With Culture in Action the arts are brought to life! The varied titles in the Culture in Action series build up into a comprehensive library from which readers can choose their favourite arts topics. Each book contains activities with easy-to-follow instructions.
Editorial Review
Karen Henson lovingly summons the voices of four singers of the fin de siecle, chronicling the moment when the opera star was no longer defined by beautiful singing alone. Spiraling out from Paris to aesthetics and performance practice in both Verdi and Wagner, Henson uncovers the roots of our current obsession with dramatic intensity, cinematic realism, and photogenic celebrity on the operatic stage.' Mary Ann Smart, University of California, Berkeley 'Karen Henson upsets conventional wisdom to argue for the continuing influence of singers on operatic creation in the late nineteenth century. Weaving together journalism, photography, theater, and fashion, she shows that the physicality of performers as much as their voices shaped works by Verdi, Bizet, Massenet, and Wagner. This is a virtuosic account of opera's rich cultural fabric - beautifully written, always engaging.' Steven Huebner, McGill University, Montreal "Karen Henson lovingly summons the voices of four singers of the fin de siecle, chronicling the moment when the opera star was no longer defined by beautiful singing alone. Spiraling out from Paris to aesthetics and performance practice in both Verdi and Wagner, Henson uncovers the roots of our current obsession with dramatic intensity, cinematic realism, and photogenic celebrity on the operatic stage.", Mary Ann Smart, University of California, Berkeley "Karen Henson upsets conventional wisdom to argue for the continuing influence of singers on operatic creation in the late nineteenth century. Weaving together journalism, photography, theater, and fashion, she shows that the physicality of performers as much as their voices shaped works by Verdi, Bizet, Massenet, and Wagner. This is a virtuosic account of opera's rich cultural fabric - beautifully written, always engaging.", Steven Huebner, McGill University
About the Author
Mary Colson is a teacher and a writer. She is fascinated by the world and the cultures of different countries, with their unique myths and legends.