Vivien Schweitzer - A Mad Love: An Introduction to Opera — in conversation with James Jacobs — at Politics and Prose at The Wharf

Opera found an audience in 1607 with Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, generally considered the first successful opera, and it’s been going strong ever since. In this passionate and informative primer on the art, Schweitzer, a writer and pianist who for a decade was The New York Times classical music and opera critic, explains basic terms, gives a chronological history of opera’s key composers, goes through the plots of major works, profiles the great singers and conductors, and directs attention to recent innovations. Far from being a relic, opera is thriving and continues to evolve, incorporating recent events in its librettos, embracing digital technology, and continuing to find new fans.