--- product_id: 8086037 title: "Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera" price: "AED 104" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/8086037-opera-101-a-complete-guide-to-learning-and-loving-opera store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera **Price:** AED 104 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera - **How much does it cost?** AED 104 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/8086037-opera-101-a-complete-guide-to-learning-and-loving-opera) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Opera is the fastest growing of all the performing arts, attracting audiences of all ages who are enthralled by the gorgeous music, vivid drama, and magnificent production values. If you've decided that the time has finally come to learn about opera and discover for yourself what it is about opera that sends your normally reserved friends into states of ecstatic abandon, this is the book for you. Opera 101 is recognized as the standard text in English for anyone who wants to become an opera lover--a clear, friendly, and truly complete handbook to learning how to listen to opera, whether on the radio, on recordings, or live at the opera house. Fred Plotkin, an internationally respected writer and teacher about opera who for many years was performance manager of the Metropolitan Opera, introduces the reader (whatever his or her level of musical knowledge) to all the elements that make up opera, including: A brief, entertaining history of opera; An explanation of key operatic concepts, from vocal types to musical conventions; Hints on the best way to approach the first opera you attend and how to best understand what is happening both offstage and on; Lists of recommended books and recordings, and the most complete traveler's guide to opera houses around the world. The major part of Opera 101 is devoted to an almost minute-by-minute analysis of eleven key operas, ranging from Verdi's thunderous masterpiece Rigoletto and Puccini's electrifying Tosca through works by Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini, Offenbach, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner, to the psychological complexities of Richard Strauss's Elektra . Once you have completed Opera 101 , you will be prepared to see and hear any opera you encounter, thanks to this book's unprecedentedly detailed and enjoyable method of revealing the riches of opera. Review: A good resource that provides valuable historical background and insights. - The reader will benefit from a simplified overview of the evolution of the performing arts outlined in a timeline from the ancient Greeks to the 20th century. The chapter “Becoming and opera cognoscente” should have be re-titled as it has a very negative connotation that could be taken for advice on how to be an operatic snob without a requisite formal training in classical music. There are valuable insights to be gleaned in this chapter, as is the case with most of the book, so it should not be ignored. However, with that being said, the most glaring omission in this book is the lack of a comprehensive compendium of technical terminology defining operatic vocal techniques and definitions. “Opera 101” is grounded in a perspective of a bygone era of singers and production styles, although this is by no means a negative attribute. The so-called “golden era” of opera is the resource to which most (if not all) 21st century singers gravitate towards by necessity as an essential guideline for refining their vocal technique and formulating a springboard for their career goals. This is a reality of all human endeavors, we cannot move forward by ignoring what has come before; a point of reference is essential. I suggest that there is not any one publication that will inspire anybody to purchase a ticket or subscription to an opera (house) without the reader having first attended a performance or viewed one by way of a streaming venue. A case in point is the fact that this book is available for purchase at the Met. Opera's gift shop, which presupposes that you've already attended at least one live performance. Without that experience, this and any other book is useless. Taking all this into account, I highly recommend the Metropolitan Opera's streaming service which is a priceless resource and by far, offers the most comprehensive selection of video and audio operatic recordings in comparison to other major opera houses. Search YouTube by title and singer exhaustively and you'll be amazed at what you'll find and have the benefit of comparative study at your fingertips at all times. I question some of the operatic selections highlighted by Mr. Plotkin as illustrative of the various stylistic genres, but this again is purely a matter of personal taste. Overall, this is a very good book with a great deal of knowledge from which to glean valuable insights, although some of these points are glossed over and easily overlooked for lack of emphasis. Review: Great Introduction to Opera - My brother tried to get me interested in opera 50+ years ago, and I waved the opportunity. Who wants to waste their time listening to a bunch of overweight people shirking in a foreign language. Well, time has a way of maturing all of us. I recently became interested in how the voice is used in singing, and opera aria's soon became the best examples. I soon discovered that the techniques used in singing opera are those demanded by the composer - surprise. I began listening to aria's by various opera singers, and finally decided that I needed to focus my efforts to really learn something. I ordered Plotkin's book, because the title implied that I would start from the basics - I am well pleased. Plotkin takes you through opera history, the jargon, attending your first opera, and then introduces you to eleven opera's that show different techniques and theme's. That depth was needed by a 75 year old neophyte who wanted to learn. Some of the material was absorbed quickly, and the rest will take longer; perhaps a lifetime. Plotkin gives you a method of preparing for an opera, that, if followed, assures you will enjoy yourself. Wish I had listened to my brother years ago, but Plotkin's book helps me in correcting the misteak. I highly recommend the book, and know that everybody will get something out of it. