2015-2016 Opera Season Recommended Listening and Reading List A collaboration of Pittsburgh Opera and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Music Department, with special thanks to Rebekah Hill and Julie Hanify. Please note that there are other books, videos, DVDs, and CDs beyond this list available at the Carnegie Library and for purchase at your favorite store. Call numbers indicate holdings of the Music Department, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, unless otherwise indicated. (For more information about borrowing materials, call Music, Film, and Audio, 412-622-3105, or visit the website at http://www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/music/ ) The Music Department at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh offers an extensive collection of materials pertaining to opera, from composer biographies, studies of operas, and histories of opera, to opera libretti, opera scores, and performances on CD, VHS, and DVD. The items listed below constitute a small selection to whet your appetite as you look forward to the live performance. Enjoy! Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, 1813–1901 CD / DVD CD Nabucco , Deutsche Grammophon, 1983. Cappuccilli, Dimitrova, Nesterenko, Domingo, Terrani; Sinopoli, Chorus and Orchestra of Deutschen Oper Berlin COMPACT DISC Op Ver 39834 CD Nabucco , EMI, 1986 (1978). Manuguerra, Scotto, Ghiaurov, Luchetti, Obraztsova; Muti, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra COMPACT DISC Op Ver 14519 Pittsburgh Opera Recommended Listening and Reading List 2015-2016 1 Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, 1813–1901 CD Nabucco , Decca, 2011 (1965). Gobbi, Souliotis, Cava, Prevedi, Caral; Gardelli, Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Opera Orchestra COMPACT DISC Op Ver 42553 DVD Nabucco , Deutsche Grammophon, 2005 (2001). Pons, Guleghina, Ramey, Jones, White; Levine, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus (DVD) M1500. V48 N3 2005x DVD Nabucco , Kultur, 2003 (1987). Bruson, Dimitrova, Burchuladze, Beccaria, Pierotti; Muti, Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala (DVD) M1500. V48 N3 2003x DVD Nabucco , CMajor, 2012 (2009). Nucci, Theodossiou, Zanellato, Riberio, Chiuri; Mariotti, Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro regio di Parma (DVD) M1500. V48 N3 2012x Libretto The Complete Verdi Libretti: In Four Volumes with International Phonetic Alphabet Transcriptions, Word for Word Translations, Including a Guide to the I.P.A. and Notes on the Italian Transcriptions , by Nico Castel; Libretto by Temistocle Solera qML49.V45 C372 1994 vol. 3 For further reading Verdi with a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera by William Berger . New York: Vintage Books, 2000. Berger explores Verdi’s operas in chronological order and also provides biographical information on the composer and his view of the art of Italian opera from the baroque era to the present. His chapter about Nabucco includes commentary (interspersed throughout a synopsis of the opera) that describes musical motifs and elements of staging. The final section of Berger’s book gives the author’s recommendations of recordings, films, and other books about Verdi. ML410.V4 B29 2000 Verdi , 3rd edition by Julian Budden. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. In addition to his invaluable 3-volume set about Verdi’s operas, Budden’s biography of the composer is a wonderful resource. Budden offers a complete sketch of Verdi’s public and private life. The chapter, “From Oberto to Ernani,” discusses the musical details of Nabucco . Budden argues that the ensembles featuring main characters and the music of the chorus (including the famous “Va, pensiero”) are the elements that make this opera great. ML410.V4 B9 2008 Pittsburgh Opera Recommended Listening and Reading List 2015-2016 2 Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, 1813–1901 Verdi: A Biography by Mary Jane Phillips-Matz. Oxford, England; New York: University Press, Press, 1993. Written with the full collaboration of the Verdi family, this biography explores the rich life of Verdi the composer, Italian nationalist, and intensely passionate friend/husband/farmer. ML410.V4 P43 1993. Experiencing Verdi: A Listener's Companion by Donald C. Sanders. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2014. Sanders writes his book with the opera lover and novice in mind. He provides a survey of 12 of Verdi’s operas, including Nabucco . His combination of biographical material, a synopsis of the opera, and simple music analysis is an easy format to read. Sanders also provides a glossary of music terms used in his musical analyses and a suggested listening list. A perfect book to read before you go to see the opera at the theater! ML410.V4 S34 2014 Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756-1791 CD & DVD Are these items checked out? Not to worry, the Main Library in Oakland owns 3 other CD versions and 4 additional visual presentations of the opera! CD Così fan tutte , Harmonia Mundi France, 1999 (1998). Gens, Fink, Oddone, Güra, Boone, Spagnoli; Jacobs, Kölner Kammerchor, Concerto Köln COMPACT DISC Op Moz 24216 CD Così fan tutte , London, 1996 (1994). Fleming, von