Rating: 
Summary: A PONDEROUS BOOK THAT DOESN'T ADVANCE THE OPERA LITERATURE
Review: Since my college days 40 years ago, I had been a casual listener of Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. In the past 10 years, I have subscribed to Lyric Opera performances and have become passionate about this marvelous art form. I have read numerous books to enhance my enjoyment of opera and was intrigued by the subtitle of Sir Denis' book. So I decided to buy it. What a disappointment. The book is a travesty. Perhaps I don't understand current British humor (although I loved the 1950s British comedy films and, more recently, Monty Python's Flying Circus.). Sir Denis' synopses are absurd. It's bad enough that one has to wade through the British slang and jargon that he uses, but other descriptions and terms just fall flat. For example, mentioning a 19th century opera character who arrives on the scene as having used the modern British highway system or learning about some event by fax or describing a character by a "verbal identikit" just doesn't cut it as far as I'm concerned. And his description of Colline's aria to his coat before he sells it to buy medicine for Mimi (Act IV of La Boheme) is bizarre to say the least. ("Colline sings goodbye to his favourite bomber jacket...") There also appear to be at least one major opera omitted. My Winter, 1991 copy of Schwann's "Opus" lists six complete complete versions of Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann," yet Sir Denise doesn't include this gorgeous opera in his book. So much for his system of at least three recordings for an opera to be included. Fortunately the book's shear size (950+ pages) may discourage novices from buying it. If one wants to learn about opera and not be intimidated, they should pick up a copy of the 358 page "Opera for Dummies" written by David Pough and Scott Speck. Serious opera lovers should find something new in the Pough & Speck book, but there is nothing to be gained in reading Sir Denis Forman's book. I'm very sorry that I bought it.
Rating: 
Summary: Nutty, profound, and extremely enjoyable
Review: Suppose you had an eccentric, British uncle who was absolutely nuts about opera. You're a tyro yourself, so whenever you go CD shopping or attend a live performance, he entertains you with a humorous summary of the libretto (not too hard to do with an opera if it's not "Wozzeck"), tells you which bits to really listen for, and provides a critique of singers. He's an expert---after all he was the deputy chairman of one of England's great opera houses---but he's not a snob. Listen to what he has to say about death in the mystic land of Oprania: "Death is extremely common and has an almost universal characteristic unknown in our world, namely a period of Imminence during which the doomed person suffers a compulsion to sing. There are few known cases in Oprania where death has occurred without an aria, or at least a cavatina, being delivered during Imminence. The period of Imminence for long deaths can last for up to a whole act. Not even decapitation can ensure an aria-free death..." If you think bursting into song at death's door is highly unlikely, listen to what the author--I mean your uncle--has to say about Valentin's death (he was stabbed by Faust with the help of the devil) in Gounod's "Faust:" "Valentin is found dying in the street by a respectful and horrified chorus. He makes the customary brave gestures of a soldier in the face of death and turns on Marguerite [his sister who is Faust's lover] rather nastily (first in recitative and then in a short aria) saying that the only course open to her now is to become a hooker for the rest of her life." Valentin curses his sister and dies, and for all his musical effort is only awarded one star (out of a possible three) by Sir Denis. "Faust" itself is rated a 'beta' (on a scale where 'alpha-plus' is reserved for truly great operas such as "The Marriage of Figaro", and 'gamma or less' for truly forgettable operas such as "La Rondine"). I almost subtracted a star from my review because Sir Denis awarded 'betas' to two of my favorite operas (Handel's 'Caesar' and Verdi's 'Forza'), but "A Night at the Opera" is way too good and funny and idiosyncratic (in the grand style that only British authors seem to be able to carry off) to be anything but a five-star book. The eighty-three operas that were chosen to appear in this book all had three or more versions listed in the "Gramophone" CD catalogue of December 1992, from Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur" to Berg's "Wozzeck." Each opera's libretto is lovingly (and somewhat whackily) described. There is a "Look Out For" section that describes and rates the opera's arias, preludes, choruses, intermezzos, etc. with one to three stars. Example: "Si adempia il voler" from Puccini's "Tosca": "The final scene [of Act II]: Scarpia sits down to write the phoney letter of safe conduct to a sweeping melody,** calm but full of menace, giving us a breathing space between the storms past and the storm to come: then the 'kiss of Tosca' [she stabs Scarpia] with all the stops out--and the calm melody plays the scene out (All Rome trembled before him) ending with a sonorous funereal version of Scarpia's theme accompanied by a death rattle of drums. Stupendous." Stupendous, indeed, even though Sir Denis only gives it two stars. The final two sections describing each opera are "News and Gossip"--background on how and why the opera was composed, and "Comment"--the author's summary of where the opera fits in the repertoire (plus any other remarks he chooses to make). This is a grand old book, all 959 pages of it. I read the whole thing, even the penultimate "Words Words Words" dictionary, and the final page of acknowledgements, "Friends, Supporters, Colleagues and Minders." Please, just one more quotation from the final page: "I would like to thank: Bamber Gascoigne for giving me the idea in the first place (and let it be noted that this handsome acknowledgement in no way affects the author's title to 100% of the copyright)." I loved this book and you will too, even if you only have a sneaking fondness for the 'Queen of Music'.
