Opera Antics & Anecdotes

Rating:
Summary: "Must" reading for all opera fans!
Review: Opera Antics & Anecdotes is a marvelously engaging collection of stories and anecdotes about the adult world of operatic theater and opera singers. Here are faithful accounts of some of the biggest personalities of the opera stage and their foibles, stresses, egos, tantrums, goofs, gaffs, wit, and wickedness. Opera Antics & Anecdotes is "must" reading for all opera fans and followers.

Rating:
Summary: "Must" reading for all opera fans!
Review: Opera Antics & Anecdotes is a marvelously engaging collection of stories and anecdotes about the adult world of operatic theater and opera singers. Here are faithful accounts of some of the biggest personalities of the opera stage and their foibles, stresses, egos, tantrums, goofs, gaffs, wit, and wickedness. Opera Antics & Anecdotes is "must" reading for all opera fans and followers.

Rating:
Summary: I laughed my opera-singing head off!
Review: This book is a must-have for all opera afficionados with any sense of humor! I'm talking off-the-charts funny! Some stories were harder to understand when i wasn't familiar with the opera the anectode entailed, but i still got enough to find the joke funny. My personal favorites are: the production of Don Giovanni, when the father's statue rode in on a horse...backwards!, Kaspar's "dying prayer" from Der Freischutz, and of course all the quotable quotes from singers past and present. This book is proof that (in its own words) every theatre is a nuthouse, but an opera theatre is a ward for the incurables!

Rating:
Summary: I laughed my opera-singing head off!
Review: This book is a must-have for all opera afficionados with any sense of humor! I'm talking off-the-charts funny! Some stories were harder to understand when i wasn't familiar with the opera the anectode entailed, but i still got enough to find the joke funny. My personal favorites are: the production of Don Giovanni, when the father's statue rode in on a horse...backwards!, Kaspar's "dying prayer" from Der Freischutz, and of course all the quotable quotes from singers past and present. This book is proof that (in its own words) every theatre is a nuthouse, but an opera theatre is a ward for the incurables!

Rating:
Summary: Fun with Opera, On and Off-Stage
Review: This is an intelligently-written, savvy, but most of all funny book. There are a lot of laughs to be had, and the chapter headings supply intriguing clues. To cite a few examples: "Dumb as a Tenor, Vain as a Prima Donna;" "Opera Sex: Masculine, Feminine, and Neutered;" "Yells from the Balcony - Back Talk from the Stage;" "Alcohol, Toothpicks and Other Professional Hazards." In the chapter called "Dodo and Aeneas Sung by Lily Ponselle and Ezio Pizza," there are examples of unfortunately mangled operatic names. (Like the time a customer asked a ticket seller for tickets to Puccini's "Tournedo," and before he could answer, the lady's friend corrected her: "Oh no, darling -- Tournedo is by Rossini!" Then there are the intentional mistakes, usually by critics sharpening their needles, as when a Parma reviewer who couldn't stand the singers in Bellini's I Puritani headlined his review "I Puri Cani." (Translation: "The Pure Dogs.") And in the chapter titled "I Teach Bel Canto, The Others Teach Can Belto," the reader learns about some incredible, oddball teaching methods, many involving the use of props such as corks, pencils, books, even umbrellas. Often, to help a student monitor his "appoggio," or breath support, the prop was meant to be placed in one or another body orifice. (Thankfully, this wasn't true of the umbrella!) This is a marvelously funny book written by a baritone named Stephen Tanner, who lived for many years in Europe and evidently collected many of the anecdotes personally. The maliciously witty cartoons, by Umberto Taccola, add immeasurably to the quality and fun quotient of the book. In paperback format and modestly priced, "Opera Antics" would be a good Christmas present for opera-loving -- or opera-hating -- friends.

