Rating: 
Summary: I'll Never Look At Opera The Same Way Again
Review: I feel compelled to give a standing ovation to the Authors of this book. I'll admit it, I'm an opera lover and live for the purity of moment when a human voice, a dynamic orchestra, and a fantastic stage setting all come together in a powerful moment and literally raise every hair across my body. That thrill is rapturous and intoxicating.When I first picked up the book, even I was skeptical about how interesting this book could be. However, from the opening page the humor in it had me laughing while giving me a greater insight into the opera world. You'll get an education in the components of opera, styles of opera, composers and their contributions, opera etiquette and some just plain fascinating stories about the lives of people who advanced this art form. If the Authors could give High School students across the country some of the toungue in cheek insight into opera this book is filled with, we would see a dramatic increase in the opera crowd and gain new converts in the process. Opera seems to be on the rise thanks in part to a book like this, Broadway Musicals and movies such as Moulin Rouge that allow people to take baby steps towards the ulitmate, bonafide, time honored Classics. Way to go David Pogue & Scott Speck, you definately deserve a Bravi! (Note to readers, see page 134 under variations of Bravo)
Rating:
Summary: I'll Never Look At Opera The Same Way Again
Review: I feel compelled to give a standing ovation to the Authors of this book. I'll admit it, I'm an opera lover and live for the purity of moment when a human voice, a dynamic orchestra, and a fantastic stage setting all come together in a powerful moment and literally raise every hair across my body. That thrill is rapturous and intoxicating. When I first picked up the book, even I was skeptical about how interesting this book could be. However, from the opening page the humor in it had me laughing while giving me a greater insight into the opera world. You'll get an education in the components of opera, styles of opera, composers and their contributions, opera etiquette and some just plain fascinating stories about the lives of people who advanced this art form. If the Authors could give High School students across the country some of the toungue in cheek insight into opera this book is filled with, we would see a dramatic increase in the opera crowd and gain new converts in the process. Opera seems to be on the rise thanks in part to a book like this, Broadway Musicals and movies such as Moulin Rouge that allow people to take baby steps towards the ulitmate, bonafide, time honored Classics. Way to go David Pogue & Scott Speck, you definately deserve a Bravi! (Note to readers, see page 134 under variations of Bravo)
Rating: 
Summary: Great for kids
Review: I had the pleasure of hearing the audiobook. My sons (ages 18 and 11) and I frequently take long car trips, so audiobooks are essential. My 11 year old usually falls asleep in the middle of the first tape of any audiobook (except Stephen King), but Opera For Dummies kept his attention throughout. I don't know how the book would fare, but the audiobook was funny, informative, and the perfect length to whet any music-lover's appetite.
Rating:
Summary: I still smile when I think of this book.
Review: I listened to this book on tape and I still smile when I think about it. The book was so funny, so irreverent, and so informative. It was an absolute pleasure. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who wants to demystify opera!
Rating:
Summary: Read this one, irrespect to your relation to opera - Fun!
Review: I wasn't expecting to be entertained when I picked up Opera for Dummies, but the book is like having a personal stand-up comedian (and one who is well informed in all things operatic) around your house to tell you stories about opera and systematically building up your knowledge in it. But make no mistake, this is not "merely" a funny book, it is a well researched miniature course on opera. If schoolteachers and professors taught the way the authors of this book do, I'd been a Nobel laureate years ago as opposed to not yet... Imagine attending an opera class taught by Victor Borge or Eddie Izzard , and you'll get my drift. With a sound music background the authors can make generalizations of opera phenomena, getting beginner going; e.g. telling what kind of "voices" usually play what kinds of characters, etc. Even if you will never go to opera, reading this book is worth your time (and I am not related to the authors). I am writing these lines at 1:55 a.m. while suffering from stomach influenza and fever, and although I feel like I'd eaten acouple of kilos of soap, shampoo and baking powder, I don't mind being awake as this book keeps me company. P.S. A minor minus, but not one concerning the book itself: The enclosed CD tried to install Quicktime without informing me whether it would be replacing my newer version with an older one or vice versa. When I tried to cancel the installation (leaving my version of Qt intact and skipping the installation of the version on the CD was not an option) my Win98 halted like a donkey, and only got going after two power-ups and some automatic file recovering. I might just stick to listening to the CD with my CD player while browsing the book. (No big deal, really.) By the way, during my life I have seen one opera, Don Pasquale. I considered it higly (and hopefully unimitably) boring. This stomach thing is much more fun than that opera was. (Feh!) Maybe one day I will go to see some other opera; now that I know which ones I might hate the least. A flu patient from Finland.