Rating:
Summary: Nutty, profound, and extremely enjoyable
Review: Suppose you had an eccentric, British uncle who was absolutely nuts about opera. You're a tyro yourself, so whenever you go CD shopping or attend a live performance, he entertains you with a humorous summary of the libretto (not too hard to do with an opera if it's not "Wozzeck"), tells you which bits to really listen for, and provides a critique of singers. He's an expert---after all he was the deputy chairman of one of England's great opera houses---but he's not a snob. Listen to what he has to say about death in the mystic land of Oprania: "Death is extremely common and has an almost universal characteristic unknown in our world, namely a period of Imminence during which the doomed person suffers a compulsion to sing. There are few known cases in Oprania where death has occurred without an aria, or at least a cavatina, being delivered during Imminence. The period of Imminence for long deaths can last for up to a whole act. Not even decapitation can ensure an aria-free death..." If you think bursting into song at death's door is highly unlikely, listen to what the author--I mean your uncle--has to say about Valentin's death (he was stabbed by Faust with the help of the devil) in Gounod's "Faust:" "Valentin is found dying in the street by a respectful and horrified chorus. He makes the customary brave gestures of a soldier in the face of death and turns on Marguerite [his sister who is Faust's lover] rather nastily (first in recitative and then in a short aria) saying that the only course open to her now is to become a hooker for the rest of her life." Valentin curses his sister and dies, and for all his musical effort is only awarded one star (out of a possible three) by Sir Denis. "Faust" itself is rated a 'beta' (on a scale where 'alpha-plus' is reserved for truly great operas such as "The Marriage of Figaro", and 'gamma or less' for truly forgettable operas such as "La Rondine"). I almost subtracted a star from my review because Sir Denis awarded 'betas' to two of my favorite operas (Handel's 'Caesar' and Verdi's 'Forza'), but "A Night at the Opera" is way too good and funny and idiosyncratic (in the grand style that only British authors seem to be able to carry off) to be anything but a five-star book. The eighty-three operas that were chosen to appear in this book all had three or more versions listed in the "Gramophone" CD catalogue of December 1992, from Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur" to Berg's "Wozzeck." Each opera's libretto is lovingly (and somewhat whackily) described. There is a "Look Out For" section that describes and rates the opera's arias, preludes, choruses, intermezzos, etc. with one to three stars. Example: "Si adempia il voler" from Puccini's "Tosca": "The final scene [of Act II]: Scarpia sits down to write the phoney letter of safe conduct to a sweeping melody,** calm but full of menace, giving us a breathing space between the storms past and the storm to come: then the 'kiss of Tosca' [she stabs Scarpia] with all the stops out--and the calm melody plays the scene out (All Rome trembled before him) ending with a sonorous funereal version of Scarpia's theme accompanied by a death rattle of drums. Stupendous." Stupendous, indeed, even though Sir Denis only gives it two stars. The final two sections describing each opera are "News and Gossip"--background on how and why the opera was composed, and "Comment"--the author's summary of where the opera fits in the repertoire (plus any other remarks he chooses to make). This is a grand old book, all 959 pages of it. I read the whole thing, even the penultimate "Words Words Words" dictionary, and the final page of acknowledgements, "Friends, Supporters, Colleagues and Minders." Please, just one more quotation from the final page: "I would like to thank: Bamber Gascoigne for giving me the idea in the first place (and let it be noted that this handsome acknowledgement in no way affects the author's title to 100% of the copyright)." I loved this book and you will too, even if you only have a sneaking fondness for the 'Queen of Music'.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: The title is fairly honest. This is an irreverent guide. To be fair it provides some interesting and fairly detailed information on what is a fine selection of the standard operas. There maybe some unfortunate omissions (Peter Grimes for ex.) but overall the repertoire is quite balanced. My main problem is excess. There is just too many silly coments and idiosyncratic opinions here. If you want some fresh opinions that's fine but there is no way this is a reasonable or serious guide to the opera for newcomers. For that and despite their individual problems I would recommend the Rough Guide books or the Met guides
Rating:
Summary: This book was my favorite birthday present!
Review: This book is a treat. This guy knows opera, knows how to write, and has a great sense of humor. Forman's treatments of each opera are extensive and very informative, but never dull. Far from it -- who would ever think you could laugh yourself off your chair with a serious opera book?! But this one does it. I love the way he begins each synopsis with, "The One Where . . . ." If everyone read this book, opera would lose its reputation as a stuffy art form.
