|
Education, Audiences & Community Services
|
Opera and Arts Education Resources
Recommended Reading
|
Recommended Listening
Recommended Web Sites
Research and Reports
|
Recommended Reading
Infant & Pre-K
- Weaver, Tess and Andrea Wesson. Opera Cat. Clarion Books, 2002.
- West, Jim and Marshall Izen. The Dog Who Sang Opera. Harry N. Abrams, 2004.
[back to top]
Grades K-3
- Auch, Mary Jane. The Bantam of the Opera. Holiday House, Inc., 1997.
- Clement, Gary. The Great Poochini. Groundwood Books, 1999.
- Elliott, Donald and Clinton Arrowood. Lambs' Tales From Great Operas. Harvard Common Press, 1991.
- Thee, Christian and Robert Levine. Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel: Your Own Backstage Tour in Look-Through and Pull-Up Panels. Workman Publishing Company, 1994.
[back to top]
Grades 4-8
- Bennett, Roy. Opera. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
- Ganeri, Anita and Nicola Barber. The Young Person's Guide to the Opera: With Music from the Great Operas on CD. Harcourt: London, England, 2001.
- Husain, Shahrukh. The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera. Barefoot Books, 1999.
- Neidorf, Mary and Daniel Stevens. Operantics with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Sunstone Press, 1999.
- Siberell, Anne. Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera: Behind the Scenes With Composers, Cast and Crew. Frederica von Stade (Introduction) Oxford University Press Children's Books, 2001.
- The Random House Book of Opera Stories (Random House Story Collections). Random House, 1998.
[back to top]
Grades 9-12
- Davis, Peter G., ed. The American Opera Singer. Anchor, 1999.
- Dobkin, Matt. Getting Opera: A Guide for the Cultured but Confused. Pocket, 2000.
- Plotkin, Fred. Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera. Hyperion, 1994.
- Sadie, Stanley, ed. The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera. Billboard Books, 2004.
[back to top]
General Reference
- Block, Geoffrey. Enchanted Evenings: The Broadway Musical From Show Boat to Sondheim. Oxford University Press, 1997.
A musicologist looks at the way music is used as a dramatic tool in some of Broadway's greatest 20th-century musicals.
- Bordman, Gerald. American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle. Oxford University Press, 1978.
Still the most comprehensive single volume history of the American stage musical, covering every Broadway musical from the 1800s onwards.
- Green, Stanley. Broadway Musicals Show By Show. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Books, 1985.
A show-by-show approach to the history of musical theater, with excellent photos and the essential statistics.
- Grout, Donald J. A Short History of Opera. Columbia University Press, 1965.
- Kirk, Elise K. American Opera. University of Illinois Press, 2001.
Kirk traces the history of operas by composers born in the United States and longtime U.S. residents. She takes a chronological approach to opera in the years 1730-2000, focusing on cultural contexts, historical development and production aspects, with basic musical analysis.
- Osborne, Charles. The Opera Lover's Companion. Yale University Press, 2004.
This engaging guide to the 175 most popular operas will enhance the experience of every opera lover. The book consists of entries that set each opera within the context of its composer's career, outline the plot, discuss the music and give relevant background information.
- Peattie, Antony, ed. The New Kobbe's Opera Book. Putnam Publishing Group, 1997.
This comprehensive opera resource contains information on composers, performers, and the rich history of opera, from its beginnings in the Baroque period to modern day.
- Plotkin, Fred. Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera. Hyperion, 1994.
Newcomers to opera receive a fine guide to learning about opera appreciation. Eleven famous operas are reviewed in a step-by-step listener's guide which covers the basics of learning about the opera's form, style and scene challenges.
- Scherer, Barrymore Laurence. Bravo! A Guide to Opera for the Perplexed. Plume, 1997.
Witty and informative, this introduction to opera is a fun, fast read.
- Simon, Henry W. 100 Great Operas and Their Stories. Anchor, 1989.
An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and aficionados, this volume contains act-by-act descriptions of operatic works ranging from the early 17th century masterworks of Monteverdi and Purcell to the modern classics of Menotti and Britten. Written in a lively anecdotal style, entries include character descriptions, historical background and much more.
- Wilmeth, Don B. and Tice L. Miller, editors. Cambridge Guide to American Theatre. Cambridge University Press, 1993.
A strong single volume reference on the American Theater.
[back to top]
Composers & Works
- Alpert, Hollis. The Life and Times of Porgy and Bess: The Story of an American Classic. Alfred A. Knopf, 1990.