Rating:
Summary: Fun with Opera, On and Off-Stage
Review: This is an intelligently-written, savvy, but most of all funny book. There are a lot of laughs to be had, and the chapter headings supply intriguing clues. To cite a few examples: "Dumb as a Tenor, Vain as a Prima Donna;" "Opera Sex: Masculine, Feminine, and Neutered;" "Yells from the Balcony - Back Talk from the Stage;" "Alcohol, Toothpicks and Other Professional Hazards." In the chapter called "Dodo and Aeneas Sung by Lily Ponselle and Ezio Pizza," there are examples of unfortunately mangled operatic names. (Like the time a customer asked a ticket seller for tickets to Puccini's "Tournedo," and before he could answer, the lady's friend corrected her: "Oh no, darling -- Tournedo is by Rossini!" Then there are the intentional mistakes, usually by critics sharpening their needles, as when a Parma reviewer who couldn't stand the singers in Bellini's I Puritani headlined his review "I Puri Cani." (Translation: "The Pure Dogs.") And in the chapter titled "I Teach Bel Canto, The Others Teach Can Belto," the reader learns about some incredible, oddball teaching methods, many involving the use of props such as corks, pencils, books, even umbrellas. Often, to help a student monitor his "appoggio," or breath support, the prop was meant to be placed in one or another body orifice. (Thankfully, this wasn't true of the umbrella!) This is a marvelously funny book written by a baritone named Stephen Tanner, who lived for many years in Europe and evidently collected many of the anecdotes personally. The maliciously witty cartoons, by Umberto Taccola, add immeasurably to the quality and fun quotient of the book. In paperback format and modestly priced, "Opera Antics" would be a good Christmas present for opera-loving -- or opera-hating -- friends.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Craziness at the Opera, Both On- and Off-Stage
Review: When you read this book, you'll probably decide that the Marx Bros. had it right in their nutty movie, "A Night at the Opera." The writer, who's been a working singer himself, recounts lots of amusing anecdotes he's collected over the years, and the resulting book is one that should appeal both to opera-lovers and those who can't stand to hear the "fat lady" or even the thin gentleman hit those high notes. Readers will acquire a good deal of knowledge about the unique world of opera, but they'll never feel they're getting a lesson. It's all about having fun, as some of the chapter titles indicate: "Dumb as a Tenor - Vain as a Prima Donna;" "You Call That Acting?" "Yells From the Balcony - Back Talk from the Stage;" "Opera Sex: Masculine, Feminine, and Neutered;" "Opera is Silly and I Hate It." In a chapter called "Dodo and Aeneas Sung by Lily Ponselle and Ezio Pizza," you'll find examples of malapropisms, as supplied by ticket window and record store clerks -- such as Mozart's "The Nozzle of Figaro," and Gluck's "Orpheus and Uterus." One customer asked a ticket teller for tickets to "Puccini's Tournedo." Before he could reply, the lady's friend corrected her: "Oh no, darling - Tournedo is by Rossini!" Then there are intentional mistakes, made by critics sharpening their needles, as when a Parma reviewer found the singers in Bellini's "I Puritani" so bad that he headlined his review "I Puri Cani" (Translation: "The Pure Dogs." The chapter titled "I Teach Bel Canto, The Others Teach Can Belto" yields some hilarious examples of oddball teaching methods. Many involve the use of props, such as corks, pencils, books, even umbrellas. Often, for purposes of monitoring a student's breath support, the prop was intended to be placed in one or another orifice of the body. (Thankfully, this wasn't true of the umbrella!) The maliciously witty cartoons that introduce each chapter add immeasurably to the book's fun quotient.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Craziness at the Opera, Both On- and Off-Stage
Review: When you read this book, you'll probably decide that the Marx Bros. had it right in their nutty movie, "A Night at the Opera." The writer, who's been a working singer himself, recounts lots of amusing anecdotes he's collected over the years, and the resulting book is one that should appeal both to opera-lovers and those who can't stand to hear the "fat lady" or even the thin gentleman hit those high notes. Readers will acquire a good deal of knowledge about the unique world of opera, but they'll never feel they're getting a lesson. It's all about having fun, as some of the chapter titles indicate: "Dumb as a Tenor - Vain as a Prima Donna;" "You Call That Acting?" "Yells From the Balcony - Back Talk from the Stage;" "Opera Sex: Masculine, Feminine, and Neutered;" "Opera is Silly and I Hate It." In a chapter called "Dodo and Aeneas Sung by Lily Ponselle and Ezio Pizza," you'll find examples of malapropisms, as supplied by ticket window and record store clerks -- such as Mozart's "The Nozzle of Figaro," and Gluck's "Orpheus and Uterus." One customer asked a ticket teller for tickets to "Puccini's Tournedo." Before he could reply, the lady's friend corrected her: "Oh no, darling - Tournedo is by Rossini!" Then there are intentional mistakes, made by critics sharpening their needles, as when a Parma reviewer found the singers in Bellini's "I Puritani" so bad that he headlined his review "I Puri Cani" (Translation: "The Pure Dogs." The chapter titled "I Teach Bel Canto, The Others Teach Can Belto" yields some hilarious examples of oddball teaching methods. Many involve the use of props, such as corks, pencils, books, even umbrellas. Often, for purposes of monitoring a student's breath support, the prop was intended to be placed in one or another orifice of the body. (Thankfully, this wasn't true of the umbrella!) The maliciously witty cartoons that introduce each chapter add immeasurably to the book's fun quotient.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Craziness at the Opera, Both On- and Off-Stage
Review: When you read this book, you'll probably decide that the Marx Bros. had it right in their nutty movie, "A Night at the Opera." The writer, who's been a working singer himself, recounts lots of amusing anecdotes he's collected over the years, and the resulting book is one that should appeal both to opera-lovers and those who can't stand to hear the "fat lady" or even the thin gentleman hit those high notes. Readers will acquire a good deal of knowledge about the unique world of opera, but they'll never feel they're getting a lesson. It's all about having fun, as some of the chapter titles indicate: "Dumb as a Tenor - Vain as a Prima Donna;" "You Call That Acting?" "Yells From the Balcony - Back Talk from the Stage;" "Opera Sex: Masculine, Feminine, and Neutered;" "Opera is Silly and I Hate It." In a chapter called "Dodo and Aeneas Sung by Lily Ponselle and Ezio Pizza," you'll find examples of malapropisms, as supplied by ticket window and record store clerks -- such as Mozart's "The Nozzle of Figaro," and Gluck's "Orpheus and Uterus." One customer asked a ticket teller for tickets to "Puccini's Tournedo." Before he could reply, the lady's friend corrected her: "Oh no, darling - Tournedo is by Rossini!" Then there are intentional mistakes, made by critics sharpening their needles, as when a Parma reviewer found the singers in Bellini's "I Puritani" so bad that he headlined his review "I Puri Cani" (Translation: "The Pure Dogs." The chapter titled "I Teach Bel Canto, The Others Teach Can Belto" yields some hilarious examples of oddball teaching methods. Many involve the use of props, such as corks, pencils, books, even umbrellas. Often, for purposes of monitoring a student's breath support, the prop was intended to be placed in one or another orifice of the body. (Thankfully, this wasn't true of the umbrella!) The maliciously witty cartoons that introduce each chapter add immeasurably to the book's fun quotient.