A Song of Love and Death : The Meaning of Opera (Graywolf Rediscovery Series)

Rating:
Summary: Read this book to find out how opera 'feels'.
Review: Sometimes 'A Song of Love and Death' is a bit over the top, but then so is its subject matter. Peter Conrad's subtitle, 'The Meaning of Opera' could be expanded to: 'The Meaning of Opera to me, personally. Here's what it feels like to experience opera, up close, and in your soul.' The last chapter, 'The Ecstasy and Agony of Song' would also make a good alternative title. If you want to know what opera 'feels' like, read this book. It's my favorite, with the possible exception of Father Owen Lee's writings, even though the author makes fun of one of my favorite singers for baring his chest on stage.

If you are looking for a thoughtful, immensely readable alternative to 'A Dummy's Guide to Opera', read 'A Song of Love and Death'. It's the closest you'll ever get to 'reading' the liebestod.

Rating:
Summary: Best of its kind!
Review: This is absolutely the best book about opera that I've ever read, and one of the best books (about ANYTHING) that I've ever read. . .EVER! Conrad really knows how to describe the psychological and emotional chords that opera strikes in its most ardent fans, and he made clear to me why I am an "opera addict" (i.e., why this unique, wonderful, and yet preposterous art form has meant so much to me for so many years).