Explore the vast range of titles available.

In these essays, Roger Parker brings a series of valuable insights to bear on Verdian analysis and criticism, and does so in a way that responds both to an opera-goer's love of musical drama and to a scholar's concern for recent critical trends. As he writes at one point: \"opera challenges us by means of its brash impurity, its loose ends and excess of meaning, its superfluity of narrative secrets.\" Verdi's works, many of which underwent drastic revisions over the years and which sometimes bore marks of an unusual collaboration between composer and librettist, illustrate in particular why it can sometimes be misleading to assign fixed meanings to an opera. Parker instead explores works likeRigoletto, Il trovatore, La forza del destino, andFalstafffrom a variety of angles, and addresses such contentious topics as the composer's involvement with Italian politics, the possibilities of an \"authentic\" staging of his work, and the advantages and pitfalls of analyzing his operas according to terms that his contemporaries might have understood. Parker takes into account many of the interdisciplinary influences currently engaging musicologists, in particular narrative and feminist theory. But he also demonstrates that close attention to the documentary evidence--especially that offered by autograph scores--can stimulate equal interpretive activity. This book serves as a model of research and critical thinking about opera, while nevertheless retaining a deep respect for opera's continuing power to touch generations of listeners.

In part three of the Ring, [Wagner]'s cosmic vision focuses on his hero's early conquests, while Robert Lepage's revolutionary stage machine transforms itself from bewitched forest to mountaintop love nest. Gary Lehman sings the title role and Deborah Voigt's Brunnhilde is his prize. Bryn Terfel is the Wanderer. [James Levine] conducts. In one extraordinary new work, lovers of Baroque opera have it all: the world's best singers, glorious music of the Baroque masters, and a story drawn from Shakespeare. In The Enchanted Island, the lovers from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream are shipwrecked on his other-worldly island of The Tempest. Inspired by the musical pastiches and masques of the 18th century, the work showcases arias and ensembles by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau, and others, and a new libretto by Jeremy Sams. Eminent conductor William Christie leads an all-star cast with David Daniels (Prospero) and Joyce DiDonato (Sycorax) as the formidable foes, Placido Domingo as Neptune, Danielle de Niese as Ariel, and Luca Pisaroni as Caliban. Lisette Oropesa and Anthony Roth Costanzo play Miranda and Ferdinand. The dazzling production is directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Satyagraha and the Met's 125 anniversary gala). [Anna Netrebko]'s dazzling portrayal of the tragic heroine in Laurent Pelly's new production travels to the Met from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Piotr Beczala and Paulo Szot also star, with the Met's Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi on the podium.

Courtesy of Lyric Opera of Chicago The Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of \"[Anna Bolena]\" will be the destination of a Schaumburg Township District Library bus trip on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Courtesy of Lyric Opera of Chicago The Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of \"Anna Bolena\" will be the destination of a Schaumburg Township District Library bus trip on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

* Rho Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the home of Phyllis Dean. Linda Wible will present the program with the aid of Linda Eggleton. The chapter will fill decorated Christmas stockings with toiletry items and hard candy. The stockings will be delivered to Hospice.

  Daily: 4:15, 9:55 p.m. Rock of Ages (PG-13): Daily: 2:05, 4:45, 7:35, 10:20 p.m. Snow White and the Huntsman (PG-13): Daily: 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05 p.m. That's My Boy (R): Daily: 2, 4:55, 7:40, 10:15 p.m. What to Expect When You're Expecting (PG-13): Daily: 4:40, 7:15 p.m. EAST Destinta Plaza East 22 1701 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles, 412-824-9200 The Avengers (PG-13): Daily: noon, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6:05, 7, 8, 9:05, 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10, 11 a.m. Battleship (PG-13): Daily: 3:50, 8:45 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:50 a.m. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG-13): Daily: 1:15, 4, 6:45, 9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:40 a.m. Chernobyl Diaries (R): Daily: 9:50 p.m. Dark Shadows (PG-13): Daily: 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 9:45 p.m. The Dictator (R): Daily: 1:45, 6:40 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11:30 p.m. The Hunger Games (PG-13): Daily: 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Hysteria (R): Daily: 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:45 a.m. Madagascar 3:

Daily: 4:15, 9:55 p.m. Rock of Ages (PG-13): Daily: 2:05, 4:45, 7:35, 10:20 p.m. Snow White and the Huntsman (PG-13): Daily: 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05 p.m. That's My Boy (R): Daily: 2, 4:55, 7:40, 10:15 p.m. What to Expect When You're Expecting (PG-13): Daily: 4:40, 7:15 p.m. EAST Destinta Plaza East 22 1701 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles, 412-824-9200 The Avengers (PG-13): Daily: noon, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6:05, 7, 8, 9:05, 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10, 11 a.m. Battleship (PG-13): Daily: 3:50, 8:45 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:50 a.m. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG-13): Daily: 1:15, 4, 6:45, 9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:40 a.m. Chernobyl Diaries (R): Daily: 9:50 p.m. Dark Shadows (PG-13): Daily: 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 9:45 p.m. The Dictator (R): Daily: 1:45, 6:40 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11:30 p.m. The Hunger Games (PG-13): Daily: 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Hysteria (R): Daily: 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10:45 a.m. Madagascar 3:

A Very Harold &Kumar Christmas (18) (Substance Abuse,Crude Content,Coarse Language) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri-Sun 1:10, 4:00, 7:20, 9:55; Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Wed 4:00, 7:20, 9:55 Immortals 3D (Not Rated) Dolby Stereo Digital, Reald 3D, Stadium Seating Fri-Sun 12:40, 3:40, 6:40, 10:00; Mon-Thurs 3:40, 6:40, 10:00 Puss In Boots (G) Stadium Seating Fri-Sun 1:00, 4:00, 7:00; Mon-Thurs 4:00, 7:00

Another season of opera on the big screen begins Oct. 15 at Silver City Tillicum with The Met: Live in HD, Anna Bolena.

Mark Elder conducts a thrilling and fast-moving performance in which the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment uses instruments of the period to display important colour effects. The star-crossed lovers, Bonifacio of the Guelphs and Imelda of the Ghibellines, are powerful roles. James Westman is a heroic Bonifacio, and Nicole Cabell a dramatic and pure-toned Imelda. Their duet in Act 1 is a highlight. Other rewarding roles are Orlando (Imelda's father), strongly sung by Frank Lopardo, and his son Lamberto (Massimo Giordano). Lovers of the unusual will not be disappointed. The more we discover of Donizetti the better he seems. to be.

English Touring Opera presents Donizetti's superb Tudor opera, with Julie Unwin as Henry VIII's queen and Julia Riley as Jane Seymour.