Otter, Scarabelli, Lopardo, Bär, Pertusi; Solti, London Voices, Chamber Orchestra of Europe COMPACT DISC Op Moz 15101 DVD Così fan tutte , Decca, 2005 (1990). Larson, Felty, Kuzma, Kelley, Maddalena, Sylvan; Smith, Arnold-Schönberg-Chor, Wiener Symphoniker (DVD) M1500.M84 C5 2005x DVD Così fan tutte , Opus Arte, 2004 (1989). Dessì, Ziegler, Scarabelli, Kundlak, Corbelli, Desderi; Muti, Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scala (DVD) M1500.M84 C5 2004x Pittsburgh Opera Recommended Listening and Reading List 2015-2016 3 Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756-1791 Libretto Seven Mozart Librettos: A Verse Translation by J.D. McClatchy (Libretto of Così fan tutte by Lorenzo Da Ponte) New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2011. ML49.M83 O64 2011 For further reading Understanding the Women of Mozart's Operas by Kristi Brown-Montesano. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. Brown-Montesano’s work digs into the female characters of Mozart’s operas, the true emotional centers of his stage works. The last two chapters of her book explore Fiordiligi, Dorabella, and Despina: three women intertwined by a seduction plot. Brown-Montesano explores the music, libretto text, literary sources, and historical factors in her attempt to reveal the journey of these characters. ML410.M9 B8195 2007 Mozart and His Operas by David Cairns. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. Cairns’ unique biography traces Mozart’s life and creative output through his operas. Cairns discusses how Mozart matures as an artist with each opera and writes about how his strength as a composer of great theater influences his instrumental works as well, particularly his piano concertos and string quartets. The chapter that highlights Così fan tutte discusses how Mozart and his librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte, seem to be at odds with one another about the characters in the opera, especially the women. Though the work is a comedy, the opera leaves the audience with many loose ends, perhaps not even a truly happy ending. ML410.M9 C253 2006 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Biography by Piero Melograni. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Written during the 250th anniversary year of Mozart’s death, Melograni’s biography is a wonderful addition to the many volumes written about the composer. Instead of in-depth musical analyses, Melograni weaves texts of Mozart’s letters throughout his narrative to create a thoroughly enjoyable account of the artist’s life. This biography is a great read for the music lover or novice. ML410.M9 M4313 2007 Mozart's Così fan tutte: A Compositional History by Ian Woodfield. Rochester, NY: Boydell Press, 2008. Woodfield uses the autograph score to reveal how Mozart composed this opera and how the work evolved and changed before its premiere. Woodfield suggests an interesting hypothesis: Mozart considered not crossing the lovers’ pairings but rather to have each man seduce his own fiancée. This could possibly explain the opera’s ending as we know it—the original couples are reunited even though the seductions show new possibilities. ML410.M9 W755 2008 Pittsburgh Opera Recommended Listening and Reading List 2015-2016 4 Little Women by Mark Adamo, 1962-Present CD / DVD CD Little Women , Ondine, 2001 (2000). Novacek, DiDonato, Tappan, Lloyd, Shelton, Yuan; Summers, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra COMPACT DISC Op Ada 17129 DVD Little Women , Naxos, 2010 (2000). Novacek, DiDonato, Tappan, Lloyd, Shelton, Yuan; Summers, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra (DVD) M1500.A58 L58 2010x Libretto The CD recording of Little Women in our collection contains the libretto (by Mark Adamo) in the program notes. For further reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. New York, N.Y.: Penguin Books, 2007. FICTION Alcott [shelved in the First Floor Fiction section of the Main Library] Re-read the classic Victorian novel of the March girls: Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth. markadamo.com The official website of the composer includes a works list, biography, a press page (links to reviews and interviews with the composer in print and on camera), a page with links to his essays and other writings, and a page of his works currently in print (scores and recordings). Adamo’s writings include a complete course of Little Women that he created for Opera America’s distance learning program. hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_3/feature-article-mark-adamo-interview-8-2001.html The online audio/video journal featured an interview with Adamo a few days prior to the commercial release of the Little Women recording. He talks about his work as a composer, his private life, and the creative process behind his first “hit” opera. 27 by Ricky Ian Gordon, 1956–Present CD / DVD CD 27 , Albany Records, 2015 (2014). Blythe, Futral, Lebow, Greenhalgh, Brevik; Christie, St. Louis Symphony COMPACT DISC Op Gor 45257 Pittsburgh Opera Recommended Listening and Reading List 2015-2016 5 27 by Ricky Ian Gordon, 1956–Present DVD Currently, no commercial DVD release is available. Libretto The recording of 27 in our collection contains the libretto (by Royce Vavrek) in the program notes.