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| CRITICAL COMMENTS | |
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| BOOK2 | |
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| CRITICAL COMMENTS | |
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| "The art of taking stage photographs is a
difficult one, as can be seen by the often far from ideal results emanating from the
highest quarters. ML Hart is clearly up there with the best... Superb as
her production shots are, probably the most fascinating photographs are the informal ones
-- performers getting dressed and made up, in rehearsal, relaxing, and all the areas of
backstage activity.... "... it is in the detail and depth of its coverage that the book is most appealing. I don't recall having seen anything of the kind with such scope." Alison Jones |
"The Art of Making Opera is a
welcome effort to capture the otherwise invisible world backstage in the weeks of
rehearsal before the curtain is raised and the audience is able to view the finished
performance. ML Hart was given unlimited access to the San Diego Opera for two years, and
this book is her testament to that exciting world. With hundreds of unposed photos of the
rehearsal process, this book shows the everyday goings-on in an opera company.
One charming display is of tenor Richard Leech, gazing into a mirror; on one page he is
applying makeup, and on the other he has become Don José. It is a lovely testimonial to the explosive interest in opera." Michelle Krisel
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| "This handsome volume, consisting of more than 350 stunning black-and-white photographs with accompanying text, represents [ML Hart's] personal view of the company's work throughout the 1996 and 1997 seasons. No aspect of the performances, or their preparation, has escaped her. Principal singers, directors, chorus, extras, musical staff, wardrobe personnel, stagehands and orchestra are caught in photographs of extraordinarily vivid immediacy, and her text describes everything that goes on..." Charles Osborne |
"This is the ideal book for everyone who loves opera and who is curious to learn how one makes it to the stage. Given the huge collaborative effort it represents, it is a grand behind-the-scenes look at the process." Alan Caruba |
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Donald Moreland |
"ML Hart's magnificent The Art of Making Opera [is] a fascinating photographic memoir ... Hart's observations about what goes on backstage, frontstage and all around the theatre are -- I can only say -- truly revelatory. This is one of the best books I've ever read on the creation of opera." David Gregson
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| WHAT'S INSIDE THE BOOK | TOP OF PAGE | MAIN NAVIGATION | EXPLORE MORE OPERA | |||
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"Opera is a feast for the eyes, the ears, the heart, and ML Hart's fabulous book provides the chef's eye view of preparing the feast. "A deft mixture of photographs and text brings you into the kitchen. You see the vibrant painting on the Aida set, hear Karen Keltner stir the orchestra into a savory melange of sound with a soupçon of middle eastern spice for The Italian Girl in Algiers, and fall in love with Cinderella and her prince. "Like a glorious multi-tiered wedding cake, the confection of opera needs underpinnings, rich layers, and romantic frosting. Martha Hart has shown us how The Art of Opera is created." Jackie Allen |
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"The beautiful book (The Art of Making Opera) ... really creates such a great interest in opera. One must surely fall in love with the theatre by simply leafing through the book." Bernd Feuchtner |
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| "The book casts a stunning black-and-white eye on two seasons of rehearsals, meetings, costume fittings and other elements that create magic on stage." Gina Mangieri
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"You have a wonderful capacity of finding the right moment which often passes in a split second." Michael Hampe
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| WHAT'S INSIDE THE BOOK | TOP OF PAGE | MAIN NAVIGATION | EXPLORE MORE OPERA | |||
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"[ML Hart's] striking black-and-white images cover a wide range of aesthetics, from the beautiful and poetic to the banal. A talented and sensitive photographer, Hart has an obvious love of opera that comes through loud and clear. Her work gives the reader a kind of backstage pass, letting us in on rehearsals as well as performances and enabling us to look into the lives of artists, musicians, stage crews, technicians, designers and directors. ... What's unique about this book is not that it chronicles a season in the life of an opera company -- those kinds of books abound -- but that it honestly captures artists during the creative process." Eilene Zimmerman |
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"This book really goes a long way toward showing the often unrevealed heart of opera – a vital vision if opera is to continue to flourish." Adria Firestone |
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| "I want to thank you - after twenty years, my parents finally understand what it is I do!" Ned Krumery |
Richard Leech |
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"The Art of Making Opera [is] a handsome tome of arresting photography and sensitive narrative by ML Hart. The book teaches a lot about the great art of opera, American's opera heritage, San Diego's prominence in that heritage and about the day-to-day business of art in general. It's a mesmerizing tale that will hold the interest of even the most dyed-in-the-wool sports fan." John Willett |
"Martha has followed the backstage (and onstage) doings of the company for two entire seasons, and documented in extraordinary living photos the thought, preparation and hard work necessary to produce the final performance which the public sees on stage. No one was spared, not the singers, musical staff, wardrobe, stagehands or orchestra. At no time was one aware of the presence of a photographer, and the natural quality of the photographs proves this." Maestro Richard Bonynge
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| WHAT'S INSIDE THE BOOK | TOP OF PAGE | MAIN NAVIGATION | EXPLORE MORE OPERA | |||
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| "Dieses wunderschone Buch ist wirklich bemerkenswert! Eine für das Publikum wunderbare Beschreibung von Operanarbeit und wirklich sehr gute Fotos. Es ist eine tolle Dokumentation Eure Arbeit." ("This beautiful book is truly noteworthy! One
that offers a wonderful description of opera work, as well as really very good photos to
the public. Achim Thorwald |
"Having paged through [The Art of Making Opera] on my lunch hour, I've discovered how wonderful it is not only to see fabulous photos of so many beloved friends, but to read great quotes from many of them as well. You have caught countless memorable moments both onstage and off, and the spirit of the company really emerges in a compelling and meaningful way. It warms my heart to own the book and ... I know I'll return to it often in years to come." Roger Pines |
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| "It is all too easy to be amazed by a performance at the opera house, without considering the work of all those not on stage that went into producing the event. And no matter how often performers take the time, Oscar fashion, to thank 'all those without whom this production would not have been possible,' the audience rarely gets the full picture. Martha Hart's photographic diary of two years spent with San Diego Opera, however, certainly gives us that. ... "[T]he book is peppered with insightful comments from all those involved and fascinating little snippets of information about those pictured. Richard Bonynge's foreword reveals why the pictures are so successful, 'At no time was one aware of the presence of a photographer, and the naturalness and quality of the photographs proves this.' Readers will certainly find the book a fascinating insight into work that is all too often taken for granted." Antonia Couling |
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| EXPLORE MORE: | |||||
| OperaBasics
- An Introduction The Opera Project - What's it All About? Explore More: Top 10 Ways to Fall in Love With Opera Principal Singers
& Singing WORDS
& MUSIC SHOP |
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