New in paperback! This book comes at a time when opera-lovers, singers, directors, and critics alike are taking a new look at the dramatic soprano heroines created by Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini, endeavoring to delve beyond inherited scholarly interpretation and gain a richer understanding of these compelling female characters. Artistically limited by the bel canto musical tradition popular at the time, Verdi launched a new style dramma per musica which also demanded a new soprano archetype. This book illustrates the musical evolution of the Verdi and Puccini soprano while illuminating the dramatic scope and power of these great heroines. Avoiding critical reductionism, Verdi and Puccini Heroines provides an unprecedented and probing discussion of how these great soprano roles were conceived and executed. Accordingly, the authors take a three-dimensional look at these heroines, examining seven operas: Il Trovatore, La Forza del Destino, Aida, La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot. The chapters, which are fully self-contained analyses, contain translations, illustrative musical examples, supplementary notes, and references to each opera's literary sources. The musical analysis, while thorough, is descriptive and accessible to all levels of readers.

Have you ever wondered how an insignificant, chance meeting from your past can influence the future for generation to come? That is the theme of this historical fiction novel. In this novel, the past and the future are explored through three generations of the fictitious McConnell family. Using a combination of laugh aloud humor and tear jerking tragedy, the author takes the reader on an emotional roller-coaster ride. With bizarre twists and turns, the story will have the reader believing the events that shaped this fictitious family, could easily be a description of their own family. Historically accurate, impeccably researched, and well written, the featured characters, Irene, Sonny and Buddy come to life with period language and settings. Irene's story begins in a manufacturing city in New Jersey, where she endures the hardships of working in a silk mill just to support her family. Despite a failed marriage, friends and loves lost, Irene's inevitable success is based on her beliefs and strength of character. Sonny's story takes us through the inhumanity of war, and its effects on the loved ones left behind. Despite the negativity of his father-in-law, and a sudden twist of fate, Sonny rises to his success by embracing the new technologies and humanity's greatest achievement. Buddy's narrative takes us to another war, twenty years in the future, at a time when the Nation is in turmoil. In a faraway land, Buddy experiences a burden that he must bear for the rest of his life. In the face of that, his determination and ability to adapt carry him closely in the footsteps of his father. The reader will relate to the McConnell family as they travel through historical events to the year 2032, with tears and triumph, laughter and loss, and with the ever-present support of their mysterious family guardian.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

Discover the heart of Vengeance, and how it changes a kind hearted child into a broken man who suffers from multi-personalities. As a young boy, Derek Wilton witnessed the death of his mother who died in a cold blooded car accident. The man who was responsible for the car accident (Dimitri Fairbanks) chose to flee from his mistake. He was a notorious gang leader who has all the keys to the streets. Several years down the road, Dimitri was ready to retire from his outfit. In fear that the Cheng Family might take over his territory, he unleashes an undeclared war upon them. For Dimitri, betrayal, murder, greed, and corruption ran through his veins. Everyone said it would be an easy thing for him to accomplish. However, they all overlooked one thing. They overlooked the fact that Derek Wilton was coming for him. Derek and his other personalities (known as Nicholas Hunter and Darren Hill). The city will feel their pain...

School-leaver Skye plays guitar in her all-female Chronic Cramps band. Making her name in the competitive punk/indie scene is easier than FTM (female to male) transitioning: from Skye to Finn, from girl to man. Uncovering genetic mysteries about family heritage tear the family apart. Trans gender identity is more than injections and surgery, it's about acceptance. Going public, Finn sings ftm lyrics on TV. With a little help from bemused mates and family who don't want to lose a daughter, but who love their teenager, Finn is transitioning. f2m has appeal to teen readers (both boys and girls) through its: Compassionate, candid and funny 'coming of age' via punk music and family history genetic clues Accessible facts in story format on a little-understood medical situation. FTM means female to male. MTF means male to female International first; female to male gender transition YA fiction NOT autobiographical, but co-writer Ryan has experienced the medical sequence of gender reassignment from female to male, which is less common than MTF Insight into genetic inheritances.

What happens when one of America's best-known haiku poets joins forces with her psychologist husband to write a book? The answer: Take a Deep Breath: The Haiku Way to Inner Peace-a unique collection of guided meditations, drawn from and experienced through the appreciation of haiku. In today's fast-paced, high-pressure world, Take a Deep Breath can help anyone learn to slow down and take stock, relax and focus on the present moment, and find poetry and depth in their own lives.