An exhaustive and engrossing history of a masterpiece, with detailed coverage of all major productions up to 1990.
- Berger, William. Verdi with a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera. Vintage, 2000.
Written for a wide audience with little background on Verdi, this biography paints an exciting and eye-opening portrait of the interaction between Verdi and the political climate of his time.
- Gossett, Philip, et al. The New Grove Masters of Italian Opera: Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini. W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.
For those interested in learning more about the Italian operatic tradition throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Grove has published a single source that gives an overview of five major composers.
- McClary, Susan. Georges Bizet: Carmen (Cambridge Opera Handbooks). Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Part of the Cambridge Opera Handbooks series, this volume dedicated to Carmen is an ideal introduction to the opera with a synopsis, source information, historical and biographical background, musical examples and analysis.
- Osborne, Charles. The Complete Operas of Puccini: A Critical Guide. DaCapo Press, 1983.
This handy source provides information about all of Puccini' operas from the lesser known to the most frequently performed. This overview will help guide the first time listener and will fill in details of the Puccini canon for the opera buff.
- Osborne, Charles. The Complete Operas of Verdi. DaCapo Press, 1991.
This one-volume source contains a listing and background of all the operas — a good introduction to the Verdi canon for those curious to learn more.
- Senici, Emanuele, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Rossini. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
This collection of essays begins with an introduction to Rossini's life and the development of his musical style, then features information about all of his major operas, including a chapter devoted to The Barber of Seville.
- Solomon, Maynard. Mozart: A Life. Perennial, 1996.
This study plunges into the psychological complexities and co-dependencies of Mozart's family life, especially the inspiration and frustration caused by the composer's relationship with his father.
- Steptoe, Andrew. The Mozart-Da Ponte Operas: The Cultural and Musical Background to Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. Oxford University Press, 1991.
This volume considers all three of Mozart's collaborations with librettist Da Ponte and how they drew upon and forever changed the cultural and musical traditions of their time. Full of musical examples and analysis, this book will challenge and inform even those already familiar with the operas.
[back to top]
Recommended Listening
For Youth
- Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy — My Favorite Opera For Children. Decca, 1994.
A great compilation of famous arias, duets and choruses featuring world famous singers.
- The Classical Child at the Opera. Classical Child, 2002.
Well-known songs and arias have been selected that appeal to young sensibilities, while easy-to-follow English translations bring these delightful stories and characters to life.
- World's Very Best Opera for Kids ... in English. Children' Group, 2003.
Another great compilation of arias, duets and ensembles from well-known operas, selected to appeal to children.
- Mozart's Magic Fantasy: A Journey through The Magic Flute. Children's Group, 1995.
This CD takes a look at the classic Mozart opera, The Magic Flute, making it accessible for children.
- Who's Afraid of Opera? Kultur Video, 1990.
This package of videotapes, starring Dame Joan Sutherland, presents a series of opera highlights designed to entertain the entire family.
[back to top]
Opera Classics
- Aida by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, Fiorenza Cossotto and the New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Ricardo Muti. EMI Classics, 2001.
Featuring Maria Dragoni, Kristjan Johannsson, Barbara Dever, Mark Rucker and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, conducted by Rico Saccani. Naxos, 1995.
- The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore
Featuring Beverly Sills, Walter Cassel and the New York City Opera Orchestra, conducted by Emerson Buckley. Deutsche Grammophon, 1999.
- Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) by Gioacchino Rossini
Featuring Agnes Baltsa, Francisco Araiza, Thomas Allen and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields orchestra, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner. Decca, 2002.
Featuring Roberto Servile, Sonia Ganassi, Ramon Vargas, Angelo Romero and the Failoni Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Will Humburg. Naxos, 1994.
- La bohème by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Elizabeth Harwood and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Decca, 1990.
Featuring Stanislav Benacka, Carmen Gonzales, Ladislav Hallon, Richard Novak, Luba Orgonasova and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Will Humburg. Naxos, 1994.
- Candide by Leonard Bernstein
Original cast recording featuring Barbara Cook, Robert Rounseville and Irra Pettina. Sony, 2003.
- Carmen by Georges Bizet
Featuring José van Dam, Tatiana Troyanos, Plácido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1990.
Featuring Graciela Alperyn, Giorgio Lamberti, Ann Liebeck, Doina Palade, Danilo Rigosa, Dalia Schaechter, Alan Titus and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Rahbari Naxos, 1994.
- Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Renée Fleming, Anne-Sofie von Otter, Frank Lopardo, Michele Pertusi and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1996.
Featuring Joanna Borowska, Priti Coles, John Dickie, Andrea Martin and Capella Istropolitana, conducted by Johannes Wildner. Naxos, 1994.
- Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Renée Fleming, Bryn Terfel, Monica Groop, Herbert Lippert and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1997.
Featuring Salvatore Baccaloni, John Brownlee, David Franklin, Luise Helletsgruber and the Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Busch. Naxos, 2001.
- Faust by Charles Gounod
Featuring Plácido Domingo, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Ghiaurov and Orchestre de l'Opera de Paris, conducted by Georges Pretre. EMI Classics, 1990.
Featuring Roger Bourdin, Georges Nore, Roger Rico and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham. Naxos.
- Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss
Featuring Leontyne Price, Dame Joan Sutherland, Ettore Bastianini, Teresa Berganza and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Polygram Records, 1990.
Featuring John Dickie, Gabriele Fontana, Josef Hopferwieser, Brigitte Karwautz, Andrea Martin and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Johannes Wildner. Naxos, 1994.
- Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti
Featuring Beverly Sills, Carlos Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Schippers. Deutsche Grammophon, 2002.
- Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig and the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Decca, 1990.
Featuring Fredrika Brillemburg, Uwe Eikotter, Andreas Haller, Svetlana Katchour and the Bremen State Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gunter Neuhold. Naxos, 2002.
- Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Fritz Wunderlich, Evelyn Lear, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Roberta Peters, Franz Crass and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Bohm. Deutsche Grammophon, 1997.
Featuring Wilfried Gahmlich, Hellen Kwon, Lotte Leitner, Herbert Lippert and the Failoni Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Michael Halasz. Naxos, 1994.
- Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Kiri Te Kanawa, Lucia Popp, Frederica von Stade, Samuel Ramey and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1984.
Featuring Norman Allin , Luise Helletsgruber , Roy Henderson , Audrey Mildmay and the Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Busch. Naxos, 2002.
- Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin
Featuring Willard White, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. EMI Classics, 1997.
- Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Sherrill Milnes, Dame Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Bonynge. Decca, 1990.
Featuring Alzbeta Michalkova , Yordy Ramiro , Jozef Spacek , Eduard Tumagian and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Rahbari. Naxos, 1994.
- Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss
Featuring Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Christa Ludwig, Teresa Stich-Randall and The Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. EMI Classics, 2001.
Featuring Lotte Lehman, Maria Olszewska, Elisabeth Schumann, Richard Mayr and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Robert Heger. Naxos, 2002.
- Susannah by Carlisle Floyd
Featuring Cheryl Struder, Samuel Ramey, Jerry Hadley and the Orchestra de L'Opera de Lyon, conducted by Kent Nagano. Virgin Classics, 1994.
- The Tender Land by Aaron Copland
Featuring James Bohn, LeRoy Lehr and the Plymouth Music Series Orchestra, conducted by Philip Brunelle. Virgin Records, 1992.
- Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi and Orchestre e coro del Teatro alla Scala, conducted by Victor de Sabata. EMI Classics, 1997.
Featuring Nelly Miricioiu, Giorgio Lamberti, Silvano Carolli and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Rahbari. Naxos, 1994.
- La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Ileana Cotrubas, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes and the Munich Bavarian State Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Kleiber. Deutsche Grammophon, 1990.
Featuring Monika Krause, Yordy Ramiro, Georg Tichy and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Rahbari. Naxos, 1994.
- Il trovatore (The Troubador) by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Rolando Panerai and the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. EMI Classics, 2004.
Featuring Maurizio Frusoni, Daniela Longhi, Irina Tschistiakova and the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, conducted by Will Humburg. Naxos, 1996.
- Turandot by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Brigit Nilsson, Franco Correlli, Renata Scotto and the Rome Opera Theater Orchestra, conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli. EMI Classics, 1990.
Featuring Giovanna Casolla, Lando Bartolini, Masako Deguci and the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Rahbari. Naxos, 2003.
- Vanessa by Samuel Barber
Featuring Eleanor Steber, Rosalind Elias, Nicolai Gedda and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Dmitri Mitropoulos. RCA, 1990.
[back to top]
Recommended Web Sites
General Reference
- Americans for the Arts
This national organization focuses on building awareness for the arts and advocacy efforts.
