Opera A to Z - Liddy Lindsay

Synopsis:

Opera A to Z: A Beginner’s Guide to Opera is an overview of the most famous operas and opera characters of all time; one for each letter of the alphabet. The book was written with children ages eight to twelve in mind, but it is sure to delight young and old alike with its engaging summaries of twenty-six renowned operas. The book is based on a 27 x 40 watercolor that took author and illustrator Liddy Lindsay two years to complete and has become a bestseller as notecards and Giclée prints at The Met Opera Shop in New York.

Type: Ebook

Pg: 60 Pages

Genre: Non-Fic (Encyclopedia)

ISBN 0985424834

Published March 1st 2013 by Pinwheel Books

Received copy through NetGalley

This short, but super sweet, collection of information on opera blew me away. As a child, I was the only person in my family remotely interested in singing, let alone singing in a different language. At 17 I began my first voice lessons in opera and now at 23 I'm proud to say I can sing in six different languages and can Habanera with the best of them (the HARDEST song I ever had to learn, not a fan of French)

This is what I needed as a kid. Yes, I know encyclopedias seem played out now that we have google and wikipedia but this small compilation is perfect for anyone willing to really learn about opera. Not only does it have vivid and beautiful paintings inside, it also gives a glimpse at major composers and detailed definitions of what constitutes an opera. 

The only thing that I really think would add to this (strictly as an opera singer) is the type of voices that originally sang the parts the way that the composers intended. Even if it's just two characters one being Coloratura and the other being a baritone. I've always found the voice type really adds dimensions to the characters and it would give me something to hear as I'm reading  it. 

But the intention of Opera A to Z is a beginners guide. Again, I wish that my parents had had the forethought to get me something similar as a child instead of looking at me like I was a strange alien whenver I wandered around singing Addio Del Passato but what can you do. 

This really is the book to get if you have any interest in opera or your curious about some of the greatest plots ever  performed on stage. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.