The Story of Opera (James Parakilas)

The Story of Opera explores the centuries-old tradition in which the emotional power of music is linked to the human issues that can be enacted as stories. The first part, “Going to the Opera,” introduces newcomers to every element of the operatic experience - venues, seating arrangements, dress and costumes, stage effects, orchestra, singers, and dancers - describing how each began and changed over the years, and how they have all combined to enthrall audiences for four centuries.

The remaining parts explore operatic repertory from the 17th century to the present, providing insightful readings of plots, particular scenes, staging, and music.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I: Experiencing Opera

Chapter 1: Going to the Opera House
Chapter 2: The Orchestra Plays
Chapter 3: The Cast Appears
Chapter 4: The Story Unfolds

Part II: Opera of the 17th Century

Chapter 5: Opera in Princely Courts: Florence and Mantua
Monteverdi: Orfeo

Chapter 6: Opera in Commercial Opera Houses: Venice
Cavalli: Giasone
Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea

Chapter 7: National Opera: Paris and London
Lully: Alceste, Atys, Armide
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

Part III: Opera of the 18th Century

Chapter 8: Opera on Classical Subjects
Handel: Giulio Cesare in Egitto
Rameau: Dardamus, Hippolyte et Aricie
Gluck: Orfeo et Euridice, Alceste, the Iphigenia operas

Chapter 9: Opera on Comic Subjects
The Beggar's Opera
Pergolesi: La serva padrona
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte

Part IV: Opera of the 19th Century

Chapter 10: Opera on Themes of Political Conflict
Grétry: Richard Coeur-de-Lion
Beethoven: Fidelio
Meyerbeer: Les Huguenots
Bellini: Norma
Verdi: Aida
Musorgsky: Boris Godunov

Chapter 11: Opera on Themes of Domestic Conflict
Bizet: Carmen
Rossini: The Barber of Seville
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
Verdi: La Traviata, Otello
Puccini: La bohème

Chapter 12: Opera on Legendary Themes
Gounod: Faust
Wagner: The Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, Die Walküre
Glinka: Ruslan and Lyudmila
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Legend of Kitezh
Dvorák: Rusalka

Part V: Opera of the 20th Century and Beyond

Chapter 13: Human-Interest Opera
Janácek: Jenufa
Berg: Wozzeck
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Britten: Peter Grimes
Operas of Floyd and Heggie
Shostakovich: The Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District
Poulenc: Dialogues of the Carmelites
Adams: The Death of Klinghoffer

Chapter 14: Operas of Dreaming
Saariaho: L'Amour de loin
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Strauss: Die Frau ohne Schatten
Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress
Messiaen: Saint Francis of Assisi
Schoenberg: Moses and Aaron
Operas of Thomson, Glass, and Davis
Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre
Ravel: L'Enfant et les Sortilèges

Glossary
Notes
Works Cited
Credits
Index