Mozart and His Operas

Oct 9, 2024 3:23 AM

Author:David Cairns

David Cairns weaves a brilliantly engaging narrative which puts Mozart’s operas in the context of his life, showing how they illuminate his creativity as a whole. Mozart’s unusual childhood as a musical prodigy touring Europe as a performer from an early age is well known. But even more remarkable is that the genius grew up, surviving his unnatural early years and producing works of increasing maturity and originality. Using the operas as his guide, Cairns traces the steady deepening of Mozart’s musical style from his beginnings as a child prodigy, through his coming of age with what Cairns sees as the most Romantic and forward-looking of all Mozart’s operas, Idomeneo, the later genius displayed in the three comic operas, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte, and in The Magic Flute, the final and greatest triumph of his career.

Reviews

Julia Blackburn's book gives a far more complete idea of Holiday as an artist than anything else I have read

—— Guardian

This is a raw, true book that evokes not just the life of the great singer Billie Holiday but an entire jazz era.... Blackburn's compelling tale is of whores, drug-pushers, bent policemen and crooked lawyers as well as brilliant musicians, and she brings alive everything she touches

—— Mail on Sunday

This addition to the tide of Billie Holiday books is extremely welcome. Nowhere else is the context of her life and work so vividly captured

—— Toni Morrison

Full of vigour and colour...Ms Blackburn's portrait of a unique artist is moving, revealing and quite unforgettable

—— Economist

Julia Blackburn...has contributed much to the legacy of a remarkable human being

—— New Statesman

With her assured touch, she has transcribed and framed the verbatim accounts into a resonant piece of social history, never losing sight of the woman who enthralled everyone with whom she came into contact

—— Financial Times

Often books about jazz musicians make the mistake of over-focusing on the music. Blackburn is more interested in Billie as a person

—— Mike Figgis , Guardian

This is a really marvellous book, the most uninhibitedly intimate portrayal ever of the short, hard life and overall musical triumph of Lady Day...With Billie vividly reflects the chaos that Billie Holiday was born into and only rarely escaped from

—— Spectator

Previous Article：Alistair Cooke's American Journey Life On The Home Front In The Second World War Next Article：Hoffnung At Large

Comments

Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.