Opera's Second Death is a passionate exploration of opera - the genre, its masterpieces, and the nature of death. Using a dazzling array of tools, Slavoj Zizek and coauthor Mladen Dolar explore the strange compulsions that overpower characters in Mozart and Wagner, as well as our own desires to die and to go to the opera.

Capture the excitement of a night at the opera with this stunning collection of eight favorite opera stories, each illustrated by a different artist.The Magic FluteAidaCarmenThe Cunning Little VixenTurandotCinderellaHansel & GretelThe Love for Three Oranges

"A Second Book of Operas" is a literary work authored by Henry Edward Krehbiel, a respected American music critic and historian. The book under consideration constitutes a significant scholarly contribution to the domain of music criticism and analysis, as it offers readers a comprehensive examination of diverse operas and their respective composers. Krehbiel's profound knowledge and mastery of music becomes apparent as he skillfully guides readers through a compelling exploration of the realm of opera. Within this particular volume, the author presents comprehensive analyses of many operas, so providing insights into their historical backdrop, librettos, and musical arrangements. The author's analytical methodology enables readers to acquire a more profound comprehension of the artistic processes underlying these renowned musical and dramatic compositions. In the book "A Second Book of Operas," Krehbiel effectively conveys his fervent enthusiasm for and extensive expertise in the realm of opera, so rendering it comprehensible to a wide-ranging audience. The author's perceptive evaluations and vivid portrayals serve to both instruct and captivate, rendering the book an indispensable reference for aficionados of opera and scholars of music alike. Krehbiel's body of work serves as evidence of his dedication to fostering a heightened recognition and admiration for opera as a medium of artistic expression.

Arranged chronologically with an index of operas and a separate index of composers, librettists and literary sources.

Just twenty-six when the electrifying premiere of his Cavalleria Rusticana at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome catapulted the impoverished musician into sudden fame and fortune, Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945) went on to write fifteen more operas, including L'Amico Fritz, Guglielmo Ratcliff, Iris, Parisina, and Il Piccolo Marat. With privileged access to extensive primary sources, including Mascagni's 4,200 letters to Anna Lolli, his mistress for more than three decades, author Alan Mallach provides a compelling portrait of a flamboyant, combative, and emotional man who was passionately devoted to the Italian opera tradition and committed to innovation in musical language and dramatic form. Deftly combining serious biography with critical commentary, Mallach begins with the captivating story of Mascagni's rags-to-riches adventure, from his birth in Livorno in Tuscany, to his musical studies first with Alfredo Soffredini and later at the Milan Conservatory, to his years as a vagabond musician, to the worldwide success of his breakthrough opera. He then traces Mascagni's private and professional life after Cavalleria, examining a prolific yet controversial career that was forever overshadowed by the work that unexpectedly thrust him into the limelight. Mallach provides a full analysis of Mascagni's oeuvre and discusses his complex relationships with such Italian cultural and political figures as Edoardo Sonzogno, Giacomo Puccini, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Luigi Illica, and Benito Mussolini. He also thoroughly chronicles Mascagni's bouts with manic depression, his marriage to Lina and devotion to their three children, his grueling schedule of concert and operatic tours, his patriotism and bitter opposition to Italy's involvement in both world wars, and his passionate love affair with Anna Lolli. This richly textured biography will appeal to fans of the still beloved and popular Cavalleria, and it will introduce opera enthusiasts to the power, intensity, and melodic beauty of the brilliant composer's many other significant works.

'A Second Book of Operas' by Henry Edward Krehbiel is a collection of essays on various operas, including biblical and historical stories retold in operatic form. The book covers composers such as Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, and Verdi, as well as lesser-known works by Rubinstein and Mehul. Krehbiel explores the stories, music, and cultural significance of these operas, including the controversies and scandals surrounding their production. The book also includes an analysis of the works of Mascagni, Puccini, Strauss, Humperdinck, and Giordano, among others, providing a comprehensive overview of opera in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.