Orfeo: Opera Explained
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Orfeo: Opera Explained
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Narrated by:
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David Timson
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By:
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Thomson Smillie
About this listen
Monteverdi’s Orfeo, first performed in 1607, generates a special excitement because it is the first unquestioned masterpiece of opera. Notable for its precise orchestration and powerful drama it was a groundbreaking work. It concerns the legend of Orpheus, the demigod whose music had the power to conquer the forces of Hell and to bring his wife back, briefly, to life. The extracts used in this introduction are from Naxos’ full recording; it uses authentic period instruments, which serve to evoke the early Baroque period of the opera’s composition.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2008 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2008 Naxos AudioBooksListeners also enjoyed...
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Not the audio that it promised.
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The Flying Dutchman
- Opera Explained
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- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 17
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The Flying Dutchman is the perfect opera with which to approach the operatic mountain that is Richard Wagner. It is short, has a great story (the legend of the Dutch captain doomed to sail forever unless redeemed through love), and the striking score has many pre-echoes of Wagner's later great music dramas. It contains wonderful tunes in its arias, ensembles, and big choruses, and the orchestral writing - from the gale that blows out of the Overture to the final theme of "Redemption through Love" - will "blow you away".
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4 out of 5 stars
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An introduction to Wagner
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- Original Recording
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
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Story4 out of 5 stars 6
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The Barber of Seville
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 28
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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5 out of 5 stars
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Superb Synopsis
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Verdi: Rigoletto
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 16
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Rigoletto is simply wonderful entertainment with superb music. It is also much more - a daring (for its time) attack on aristocratic privilege, a tender love story, and an impassioned appeal on behalf of the disadvantaged, all set to music of such wealth and beauty that, with its sister operas La traviata and Il trovatore, it has defined Italian opera for 150 years. Overcoming initial trouble with the censors, Verdi's Rigoletto was a smash hit at its premiere and has not been out of the repertoire since. It’s not hard to see why.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun intro (or recap) of the opera
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Mozart: Così Fan Tutte
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Così Fan Tutte contains some of Mozart’s most sublime music. On one level, the opera is purely a social anecdote about young people falling in and out of love; but Mozart was a supreme sensualist and a great humanist, and invested the tale with all his understanding of humanity and young love. In this title, David Timson refutes the charge that Mozart squandered his genius on a work full of trivial nonsense and proves this "miraculous yet problematic" opera to be a great work of theatre. To listen to this thought-provoking examination of the characters and the music is both thoroughly enriching and great fun.
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5 out of 5 stars
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especially fun before a performance
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
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Tosca is Puccini at the peak of his theatrical power. The story of the jealous, impassioned opera singer Floria Tosca and her doomed love for the painter Mario Cavaradossi is played out against backgrounds both historically and geographically overwhelming. It is set in three great and historical locations of Rome during the Napoleonic era. Spectacle, sensuality, and cruelty battle for our attention in one of the most truly "action-packed" works of theatre. Enticing us with just a couple of the "great tunes" from this deeply affecting opera, David Timson then begins setting the biographical and operatic scene.
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5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
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Excellent performance of Hansberry play
- By Betsy Fowler on 11-30-24
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Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 126
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 114
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 114
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Almost Hilarious If Not Sad
- By Anonymous User on 10-30-24
By: David Hare, and others
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Shelved
- By: Emrys Maxwell, Tom Maxwell
- Narrated by: Emrys Maxwell, Tom Maxwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 5
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
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Story5 out of 5 stars 4
SHELVED explores the history and drama behind albums that were deemed too controversial, too far from the beaten path, or too ahead of their time for public consumption. Through interviews with musicians, producers, record executives, and journalists, as well as archival audio, key music and personal storytelling, each episode examines the “shelved” album’s place in musical history, and the spectacles behind each missed or nearly missed release.
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5 out of 5 stars
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For Real Music Lovers & Music Heads
- By Kait Walsh on 12-11-24
By: Emrys Maxwell, and others
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Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 833
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 699
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Story4 out of 5 stars 702
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
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5 out of 5 stars
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My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
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Farewell Yellow Brick Road
- Memories of My Life on Tour
- By: Elton John, David Furnish - foreword
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Elton is Still Standing...better than ever!
- By Richard Lopez on 11-06-24
By: Elton John, and others
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Alex Newell and the Gospel of a Diva
- By: Alex Newell
- Narrated by: Alex Newell
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 13
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 12
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Story5 out of 5 stars 12
From a breakout role in the smash-hit Glee to breaking barriers as the first nonbinary-identifying Tony Award winner for their featured performance in Shucked, Alex Newell is no stranger to the spotlight. Now, listen to the talented trailblazer as you’ve never seen them before in their intimate new show, Alex Newell and the Gospel of a Diva. Alex shares untold stories from their remarkable life and career alongside a selection of their favorite tunes.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An Entertainer's Entertainer
- By Phoebe Stratton on 12-13-24
By: Alex Newell
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The Godfather: A Film We Can't Refuse
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Rebecca Keegan
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 256
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 233
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 233
With exclusive insights from the legendary cast, including Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire, and commentary from a diverse array of film experts and ardent aficionados, we dissect the film’s magnetic allure and its pervasive influence across our culture. Journey alongside Rebecca Keegan, acclaimed senior film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, as she explores the heart of this cinematic masterpiece through a new lens.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Deep dive into The Godfather
- By C.F. on 08-28-24
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Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,075
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,846
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,842
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes