H. L. Mencken declared that ldquo;the opera is to music what a bawdy house is to a cathedral.rdquo; It was not meant as a compliment; but to William Murray; former New Yorker staff writer and aspiring opera singer; a bawdy house is an apt metaphor for the opera: a place of confusion; high and low drama; fleshly pleasures and raucous song.In Fortissimo; Murray follows twelve young singers in the Lyric Opera of Chicagorsquo;s training program; the prestigious Opera Center for American Artists; through the 2003ndash;2004 season. In the course of the year; these singers attend countless coaching sessions; inspiring master classes; nerve-racking auditions and grueling rehearsalsmdash;and finally perform with some of the most celebrated names (and spectacular egos) in opera; from Samuel Ramey to Joseacute; Cura and Natalie Dessay. While chronicling their progress; Murray offers an insiderrsquo;s look at the different aspects of the opera world that influence a young singerrsquo;s success; a world filled with temperamental maestros; ambitious directors; old-world tradition and sacred monsters. Weaving recollections of his own days training in New York; Rome and Milan in the 1950s with the personal and artistic struggles of the young singers in Chicago today; Murray lays bare the staggering ambition and relentless will required to achieve a career in the arts. As he writes; ldquo;Becoming a successful opera singermdash;stepping out on a huge stage to try to fill the house with your voice; to bring an audience of thirty-six hundred people to its feetmdash;is as risky in its own peculiar way as embarking on a career as a matador. You can triumph; you can struggle to survive or you can perish from your wounds.rdquo; Fortissimo is a delicious tale of rising talents; angst and heartache and small triumphs; and the music that inspires it all.From the Hardcover edition.
#1321752 in eBooks 2005-04-01 2003-03-01File Name: B003EQ54A8
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Helpful Ideas For A Small KitchenBy CustomerWe will soon be remodeling our small. inefficient kitchen. Reading every word of the text of this book was a great help in identifying the areas of most inefficiency in our current floor plan. The book has significantly helped me in planning how to maximize more fully every square foot that we have available.I especially liked the "interview sections" with various notable kitchen designers and experts. Their observations (especially the European mindset) has caused me to take an honest inventory of my own habits. I feel as though Ive gained the expertise of highly paid consultants at just the price of this book. I am much more prepared with ideas and space-conscious efficiencies that I can request and incorporate when I meet with my kitchen designer and cabinetmaker.I echo other words written here that I was disappointed there werent more floor plans nor a variety of styles in the actual pictures of kitchens used in the book. That being said. the author has chosen to use pictures that back up her points of emphasis in the text. The majority of the kitchens protrayed in the book are sleek and minimalistic. A few are rather funky.Overall. the book did leave a strong impression on me of how to make the best use of my small space in the most effective manner possible. I have ordered six books from to study as we develop plans for our remodeling project. Thus far. the text from this book has been the most helpful to me out of these six books.59 of 59 people found the following review helpful. Lovely design. useful tipsBy Rena LongsworthIf you like contemporary. modern. eclectic. and retro styles. this book is great to look at. If not. borrow it from the library just for the text. I have made more practical moderations to my original ideas from this book than any of the dozens of other books and magazines that I own.For instance. I originally was set on installing a microwave/range hood combination over our stove. This book points out that having a microwave in this position is inconvenient. even dangerous since it is very high up and over an area that is frequently hot. Also. it is difficult for children to reach. Instead. a built-in microwave shelf in a different location makes more sense. The suggestion may not be as space-saving as my original plan. but made sense nonetheless. This coming from a family of four with an 11x 8 kitchen.The photos presented an assortment of styles. sizes. and cost-ranges although it leaned more toward high-end. contemporary. and larger than my kitchen.I would have liked to see more photos with large key ingredients like refrigerators. I would have preferred to see more floor plans and actual room dimensions. Unfortunately. I have not seen a book yet that was strong in this area. I think that any decorating book that has the word `small on its cover should strive to include those details.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good Beginning OverviewBy Paula S.I am a little disappointed with this book. Based on the reviews. I thought Id get some new ideas. This book is a good introduction for someone who is totally new to kitchen design. e.g.. someone who has never heard of the "work triangle" (which my designer says is passeacute;. but I find to be valid!). But it could be a lot meatier. For example. when discussing materials. she only gives a passing description of the pros and cons. often glossing over the cons. Case in point: when discussing tile floors. she sort of mentions that they are hard on the feet. but doesnt talk about noise and breakage. Im glad I purchased this used and spent less than $10 on it. However. if you dont know anything about kitchen design. and like to start with the big picture. Id say its a good book to start with. but make sure you then look at some other books and resources that go more in-depth.
