The History of Opera for Beginners

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Opera For Beginners is a humorous, irreverent little book that starts with the radical assumption that Opera is just plain ol' music. Not snob music. Not uppity music. Gettin' down music! Italian Rock'n'roll, R&B, Gospel, let-it-all-hang-out music. "If you must know the truth", David writes, "in Detroit where I grew up, there weren't a lot of Opera houses. I was brought up on Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Elvis the Pelvis, the Drifters, Platters, Ella, Sinatra, Miles, Coltrane, Mahalia, Beatles, Stones, Aretha ... in other words ... Real music! Which is why I'm the perfect person to introduce you to Opera". The book builds from the similarity between specific Opera singers and "normal" singers (e.g., Maria Callas/Billie Holiday, Caruso/Mahalia Jackson, Benjamino Gigli/Smokey Robinson), points out the essentially Operatic styles of many pop singers, and the profound similarity between Opera and Gospel singing. (It's no accident that African-American sopranos are singing in Opera houses all over the world!). Opera For Beginners explains the differences between Italian and German Opera - it's more than just the language - and why you don't have to understand Italian, German, French or Rap to enjoy Opera. David's enthusiasm and wit are sure to entice many Opera-haters to give Opera a chance. And Paul Gordon's spot-on cartoons illustrate the text, carry on dialogues with it, wisecrack it, create stories alongside it, sprinkle it lavishly with motifs...enough!