Leslie Dunton-Downer

The ultimate visual guide to every Shakespeare play The Essential Shakespeare Handbook unravels the history, themes and language of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. Romance, comedy and tragedy, Shakespeare's canon has it all. With act-by-act plot summaries and resumes of main characters, the Essential Shakespeare Handbook will allow you to enjoy the Bard with new confidence. See the plays and sonnets in context with a portrait of the Bard's life and the world of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre. Enrich your experience of the Bard's work on the page, stage, and screen with an in-depth look at Shakespearean language and Shakespeare's influence across the globe. Whether you want a quick overview of Hamlet before a trip to the theatre or help with a Shakespeare essay, the popular Essential Shakespeare Handbook now with a new jacket is the book for you.

Experience the passion and drama of the world's greatest operas with this sumptuously illustrated visual guide. Immerse yourself in more than 400 years of the world's most celebrated operas and discover the fascinating stories behind them. Explore the lives of singers such as Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Jonas Kaufmann. Meet composers like Mozart, Wagner, and Britten, and the librettists with whom they collaborated to create the magical blend of words and music that make up opera. From its origins in the 17th-century courts of Italy to live screenings in public spaces today, Opera: The Definitive Illustrated Story follows the history of opera from Monteverdi's L'Orfeo in 1607, to Cosi fan Tutte, La Boheme, and modern operas such as Brokeback Mountain. It explains musical terminology, traces historical developments, and sets everything in cultural context. This awe-inspiring opera book further features: -Includes all of the most important operas from the Renaissance to the 21st century -Profiles the key composers, librettists, performers, and companies, with details of their lives, works, and influence -Arranged in chronological order to show the evolution of the genre -Clear, informative explanation of musical terminology and different types of opera Filled with photographs of all the key figures and performances, this book revels in the sets and costumes that make up the grand spectacle of opera. It also explores the great opera houses of the world, such as La Scala, Milan, the Met in New York, and the Sydney Opera House. Opera: The Definitive Illustrated Story is the essential book for anyone who wants to understand and enjoy the constantly evolving world of this beloved art form. Did you know that there are more than 25,000 opera performances per year worldwide? Opera: The Definitive Illustrated Story can be regarded as the most lavishly illustrated history of opera currently available, covering all of the most important operas from the Renaissance to the 21st century, and is completely global in scope. A must-have volume for opera buffs, whether as a gift or self-purchase, if you're a music lover looking for an accessible introduction to opera, then this is the book for you!