In these three librettos, Philippe Quinault turns from classical opera to medieval legends--Renaud and Armida, Amadis and Oriana, and Angelica and Roland--exploring the tensions between love and glory. As usual, the dramatist relates his stories deftly with classic simplicity. In these adaptions of traditional medieval stories of romance, enchantment, monsters, and magic, either the heroine (Armida... [click here for more]
From Fret Rattle to Underwater Skylabs collects seventeen of W. C. Bamberger's essays on music and musicians. The emphasis here is on the underappreciated and overlooked. Subjects range from acoustic blues musicians in the 1920s to contemporary ensembles that include improvising, electro-acoustic robots. Readers will also encounter a blind protest singer, a Turkish violinist, a Marxist radio host who... [click here for more]