(Amadeus). This superbly detailed biography examines the life of Jules Massenet (1842-1912), who was at the heart of Parisian musical life during a period of extraordinary artistic vitality.

Burton D. Fisher's extremely popular Mini Guides feature Principal Characters in the Opera, Brief Story Synopsis, Story Narrative with Music Highlight Examples, and an insightful and in depth Commentary and Analysis of the opera.

This is the first book-length study of the rich operatic repertory written and performed in France during the last two decades of the nineteenth century. Steven Huebner gives an accessible and colorful account of such operatic favorites as Manon and Werther by Massenet, Louise by Charpentier, and lesser-known gems such as Chabrier's Le Roi malgré lui and Chausson's Le Roi Arthus.

Encompassing more than five hundred classical composers past and present, this listener's guide to classical music discusses the best recordings of symphonies, operas, choral pieces, chamber music, and more by the world's leading composers as performed by a variety of outstanding musicians and conductors, and includes essays on the classical repertory, composers, instruments, and more. Original.

Sketches of classical composers and CD reviews.