How to Appreciate Opera by Vivian Schweitzer Publisher: Beijing United Publishing Company

Introduction · · · · · ·
·An introduction to opera for the general public written by a senior opera critic from The New York Times

The New Yorker: "The Best Books We Read in 2021"

Entering the opera, you can listen to the joys and sorrows of life

Few art forms are as thought-provoking as opera. Beginning with Orfeo, generally considered the first successful opera, and moving through classics like Carmen and La Bohème to more recent works like Brokeback Mountain, musician and critic Vivian Schweitzer introduces readers to the many facets of opera.

From the birth of opera and its cultural connotations to representative composers and recommended repertoires, this book chronologically presents a history of opera spanning four hundred years. This will be an essential book for anyone who wants to understand and appreciate this evolving art form.