Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-160) and index
Remaking the song -- Of Andalusian maidens and recognition scenes : crossed wires in Il trovatore and La traviata -- Ersatz ditties : Adriana Ferrarese's Susanna -- In search of Verdi -- Berio's Turandot : once more the great tradition -- Sudden charms : the progress of an aria
Spanning almost the entire history of opera, this book re-examines attitudes toward some of our best-loved musical works, and asks a question: what exactly is opera? It considers the works by Handel, Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, and Berio, aiming to challenge what many regard as sacroscant: the opera's musical text
