The Da Capo Opera Manual

By Nicholas Ivor Martin

This manual is designed to be a single source for answering questions which may occur in bringing the production of an opera to the stage; questions such as How many clarinets are in the orchestra?,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306808072
• ISBN13: 9780306808074
• Release Date: August 1997
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 676 Pages
• Weight: 2.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

I suspect that an editor is responsible for an error .

The error cited above by "Coloratura" from San Francisco reminded me of a similar problem I encountered years ago. Reviewing a recital by Renata Scotto for the Washington Post, I mentioned that she had sung "O mio babbino caro." Obviously, an editor thought I had misspelled "bambino" and made a "correction." So instead of being addressed to her beloved daddy, the aria--in this review as in Martin's book--was addressed to her beloved baby. Martin's book is unique in its thoroughness and its totally professional, no-nonsense approach to opera, a book by a man on the production end of the art; a book of special interest and value to those involved in making opera happen. It should not be allowed to stay out of print.

Very good resource!

As a classical voice student, this is the only book I look to when my teacher mentions a work that I'm unfamiliar with. I have found only one error, and that is in Puccini's Gianni Schicci, Mr. Martin calls Lauretta's aria "O Mio Bambino Caro". The title should be "O Mio Babbino Caro". Call me picky, but there's a big difference in translation.

Wonderful Resource, Good Read

Nicholas Martin's Da Cappo Opera manual is a rare book. It is both a great reference work AND a great read. Mr. Martin has managed to capture much of the humor present in each of the works, and also has several unique features, including a section on hazards which help the mind visualize the opera when listening to a recording or a broadcast. One great bit of fun is to read off hazards at random and then have your friends identify the opera. (For example... Natives fire arrows, stones and darts at title character. The answer is Roger Session's Montezuma) A great book.