Italian Opera (National Traditions of Opera)

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About Italian Opera

Product Description Italy was the birthplace of opera. In this authoritative and accessible account of Italian opera, David Kimbell introduces those who, over three hundred years, created not only a national tradition but the central tradition from which others have drawn their inspiration. He traces the history of Italian opera from its origins in the humanism of the Renaissance to Puccini in the early twentieth century, drawing attention not only to musical issues but also to the social, literary, and philosophical ideas that have shaped modern Italian civilization. Review "...Kimbell excels at shedding a sympathetic light on the repertory, especially in its earlier, less familiar stages, by examining works through the aesthetic viewpoint of each particular era." Notes "David Kimbell has wrestled his enormous topic coolly and efficiently to the mat and comes away with a fairly honorable victory." Opera News "David Kimbell's gift in keeping the thread of change in view while discussing the particular gift of composers Monteverdi, Cesti and Pergolesi, and the powerful influence of the poet Pietro Metastasio, enlivens the chapters on opera's early buoyancy. Also, Kimbell's essays on Cimarosa, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini and Verdi give reasons for these composers' dominance." Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer Book Description David Kimbell traces the history of Italian opera from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century.