Tag Archives: opera

Neal Walters and Brian Mansfield’s musicHound Folk; Adam McGovern’s musicHound World; Simon Broughton’s The Rough Guide to World Music, Volumes One and Two; and John Guinn and Les Stone’s The St. James Opera Encyclopedia

The music guides of musicHound Folk, musicHound World, and The Rough Guide to World Music, Volume One have been in use by me for some time now. So which is the best, in my opinion? It depends on what you’re … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Neal Walters and Brian Mansfield’s musicHound Folk; Adam McGovern’s musicHound World; Simon Broughton’s The Rough Guide to World Music, Volumes One and Two; and John Guinn and Les Stone’s The St. James Opera Encyclopedia

An omnibus review of music guides, Rough and otherwise, to folk, world, and opera

Neal Walters and Brian Mansfield’s musicHound Folk Adam McGovern, editor’s musicHound World Simon Broughton’s The Rough Guide to World Music, Volume One Simon Broughton’s The Rough Guide to World Music, Volume Two John Guinn and Les Stone’s The St. James … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on An omnibus review of music guides, Rough and otherwise, to folk, world, and opera

Benjamin Britten’s Death in Venice

Many consider Benjamin Britten the most important British composer since World War II; indeed, some think him the most important since Henry Purcell. Although often thought an uneven composer, most writers in the area concede that his operas Peter Grimes, … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Benjamin Britten’s Death in Venice

Philip Glass and Beni Montresor’s The Witches of Venice

The Witches of Venice, with a score by Philip Glass and libretto by Beni Montresor, based on Montresor’s children’s book of the same title, was commissioned by Teatro alla Scala and premiered there in 1995. It’s a fairy tale, with … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on Philip Glass and Beni Montresor’s The Witches of Venice

Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach

Robert Wilson, Philip Glass’ collaborator on Einstein on the Beach, noted that until that work hit the boards, theater was bound by literature. Thinking on it, he’s pretty much right: stage plays, opera, even film were constrained by a narrative … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach

Philip Glass’ Akhnaten

Akhnaten is the third of Philip Glass’ “portrait” operas, the three works based on historical figures who transformed the thinking of their times through their vision and ideas. Akhnaten’s claim to fame is that he introduced the idea of “god” … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Philip Glass’ Akhnaten

Philip Glass and Constance DeJong’s Satyagraha

Satyagraha is the second of Philip Glass’ “portrait” operas, following Einstein on the Beach and preceding Akhnaten. Commissioned by the City of Rotterdam, it received its first performance there in 1980, and has since been performed in London, New York, … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Philip Glass and Constance DeJong’s Satyagraha

Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen

Everyone has their national epic. The Greeks have the Iliad and the Odyssey, the French have Le Chanson de Roland, the British get to pick among Beowulf, The Mabinogion, and the tales of the Arthur Cycle, and the Germans have … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen

Joseph Haydn’s Orlando Paladino

Joseph Haydn, the composer who did as much as anyone, and more than most, to create the style we know as “classical,” was also one of the wittiest artists of a witty era. He also created some of the most … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged | Comments Off on Joseph Haydn’s Orlando Paladino

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)

I love Mozart. His music is one of the things I’d insist on if I were going to be stranded on a desert island. Otherwise, I’d just refuse to be stranded. Among my favorite works by Mozart is The Magic … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)