"This is the book I always wanted to write but Maestro Rescigno beat me to it."--Arthur Fagen, Music Director, Atlanta Opera; Professor of Orchestral Conducting, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University "This unique and remarkable book is not simply for aspiring conductors seeking to learn how to approach a new score, but should also be essential reading for any young singer longing to discover how to go about absorbing a new role in a way that will be personal, yet stylistically and interpretively appropriate. The ideas discussed here, though, can give everyone, not just musicians, a way of analyzing and understanding opera that is both profound and insightful."--Jonathan Pell, Retired Artistic Director, The Dallas Opera "Cogent, intelligent, and illuminating for anyone curious about the art of producing great opera! All will enjoy Maestro's thoughtful analysis of many of opera lovers' favorite scenes including the Act II finale of Le nozze di Figaro , the opening moments of Der Rosenkavalier , and the Nile Scene and Aida's 'O patria mia.'"--James W. Wright, Former General Director, Vancouver Opera (retired) and Opera Carolina "A very informative read about the preparation of an opera for production by a highly skilled and experienced conductor. Every young, aspiring opera conductor should read it."--Leon Major, Artistic Director, The Maryland Opera Studio, University of Maryland "Maestro Rescigno has combined a lifetime of practical experience with deep musical intelligence to create an indispensable guide to the art and craft of operatic conducting.

Tempo and pacing, vocal embellishment, instrumental balance, and the pros and cons of tradition are explored in the context of individual composers and their works, with sensitivity to the realities of producing opera today."--Linda Fairtile, Co-Director of American Institute of Verdi Studies, New York University.