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A detailed investigation of the reception and cultural contexts of Puccini's music, this book offers a fresh view of this historically important but frequently overlooked composer. Wilson's study explores the ways in which Puccini's music and persona were held up as both the antidote to and the embodiment of the decadence widely felt to be afflicting late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Italy, a nation which although politically unified remained culturally divided. The book focuses upon two central, related questions that were debated throughout Puccini's career: his status as a national or international composer, and his status as a traditionalist or modernist. In addition, Wilson examines how Puccini's operas became caught up in a wide range of extra-musical controversies concerning such issues as gender and class. This book makes a major contribution to our understanding of both the history of opera and of the wider artistic and intellectual life of turn-of-the-century Italy. ... Read more

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Opera is often dismissed as outdated and excessive, and perceived to be characterised by excessive passions, sumptuous costumes, and ill-mannered divas. In reality, however, operas address the most fundamental and universal of human concerns - love, death, jealousy, greed, and power. Revealing the diverse reasons behind opera's lasting appeal, opera champion and expert Alexandra Wilson provides a lucid and engaging introduction to the agendas that have governed its composition, production and reception over the last four centuries, and explains the reasons behind its enduring appeal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

light on information, heavy on opinion!
I feel that this book should be titled "Ms. Wilson's Take on Baltimore Cemeteries and Society."

I question her need to reinforce the "Who's Who" of the cemeteries.This reads more as a social registry.The length of review for each cemetery is directly related to the number of famous people interred in a particular cemetery (at least those who measure up to Ms. Wilson standard of famous or prominent).Some of the smaller burial sites have WONDERFUL significance, but this is lost on Ms. Wilson due to the lack of prominent Baltimore family names.

Her tone and some of her statements can be seen as just an injection of opinion and based very little on fact.Two cemeteries in the Baltimore enclave that I have recently researched turned up some examples of this.In reference to Most Holy Redeemer (one of the largest Catholic cemeteries in the city)and interment site of many influential Italian Families, Ms. Wilson states that "the cemetery, though attractive and well kept, is not otherwise remarkable."This is purely opinion with no factual basis.In her discussion of Jewish Cemeteries in the city, she briefly touched on B'nai Israel Congregation Cemetery.It only took her two paragraphs to discuss the burying ground for 32 congregations, one of these being the Lloyd Street Synagogue (a very important Baltimore institution).Out of the two paragraphs related to this burying ground, one is a commentary on Jewish custom:
"One curious custom is seen here and elsewhere in Jewish cemeteries and that is the leaving of small stones on the markers.This is to indicate that the grave has been recently visited.As the stones can damage mowers, the caretakers find the custom infuriating."
This seems completely out of place as part of the discussion of this particular site as well as a poorly worded comment on Jewish custom that could be taken by some as inflammatory or condescending.However, these are prime examples of the tone and commentary throughout the book.As I have only researched the small area of Gardenville, in Northeast Baltimore City, I can only speak to the way cemeteries in this areas were particularly addressed.I feel confident in saying that if this is the approach for this particular community, it is probably characteristic of her approach across tha board and in all communities.

If you want a source that pays homage to the upper echelons of early Baltimore society and the "blue blood families" of a by-gone era, then this is the book for you.If you want a truly serious study of cemeteries and burials in Baltimore, you'll need to write one... it doesn't exist!

All in all, "The Very Quiet Baltimoreans" had the potential to be a beautiful book.It could have been an exquisite "coffee table" book with glowing photos of beautiful, sprawling garden cemeteries, such as Louden Park, and quaint family plots, such as the Furley Family cemetery.It could have packed a powerful punch with detailed history and background on the various communities. These tight communities have created the culture of Baltimore city as many seemed eager to have thier dead buried close by, near their homes or houses of worship.Ms. Wilson failed in both areas and that is a tragedy.

Her focus on "Society" made her lose sight of the greater significance of society.


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Chapters: Tony Kushner, Ethan Stiefel, Alexandra Ansanelli, Michael Wilson, Greg Mottola, Adam Rapp, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Maria Kowroski, Eric Darnell, Ilya Chaiken, Yareli Arizmendi. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 50. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Anthony Robert "Tony" Kushner (born 16 July 1956) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1993 for his play, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, and co-authored with Eric Roth the screenplay for the 2005 film, Munich. Kushner was born in Manhattan, New York to Jewish clarinetist and conductor William Kushner and Sylvia Deutscher, a bassoonist. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, the seat of Calcasieu Parish where he spent his childhood. During high school Kushner had a reputation in policy debate, at one point going to a camp, and making it to the final rounds. Kushner moved to New York in 1974 to begin his undergraduate college education at Columbia University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Medieval Studies in 1978. He studied directing at New York University's Graduate School until 1984. During graduate school, he spent the summers of 1978-1981 directing both early original works (Masque of Owls and Incidents and Occurrences During the Travels of the Tailor Max) and plays by Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest) for the children attending the Governor's Program for Gifted Children (GPGC) in Lake Charles. In 2008, he received a Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from SUNY Purchase College. Kushner's best known work is Angels in America (a play in two parts: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), a seven-hour epic about the AIDS epidemic in Reagan-era New York, which was later adapted into a minise...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=358894 ... Read more

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A cheery introduction to actual and imaginary concert sounds and noises features Mickey Mouse conducting an energetic orchestra that eventually goes haywire. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, published by Wilson Ornithological Society on March 1, 2009. The length of the article is 3896 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: We assessed association of Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) with surface water (natural and artificial) in the semi-arid Texas Panhandle during May-September 2001-2003. The difference between mean Euclidean distances of nest locations (n = 33) and random points to nearest surface water was -107.8 m (SE = 17.4, 95% CL = -142.7 to -72.9) indicating that nest locations were closer to water than expected by chance. Non-nesting birds appeared to associate with surface water during summer (May-Aug) based on differences between location distances of 83 bobwhites (1,408 locations) and random-point distances to nearest surface water ([bar.x] [+ or -] SE = -62.4 [+ or -] 17.0 m, 95% CL = -96.4 to -28.4). Our results provide evidence that bobwhites may associate with surface water in the semi-arid Texas Panhandle.

Citation Details
Title: Association of Northern Bobwhites with surface water in the semi-arid Texas Panhandle.(Report)
Author: Tim L. Hiller
Publication: The Wilson Journal of Ornithology (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2009
Publisher: Wilson Ornithological Society
Volume: 121Issue: 1Page: 135(6)

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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"Advances in Psychology Research" presents original research results on the leading edge of psychology research. Each article has been carefully selected in an attempt to present substantial research results across a broad spectrum. ... Read more

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Chapters: Alexandra Rout, Morgan Figgins, Tristan Thode, Joel Watson, Mathieu Wilson, Ricky Cockerill. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 21. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Alexandra "Allie" Rout (born August 6, 1993 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealander figure skater. She is the 2008-2010 New Zealand national champion. In her ISU Junior Grand Prix debut at the Croatia Cup, she placed 7th with a score of 115.17 points. At the 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, Rout finished 22nd overall. She became the first New Zealand-trained ladies skater to qualify for the free skate at the World Junior Championships. She has now retired from competitive figure skating ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=16081026 ... Read more