Opera From the Greek

Reviews / Votes

'[Michael Ewans's] book seems to me to be, in literary and musical terms, a very well-judged and sensitive treatment of a fascinating subject... it has a great deal to offer anyone interested in Greek tragedy... full of fascinating accounts...' The Journal of Classics Teaching '... Ewans marshals meticulous foreground detail to animate his background themes.' Opera 'Ewans's take on these operas and their literary "lineage" is enlightening... Opera from the Greek is a pithy (200-page) tour of music-drama. The number of ideas introduced in this brief book, and the degree to which Ewans explores so many so deeply will startle and excite anyone interested in opera, even operas quite different from those discussed here.' Opera Today 'The clarity of the writing style, the in-depth insight into the operas, complete with musical examples, and the erudite analysis of the relationship between opera and source material all make this a valuable resource for music researchers, students of opera, and also for those general readers interested in the development of opera as it relates to classical Greek epics and theatrical forms.' Studies in Musical Theatre 'Opera from the Greek has many strengths. The focus is clear, the choice of operas good, the research solid, the bibliography of primary and secondary sources and recommended recordings excellent. Most important, throughout there are strong, exciting readings and ideas, both about the individual works and the connections between them ... The book's single most important contribution is the discussions of the music ... Again and again Ewans provides vivid analyses of the dramatic impact of musical passages.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review 'The book [...] succeeds in addressing opera's lasting fascination with the myths and narratives of the ancient world. ... Ewans's volume provides much useful information on the original sources for each opera, and the way such features are manifested (or not) in sel