Opera as Drama: Fiftieth Anniversary Edition / Edition 1

by Joseph Kerman

Overview

Passionate, witty, and brilliant, Opera as Drama has been lauded as one of the most controversial, thought-provoking, and entertaining works of operatic criticism ever written. First published in 1956 and revised in 1988, Opera as Drama continues to be indispensable reading for all students and lovers of opera.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520246928
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	12/14/2005
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	249
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Joseph Kerman, Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of California, Berkeley, is the author of The Art of Fugue: Bach Fugues for Keyboard, 1715-1750 (California, 2005) among many other books.

Table of Contents

Preface to the New Edition 
Preface to the First Edition 
1. Prologue: Opera as Drama 
2. Orpheus: The Neoclassic Vision 
3· The Dark Ages 
4· Action and the Musical Continuity 
5· Mozart 
6. Verdi's Otello: Traditional Opera and the Image of Shakespeare
7· Opera as Sung Play 
8. Opera as Symphonic Poem 
9· Retrenchment: Wozzeck and The Rake's Progress 
10. Drama and the Alternative 
11. Epilogue: On Operatic Criticism 
Index 

Editorial Reviews

By and large, the new edition of Opera as Drama retains the spirit and format of the original ( LJ 11/1/56). However, in an effort to generalize the methodology used throughout the work, Kerman has added an interesting section outlining a viable method of opera criticism. In addition, he has modified the chapter devoted to Mozart to include a penetrating discussion of Idomeneo. The thoughtful withdrawal of somewhat callow remarks on various composers, operas, etc., will also be regarded as a welcome revision by many readers. Alterations notwithstanding, Kerman's study remains one of the most captivating books on opera to date. Highly recommended. William J. Waters, Pensacola Junior Coll., Fla.

Library Journal