- ARTSEDGE
Helps teachers and students share and gain access to information resources and ideas that support arts as a core subject area in the K-12 curriculum. Sponsored by the Kennedy Center .
- Arts and Learning Resources for State Leaders
This site is designed to help arts education leaders and practitioners locate resources relevant to their work. It offers links to a multitude of arts and education groups, to national grant guidelines and to the latest research reports in the field.
- Arts Education Partnership
The Arts Education Partnership is a private, nonprofit coalition of education, arts, business, philanthropic and government organizations that demonstrates and promotes the essential role of arts education in enabling all students to succeed in school, life and work.
- Arts Journal Online
An online record of recent articles about the arts from a variety of resources. Includes a section devoted to education.
- The Gateway
A Department of Education Web site with many resources, which connects visitors to over 140 other education sites.
- Keep Arts in Schools
An online community for arts education advocates, focusing on the efforts and successes of local organizations, communities, teachers and leading voices throughout the country who are all working to keep arts in schools.
- Learning About Opera: Hansel and Gretel
An online educational experience featuring the opera Hansel and Gretel, in which users can control interactive elements in every scene and watch the play unfold. The Web site also includes lesson plans, the opera's libretto and other activities.
- Lesson Plans Page
Music lesson plans for all grades and subject areas.
- Metropolitan Opera Broadcast Information Center
Visit this site to learn more about upcoming broadcasts, and to find in-depth information on featured operas.
- Minnesota Opera's Imagine Opera
Imagine Opera contains information about opera, its history and more. It is designed for young people to explore the beauty and power of opera.
- National Arts Centre's Arts Alive
A Canadian Web site for classical music, which includes PDFs for musical scavenger hunts, study guides about select composers and much more.
- National Association for Music Education
The Website of the national service organization for music educators contains information about networking, advocacy, research studies and study guides.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is a product of NCES.
- Opera Europa
Information on the opera field in Europe.
- Opera Mania
General information on opera in English and Spanish, including a selected discography.
- Opera Volunteers International
A nonprofit association of more than 100 opera guilds and other opera volunteer organizations, as well as opera volunteer coordinators who work for opera companies and hundreds of individual members.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)
P21 serves as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of U.S. K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders.
- PBS Teacher
Music lesson plans for all grade levels, some of which incorporate programs shown on PBS.
- Playmusic.org
This student-friendly Web site, developed by the League of American Orchestras, offers information about musical instruments, composing, games and fun activities for kids.
- Portland Opera
Portland Opera's education Web site which includes general information on opera and performance etiquette.
- San Diego Opera's Operapaedia
This online resource, developed by San Diego Opera, features lesson plans, information on operas featured in their current and past seasons and general opera information.
- Supportmusic.com
This Web site focuses on developing effective advocacy for music education in schools. The tool kits are useful to parents and teachers looking to bring more music to their children's schools.
- Teach Opera
This Web site, featuring opera lesson plans created by classroom teachers, is maintained by New York City Opera.
- Teacher Vision
This online resource features quizzes, links and online lesson plans for music-related subjects (Music history, Music in Our Schools Month, National Standards, Jazz, Classroom Management, etc.) and interdisciplinary lessons.
- Teaching ESL through Music
An excellent Web site relating music to all aspects of English as a Second Language and literacy instruction, including lesson plans listed by curricular objective, materials to download and order, and articles devoted to advocacy.
- U.S. Department of Education
Get the latest information on available grants, and education policy.
- Young Audiences Arts for Learning
This national project highlights different ways that teachers can use the arts in their classroom using examples drawn from all artistic disciplines.
[back to top]
Research and Reports
General Reference
- Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning
This report by the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) compiles seven major studies that provide new evidence of enhanced learning and achievement when students are involved in a variety of arts experiences.
- Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development
This compendium by the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) summarizes and discusses 62 research studies that examine the effects of arts learning on students' social and academic skills.
- Making a Case for the Arts
A brochure that describes the benefits of arts eduation based on new research published by the Arts Education Partnership (AEP).
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Arts 2008
The NAEP is researched by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in reading, mathematics, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, geography, the arts and other subjects.
- Ready to Innovate
A report by the Conference Board, Americans for the Arts and the American Association of School Administrators which identifies and compares views surrounding creativity.
- Staying in School
The Center for Arts Education's (CAE) report which examines the relationship between school-based arts education and high-school graduation rates in New York City public schools.
[back to top]
|