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #175,639 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #26 in Music Appreciation (Books) #88 in Opera Music (Books) #206 in Music History & Criticism (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 261 Reviews | ## Images ![Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Tv7VjNBNL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good resource that provides valuable historical background and insights. *by N***P on August 13, 2023* The reader will benefit from a simplified overview of the evolution of the performing arts outlined in a timeline from the ancient Greeks to the 20th century. The chapter “Becoming and opera cognoscente” should have be re-titled as it has a very negative connotation that could be taken for advice on how to be an operatic snob without a requisite formal training in classical music. There are valuable insights to be gleaned in this chapter, as is the case with most of the book, so it should not be ignored. However, with that being said, the most glaring omission in this book is the lack of a comprehensive compendium of technical terminology defining operatic vocal techniques and definitions. “Opera 101” is grounded in a perspective of a bygone era of singers and production styles, although this is by no means a negative attribute. The so-called “golden era” of opera is the resource to which most (if not all) 21st century singers gravitate towards by necessity as an essential guideline for refining their vocal technique and formulating a springboard for their career goals. This is a reality of all human endeavors, we cannot move forward by ignoring what has come before; a point of reference is essential. I suggest that there is not any one publication that will inspire anybody to purchase a ticket or subscription to an opera (house) without the reader having first attended a performance or viewed one by way of a streaming venue. A case in point is the fact that this book is available for purchase at the Met. Opera's gift shop, which presupposes that you've already attended at least one live performance. Without that experience, this and any other book is useless. Taking all this into account, I highly recommend the Metropolitan Opera's streaming service which is a priceless resource and by far, offers the most comprehensive selection of video and audio operatic recordings in comparison to other major opera houses. Search YouTube by title and singer exhaustively and you'll be amazed at what you'll find and have the benefit of comparative study at your fingertips at all times. I question some of the operatic selections highlighted by Mr. Plotkin as illustrative of the various stylistic genres, but this again is purely a matter of personal taste. Overall, this is a very good book with a great deal of knowledge from which to glean valuable insights, although some of these points are glossed over and easily overlooked for lack of emphasis. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Introduction to Opera *by M***Y on August 19, 2019* My brother tried to get me interested in opera 50+ years ago, and I waved the opportunity. Who wants to waste their time listening to a bunch of overweight people shirking in a foreign language. Well, time has a way of maturing all of us. I recently became interested in how the voice is used in singing, and opera aria's soon became the best examples. I soon discovered that the techniques used in singing opera are those demanded by the composer - surprise. I began listening to aria's by various opera singers, and finally decided that I needed to focus my efforts to really learn something. I ordered Plotkin's book, because the title implied that I would start from the basics - I am well pleased. Plotkin takes you through opera history, the jargon, attending your first opera, and then introduces you to eleven opera's that show different techniques and theme's. That depth was needed by a 75 year old neophyte who wanted to learn. Some of the material was absorbed quickly, and the rest will take longer; perhaps a lifetime. Plotkin gives you a method of preparing for an opera, that, if followed, assures you will enjoy yourself. Wish I had listened to my brother years ago, but Plotkin's book helps me in correcting the misteak. I highly recommend the book, and know that everybody will get something out of it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Makes opera accessible, for anyone *by P***S on October 18, 2013* This is a simple, well-written book, designed for anyone who has ever been interested in opera but never really been able to "get it". Plotkin explains everything you need to know -- the different voices, the history, the basics -- in a way that is entertaining and informative. After listening to opera (with a lot of frustration at what I knew I was missing) for many years, I really heard and enjoyed my first opera, thanks to Plotkin. After reading less than half the book, you will find yourself listening to recordings of great operas and loving them. I have already booked tickets to the next local performances. If you have ever wondered what all the fuss is about opera, read this book. You will be glad you did. It opens a beautiful world that, for me at least, had always been mysterious. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/8086037-opera-101-a-complete-guide-to-learning-and-loving-opera](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/8086037-opera-101-a-complete-guide-to-learning-and-loving-opera) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-07-11*