Rating:
Summary: boy did i make a mistake
Review: this book is boring not nearly enough details not as described either barely any mention of recordings. he is witty but i am extremely disappointed considering the cost.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have
Review: This book is terrific. Read it before you listen to or watch an opera--and read it after--and if home, read it during. He's very funny, but in a way that enhances, not diminishes, the pieces themselves. His analyses of the works are very detailed, including a rating, like Michelin, of the highlights. I'm giving it as a gift to my sister, now.
Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: This guide is one of several books that I purchased to learn about opera (so, beginners, listen up - opera experts go elsewhere). This guide is unique, witty, and entertaining. The "irreverent" style of the synopses is fun at first, but if you read several in a row it can wear thin. Read the synopsis of Adriana Lecouvreur that Amazon furnishes online to see if you appreciate the style - it is fairly typical except that some of the others have more of a British accent. The British slang sometimes goes over my head which means that I miss the point that is being made so cleverly. However, the real plus of the irreverent style is that it helps to cast the story in more contemporary light (which makes suspension of disbelief easier). I like that there are real opinions about the works, not just descriptions. Some guides are so brief and sterile that you don't really get any flavor - not so here, there is flavor everywhere. What you may not be able to tell from the Amazon exerpt is that the four-page synopsis they show for Adriana Lecouvreur is only about half of the coverage of that opera. Following the synopsis is a scene-by-scene description of the action with what to look for at each point, then followed by a news and gossip and a comments section. Very comprehensive. The synopsis is only about half the coverage of each opera. The appendices at the back of the book also are good study material. They include: operatica (an elementary who's who and what's what at the opera house, about 55 pages); composers (brief biographies, about 40 pages); artists (again bios, about 25 pages); and a glossary (about 15 pages). To learn about opera you need several references. This one is so unique that I say you should get it just for variety. Other good considerations: "Opera 101" for the absolutely best overall introductory study of opera in general. "100 Great Operas" for a more garden variety, shorter, simpler, and easier-to-read synopsis of individual operas. I also like the "Rough Guide to Opera". All of these are very different.
Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: This guide is one of several books that I purchased to learn about opera (so, beginners, listen up - opera experts go elsewhere). This guide is unique, witty, and entertaining. The "irreverent" style of the synopses is fun at first, but if you read several in a row it can wear thin. Read the synopsis of Adriana Lecouvreur that Amazon furnishes online to see if you appreciate the style - it is fairly typical except that some of the others have more of a British accent. The British slang sometimes goes over my head which means that I miss the point that is being made so cleverly. However, the real plus of the irreverent style is that it helps to cast the story in more contemporary light (which makes suspension of disbelief easier). I like that there are real opinions about the works, not just descriptions. Some guides are so brief and sterile that you don't really get any flavor - not so here, there is flavor everywhere. What you may not be able to tell from the Amazon exerpt is that the four-page synopsis they show for Adriana Lecouvreur is only about half of the coverage of that opera. Following the synopsis is a scene-by-scene description of the action with what to look for at each point, then followed by a news and gossip and a comments section. Very comprehensive. The synopsis is only about half the coverage of each opera. The appendices at the back of the book also are good study material. They include: operatica (an elementary who's who and what's what at the opera house, about 55 pages); composers (brief biographies, about 40 pages); artists (again bios, about 25 pages); and a glossary (about 15 pages). To learn about opera you need several references. This one is so unique that I say you should get it just for variety. Other good considerations: "Opera 101" for the absolutely best overall introductory study of opera in general. "100 Great Operas" for a more garden variety, shorter, simpler, and easier-to-read synopsis of individual operas. I also like the "Rough Guide to Opera". All of these are very different.
Rating: 
Summary: Best for (actually ONLY for) for the intermediate opera fan
Review: This is a cool book, and I imagine its author is a suave, charming, James Bond kind of guy. But this book is really only appropriate for people at the intermediate phase of opera-loving. The book gives in-depth, clever, witty analyses of 83 operas, covering probably 95% of what you might see at your local opera house. The problem is that Denis Forman's approach assumes that the reader is already a suave, charming, James Bond kind of opera fan, so he leaves out pretty much all of the basics. So... ...if you already know as much, or nearly as much, as Sir Forman (he's a real "Sir," I'm not being sarcastic) does about opera, then you don't need the book. ...if you know nothing, or next to nothing, about opera, then this book is too advanced for you, so skip it. ...if you've seen 5 or 10 operas in your life and want to see more, and/or if you've been building a little nest of cherished opera CDs and you want to take your opera knowledge to the next step, this will be a great book for you. The book has a few neat little appendices. One is a thumbnail sketch of the greatest conductors of the last 100 years, and another is the same for the greatest singers. Plus, there's a handy little guide to terminology. The first two are brilliant, the last one prioritizes wittiness over clarity. "A Night at the Opera" would be a great gift for anyone who is a casual, reasonably well-versed opera buff and might be itching to take it to the next level.
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