genre:

Stories, plots, etc.

Physical Description:

xv, 240 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Walker and Co., 1996.

Summary:

Who inspired Carmen's fiery heroine? Was there a plot behind the hostile reception to the premiere of Madame Butterfly? What compromises did Richard Strauss make with the Nazi government ot get his Die Schweigsame Frau produced? Opera Offstage brings to light the intriguing tales behind twenty-seven of the greatest operas of all time. Milton Brener ignites new appreciation for these classics and their composers by revealing the histories and human circumstances surrounding their creation. You'll find the real-life stories behind many operas to be just as passionate, whimsical, and tragic as the operas themselves. A truly delightful book, Opera Offstage offers an entertaining way for new fans to get acquainted with opera, as well as a fresh look at some old favorites for lifelong aficionados.

Contents:

1. The Man Who Was Figaro: The Marriage of Figaro 1

2. Tirso de Molina and the Duke of Osuna: Don Giovanni 9

3. The Freemason Opera: The Magic Flute 17

4. The Reluctant Opera Composer: Fidelio 27

5. The Useless Precaution: The Barber of Seville 32

6. An Opera in Two Weeks: The Elixir of Love 37

7. Wagner, Robber, and the Thetis: The Flying Dutchman 42

8. The Opera Director and the Dresden Uprising: Lohengrin 51

9. Triboulet and Francis I: Rigoletto 58

10. Alexandre Dumas and the Lady of the Camellias: La Traviata 69

11. Wagner and Frau Wesendonck: Tristan and Isolde 81

12. Three Men and an Opera: Faust 87

13. The Paris Opera and the Jockeys: Tannhauser 92

14. An Excess of Corpses: La Forza del Destino 102

15. Verdi at the Opera: Don Carlos 106

16. A Case for Incest: The Valkyrie 112

17. The Forgotten Man: Aida 120

18. Bizet and La Mogador: Carmen 130

19. A Most Unusual Triangle: Eugene Onegin 141

20. Twin Meteors: Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana 153

21. Ferocious Pantomime: Tosca 160

22. Frau Wagner and the Religious War of 1903: Parsifal 168

23. A Mysterious Failure: Madame Butterfly 181

24. Oscar Wilde and the Evil of Innocence: Salome 189

25. The Tragedy Offstage: The Girl of the Golden West 199

26. Richard Strauss, Stefan Zweig, and the Nazis: Die Schweigsame Frau 207.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-232) and index.

ISBN:

0802713130

OCLC:

32697656