Release date is 2003-02-01

Biblical operas -- Bible stories in opera and oratorio -- Rubinstein and his "Geistlich oper" -- "Samson et Dalila" -- "Die königin von Saba" -- "Hérodiade" -- "Lakmé" -- "Pagliacci" -- "Cavalleria rusticana" -- The career of Mascagni -- "Iris" -- "Madama Butterfly" -- "Der rosenkavalier" -- "Königskinder" -- "Boris Godounoff" -- "Madame Sans-Gêne" and other operas by Giordano -- Two operas by Wolf-Ferrari.

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"A Second Book of Operas" by Henry Edward Krehbiel is a literary examination of operas, particularly those that draw upon Biblical stories, written during the late 19th century. The work discusses various operas and oratorios, scrutinizing their thematic connections to Biblical narratives as well as the creative processes of their composers, including the manipulations and adaptations that occur when transferring stories from text to stage. The opening of the book sets the stage for Krehbiel’s exploration of Biblical operas, beginning with a discussion on the challenges posed by censorship and audience expectations. He reflects on notable works like Gounod's "Reine de Saba," and how titles and content sometimes shift away from their scriptural origins to appease cultural sensitivities. Krehbiel introduces the complex relationship between music and narrative in operas such as Handel's "Mose in Egitto" and Saint-Saens's "Samson et Dalila," highlighting both the artistic merit as well as the potential pitfalls concerning faithfulness to the original Biblical texts. The opening portion demonstrates Krehbiel’s understanding of the interplay between dramatic representation and musical composition and sets the stage for a deeper analysis of individual operas throughout the subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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