Magazines : Opera News

Rating: - Well- Polished, Professional Magazine
Opera News is a magazine dedicated to opera and the individual talents that contribute to the full opera production. This magazine offers a way to find out dates for upcoming operas; backgrounds on some of the more popular opera stars; reviews of operas and opera related media; interviews; etc.

I am not a man of the arts by any stretch and it's a rare day that finds me sitting in a theater seat, watching a bunch of stage performers sing and dance. But I still like Opera News nonetheless and I can understand fully why fans of opera enjoy it so much. It covers the big operas, the big stars, and much more.

Articles about specific performers are common in this magazine but Opera News isn't just a magazine about opera performers and the long hours they labor for their chosen profession. No, this magazine offers more than that and there is something for any lover of entertainment to enjoy. There are plenty of reviews of operas, DVD, CD, and books; interviews with stars; and plenty of news and official information. The fact that the name of the magazine includes the word "News" is no accident, for Opera News is exactly that: a news source for all things opera and opera related.

Since I have limited interest in watching operas, I tend to gloss over the interviews and bios (I have no idea who these people are anyway). My favorite sections are those that cover news stories and the reviews at the end of the magazine. The news articles are usually good and I like the featured articles that talk about opera history and other like topics. And, as an avid reader, I like reading the book reviews even though I am unlikely to ever purchase one of these books.

Overall, Opera News is a magazine that every opera lover should read. I am not a fan of opera and theater but even I have found some reading value with this magazine. Its subject is one with limited appeal, but its value is obvious, even to someone like me who has little interest in this topic.

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Rating: - Must Have for Opera Listeners
This is the magazine to have with all the news and opera events around the world. The photography is always excellent. During the Met opera season each Saturday broadcast is covered including timings of each of the acts and between act features. The back always has reviews of new opera CD's and DVD. If you love opera you need this magazine.

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Rating: - Opera for the Masses, Polished and Informative
I have only recently become an opera enthusiast partially because I realized I needed to be old enough to appreciate it and also because of my intimidation of those who are quite knowledgeable about it. That's why I heartily endorse a subscription to "Opera News", which I find to be by far, the most reader-friendly of magazines dedicated to opera and classical music. It is probably not as comprehensive as others are, but it makes for educational and entertaining reading at a level that would make sense to anyone interested in learning more about opera. Published monthly by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, it naturally places primary focus on the Met's performances, but it also does an excellent job in covering performances at venues around the world. The layout and graphic quality are as polished as any popular entertainment publication.

The feature articles are consistently informative and well-written, especially in their efforts to broaden perspectives on opera relative to other performing arts (e.g., Broadway, early movie musicals) and spotlighting historic performances. Generally showcased as the cover stories, there are in-depth profiles of the leading performers - rising, established and legendary. There is also a comprehensive section devoted to reviews of recordings and performances available on CD and DVD, which I find very helpful in prioritizing my own purchase decisions. In fact, I was lucky enough to travel to New York last month to see the wondrous Stephen Wadsworth production of Handel's "Rodelinda" at the Met, and the December 2004 issue (with star countertenor David Daniels on the cover) gave me all the information I could use to heighten my anticipation of that superb performance. If you are a long-time opera aficionado or a neophyte like myself, it would be difficult to find a more worthwhile publication on the newsstands. Also worth noting is the accompanying Web site (www.operanews.com) that includes online exclusives of particular reviews, easy access to archived issues and daily news updates in the opera world.

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Rating: - A Superb, Quality Magazine on Every Level!
OPERA NEWS had been around for a long time. It used to be the vehicle to reference for casts of upcoming Saturday radio Live from Texaco! performances of operas at the Met and in those days the paper quality was a bit cheap and the articles spare. Readers were still given the operas with casts and dates throughout the US. Now the magazine has a rich luster to add to its visual appeal. The production qualities have improved considerably, but more important, the writing has become world class. There are biographies of both past and present Opera Stars along with informed articles on historical aspects of opera - composers, opera houses, and musical styles. The reviews of new recordings both on CD and on DVD of full operas and recitals are highly recommended to those in a quandary as to which recording of which opera they should purchase. The color photography of sets, opera in performance not only at the Metropolitan Opera (the featured house, of course) but also at the innovative houses here and abroad, is first rate. Well worth the relatively low price for a subscription and a 'must read' for operaphiles around the globe.

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Rating: - really good read&Detail
I enjoy finding out&Hearing about New Opera talent through out the World&this Magazine gives me the 411.I've discovered&Heard quite a few talents Throughout the World.also read on CD's&things,this is a Very Helpful Magazine.