The History of Opera

Unabridged
Author: Richard Fawkes
Narrator: Robert Powell
Genres: History
Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks Ltd.
Date: June 1999
Length: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Ratings:
Formats:
  • CD
  • WMA

Overview

The History of Opera is an affordable and accessible resource for the listening and appraising skills element in any music curriculum. Richard Fawkes traces the history of opera from its origins in the 16th century to the present day in the first three CDs. The excerpts include Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Donizetti, Bellini, Berlioz, Gounod, Offenbach, Saint-Saens, Bizet, Verdi, Mussorgsky, Rubenstein and Tchaikovsky. The fourth CD is devoted to the history of operetta with excerpts from Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Strauss, Lehar and some light American opera. The History of Opera helps students compare distinctive musical characteristics from a variety of styles and traditions. The narrative descriptions assist in relating the excerpts to the context in which the music was created.

Reviews (2)

Great!

Written by Cathleen Padden on March 14th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Loved this book! It gave just enough information to be interesting without being overwhelming.

The History of Opera

Written by Anonymous on April 24th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This is very good, but it is such a brief history that it gave me just a taste of composers I already like and left me wanting more of ones I am not familiar with. Well worth a listen if you enjoy opera.