Publisher's Note

With a lively and stylish pen, Sir Denis Forman, who for nine years was deputy chairman of the Royal Opera House in London, dispenses his opinions freely on operas and their composers and artistic interpreters. Forman explains the historical circumstances of the works, then grades them from alpha to gamma, except for one to which he gives a thumbs-down "X".

With an encyclopedic knowledge of opera and a delightful dash of irreverence, Sir Denis Forman throws open the world of opera--its structure, composers, conductors, and artists--in this hugely informative guide. A Night at the Opera dissects the eighty-three most popular operas recorded on compact disc, from Cileas Adriana Lecouvreur to Mozarts Die Zauberflöte.

For each opera, Sir Denis details the plot and cast of characters, awarding stars to parts that are "worth looking out for," "really good," or, occasionally, "stunning." He goes on to tell the history of each opera and its early reception. Finally, each work is graded from alpha to gamma (although the Ring cycle gets an "X"), and Sir Denis has no qualms about

voicing his opinion: the first act of Fidelio is "a bit of a mess," while the last scene of Don Giovanni "towers above the comic finales of Figaro and Cos and whether or not [it] is Mozarts greatest opera, it is certainly his most powerful finale."The guide also presents brief biographies of the great composers, conductors, and singers. A glossary of musical

terms is included, as well as Operatica, or the essential elements of opera, from the proper place and style of the audience's applause (and boos) to the use of surtitles.A Night at the Opera is for connoisseurs and neophytes alike. It will entertain and inform, delight and (perhaps) infuriate, providing a subject for lively debate and ready reference for years

to come.

Industry reviews

An encyclopedic handbook dissecting the 83 most popular operas recorded on CD, from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur to Mozart's Die Zauberfl :o te . For each opera, Sir Denis details the plot and characters in a refreshingly impudent fashion. He also describes the historical background and critical reception of each opera, defines terms, and provides biographies of composers, conductors, and artists. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. Reference & Research Book News (03/01/1996)