The book draws on Anthony’s experiences as an opera-goer, from the 1960s to the present. It deals with the delights and disappointments from seeking out opera performances in different countries. It covers not only the obviously central aspects – music, singers, productions, opera houses and their audiences; it also provides accounts of matters such as the obtaining of tickets, operatic excursions, and ‘calamities’ which may occur.
It is anecdotal and personal, discursive, and amusing, but also informative. If you want to know more about the world of opera – what goes right and what goes wrong – you’ll enjoy this.
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‘Anthony Ogus’s travels are full of incident, humour and sage opinion. He has the gift of being entirely serious in his pursuit of opera, yet being able gently to laugh at the pursuit and at himself.’ Nicholas Payne, Director, Opera Europa
‘Anthony Ogus generously shares his personal ecstatic highs and frustrating lows during 50 years of “operamania”‘ Stefan Janksi, Head of Opera, Royal Northern College of Music
‘ein Buch für Einsteiger, die sich von der Wucht und der Vielfalt des bestehenden Angebots eher abgeschreckt als angelockt fühlen’ Michael Zerban, Review in Opernnetz Full review
‘The art and pleasure of operamania is examined from any number of angles – from logistics such as planning itineraries and acquiring unacquirable tickets to memories of particular performers and productions. Especially engaging is Ogus’s interest in opera in out-of-the-way places. And of course no such travelogue would be complete without tales of ‘calamities’ witnessed, from malfunctioning stage machinery to open-air opera cloudbursts.’ Andrew Green, Classical Music
A ‘complete and well-drawn picture of what is clearly a deep-seated passion for opera, expressed by the author with a genuinely open-minded sense of curiosity using admirably English powers of understatement’Franz Wulf, Review in Opera Now