Wagner Without Fear: Learning to Love--and Even Enjoy--Opera's Most Demanding Genius

I'm just getting into Wagner's music having seen The Ring performed twice by the Seattle Opera and a couple of other Wagner Operas. I found this book in the Seattle Opera store, took a look at it and decided to buy it to read it on my Kindle while I was enjoying this years cycle of The Ring.I was not disappointed. I suppose that some individuals take offense to sections that describe when to eat and go to the bathroom and highlight some of the challenging spots to be prepared for when attending a Wagner Opera. But this book wasn't written for the Wagner experts. It was written for the novices and the individuals who want to explore Wagner's Operas in more detail but are, quite frankly, concerned. That is why the book is called "Wagner Without Fear". It helps the novice to get prepared for and enjoy a Wagner Opera.And the book does an excellent job of preparing the newbee to Wagner Operas. This must be a reason why the Seattle Opera has copies of it for sale because that organization does an excellent job of performing Wagner's Ring. And personally, I found the book quite helpful. In November, I'm seeing Parsifal and I'm a little leery but the book provides a good quide for preparation and thanks to the book, I will enjoy that opera, I'm sure.I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Wagner's Operas but has some concerns.

What did I know about Richard Wagner before reading this? Nothing. I will say that the first ten pages pulled me in to the life of a man that was scandalous, passionate and devoted to his music. I would even say this is a good beach read.

I like Wagner's music since years and always wanted to know more about him, but couldn't find the right book. This books gives you all you want to know. On 55 pages you learn about his life and the rest is about the operas. This last spring I saw again the Ring at the MET and as usual the music is so beautiful. But this time as well I told my friends "I still don't understand it, who is who?". After reading about the Ring in this book every puzzle found the place. It is so well written.

Very good natured , nearly humorous introduction to Wagner’s work . I thought the plot synopses were a bit too detailed , and I wanted a lot more — well, something -/ on Wagner’s influence on pop culture

I've gone to the opera all my life, and this year I'm finally getting around to watching a Ring Cycle. The literature on Wagner is so broad, where to start? I got this book after hearing Will Berger on the RadioLab episode "The Ring and I," and it's better than I expected. The first 60 pages are a biography of what a...umm..."character" Wagner was. Each chapter that follows is a synopsis and analysis of each opera. The writing style is very down-to-earth and even hilarious at times. If you're obsessed with the man, this book will likely fall short and you'll find something to complain about. But if you're looking to learn more about his operas and understand just what it is you're seeing and listening to, this book is your first stop.Highly recommended.

A more then very pleasant discovery, this book. Very good information about Wagner and all his opera's. And written in a very pleasant style with much solid information and humor. Big fat compliments for William Berger for writing a book in which you feel the love for Wagner and Led Zeppelin at the same time, in which Wagner is taken seriously and also with humor, all at the same time. And which brings you information and insights, even if you know already much about Wagner and his opera's.

I wish I had read this before seeing my first Wagner opera and before reading any other book on Wagner. Really accessible, balanced, succinct, yet steeped in real admiration while not turning away even from the difficult topics such as Wagner's antisemitism.Buy this book when you have tickets and read at least the biography and the chapter on whatever you're going to see.

William Berger has managed to take a rather esoteric opera like Wagner's ring cycle and, like Anna Russell on audio and video, made it comprehensibel for the ordinary viewer. He covers all of Wagner's operas , gives not only a very good and fairly concise plot description, but also tells you how to handle the bathroom breaks---as Wagner operas tend to be lengthy. All in all, a very worthwhile book for anyone even remotely interested in his operas. I am glad it is now available for the Kindle.

I bought this to complete my set of Berger on operatic composers (the others being about Verdi and Puccini). This was the first in his series, and bears the same hallmarks: wit, insight and lightly-worn erudition. Having only known Wagner through orchestral excepts, I thought I'd investigate the operas (musically through the EMI/Warner "The Great Operas"). It's partly through Berger (and the cheap box sets of Wagner, Verdi and Puccini currently available) that I have come to love the art form.

Wonderful book, helps anyone at any level of knowledge get to grips with Wagner!!

bit heavy to read

Como introducción básica a la vida del autor está bastante bien, y como ayuda a la comprensión de sus mayores obras, muy bien.

A obra transmite de forma muito interessante e completa o grande conhecimento e experiência do autor sobre ópera e as composições de Wagner.