Rating:
Summary: Not just for the tuxedo set!
Review: If you're one of those people who thinks opera is strictly for men in tuxedo's and women in pearls, this book will change your mind and have you enjoying this art form. The book takes you through the basics of the voices and the players, gives you plots of the 75 most commonly performed operas, explains how to watch an opera live and gives you a sample of some of the music on the included CD. The book also traces the history of opera from the ancient Greeks to the present. Think of this book as a map for a journey that you can follow for life and never need to turnback from.
Rating: 
Summary: The funniest, anti-snobbiest intro to opera
Review: Let's face it: Opera's weird. Everybody's singing all the time. Even when they're singing in your language, you still can't understand the words. Women play men, men play women, and 45-year-olds play teenagers. By golly, it's the greatest entertainment on earth. This hilarious, irreverent book will unlock your capacity to experience the indescribable, profound, cathartic joy of opera. Includes the stories of the 75 most popular operas...the tales of their wacko composers...how to attend a live opera...which ones are good to see on video...and much more. "Brilliantly well written, often amazingly thorough in both elementary and sophisticated ways, witty and knowledgeable...Maybe it isn't just the ["for Dummies"] title that sold those 30 million books. Maybe it's also because they're good." --The Sacramento (CA) Bee
Rating:
Summary: Takes the pretentiousness out of Opera!
Review: My mother is a singer, and I fought against Opera, Classical Music, etc. through my childhood and teen years. I never took the time to understand it. As an Audiobook addict, I picked this up and absolutely loved it. The authors are quite funny and teach you to think of Opera as entertainment. It goes through Opera's history, how it is perceived in other lands, do's and dont's of opera, and helps you understand how to get the most out of it. It really makes you want to see one! In fact, I ran to the library and checked out Don Giovanni! This audio book gives you the tools to begin exploring Opera for your own benefit...and will be a big plus in case you are ever a Millionaire or Jeopardy contestant!
Rating:
Summary: Takes the pretentiousness out of Opera!
Review: My mother is a singer, and I fought against Opera, Classical Music, etc. through my childhood and teen years. I never took the time to understand it. As an Audiobook addict, I picked this up and absolutely loved it. The authors are quite funny and teach you to think of Opera as entertainment. It goes through Opera's history, how it is perceived in other lands, do's and dont's of opera, and helps you understand how to get the most out of it. It really makes you want to see one! In fact, I ran to the library and checked out Don Giovanni! This audio book gives you the tools to begin exploring Opera for your own benefit...and will be a big plus in case you are ever a Millionaire or Jeopardy contestant!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Intro To Opera For Those With Open Ears
Review: Open your heart and open your ears. In today's society, when it comes to youth and music, opera is seldom mentioned. Nevertheless, there is still a great number of young opera lovers, thanks to the efforts of great opera singers who are younger- such as Renee Fleming and Samuel Ramey (a baritone who has the MTV touch). Opera is a very old, noble and artistic theatrical musical drama. This Intro is a fascinating inside look at opera singers and the plots of many operas, including the bigger, brand name operas- Tosca, Aida, La Traviata, La Boheme. I don't necessarily think that this is the Bible for opera beginners, there are many other sources for which one can appreciate opera, such as films and books on tape. But this is a very good introduction, with witty dialogue and with a keen connosseurship of the art form. Among the list of tenors that are highly regarded, and mentioned in this book, are Placido Domingo, Jon Vickers and Nicolai Gedda (all great tenors), and sopranos Beverly Sills, Joan Sutherland, Renee Fleming, and mezzo sopranos Cecilia Bartoli and Grace Bumbry. I don't believe they even mentioned Maria Callas, who was a turning point bot in opera recordings and performance. Nevertheless, a very interesting book.
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