Stravinsky Oedipus Rex [Paperback]

This clear and concise guide is the first ever to be written on this work and it describes the music and its staging in close detail.Widely acknowledged as one of the most original music theater works of the twentieth century, this guide describes the opera's plot, music and staging and provides a fully documented discussion of its origins in Stravinsky's work and thought.Widely acknowledged as one of the most original music theater works of the twentieth century, this guide describes the opera's plot, music and staging and provides a fully documented discussion of its origins in Stravinsky's work and thought.Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex is widely acknowledged as one of the most original musical theater works of the twentieth century. This clear and concise guide, the first ever written on the work, describes the plot, the music and the staging in close detail and provides a fully documented discussion of the origins of Oedipus Rex in Stravinsky's own work and thinking. By placing the work in its social context, the author paints a vivid picture of Parisian artistic politics in the twenties, from which emerged one of the richest and most suggestive works of modern times. The full libretto is provided, with a parallel translation.Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. The exile finds a new home; 2. Of masks, masses and magic; 3. In which the music unfolds; 4. How it all came to be known; Appendix A. The libretto; Appendix B. The Latin text and its setting; Appendix C. Cast and orchestra; Notes; Select bibliography; Index. There is much in this book that is considerable, and the author opens up areas that almost demand further research. In preparing Oedipus Rex for performance, one should use this book, with score in hand, as a starting point or reference source. The extensive notes and bibliography make the handbook a valuable tool. Choral Journal