PMU230: Topics in Vocal Performance
There are a number of great sources at the UTL to help you in your studies. This short, curated list of resources will help you get started on role study research.
Production-Related Research
Studying different performances of a work can assist you in making interpretative decisions about the performance of opera.
Productions and performances can be found in the news, reviews, musicians' notes, and the liner notes of CDs and DVDs.
Audio/Visual:
- Media CommonsMedia Commons, located on the 3rd floor of Robarts library holds more than 15,000 titles including DVDs, videos, 16mm films, audiocassettes and various other formats, including many opera titles. Media Commons provides a variety of in-library media playback facilities for individual and group use.
- Medici.tv This link opens in a new windowMedici.tv's library features over 1,800 programs (3,000 original works), including:
concerts and archived historical concerts
operas
ballets
documentaries, artist portraits and education programs
master classes - Opera in Video This link opens in a new windowContains hundreds of hours of opera performances, interviews, and documentaries.
- Naxos Music Library This link opens in a new windowThe Naxos Music Library [NML] is the world's largest online classical music library and includes extensive 20th- and 21st-century recordings. Use Currently, it offers streaming access to more than 128,950 CDs with more than 1,972,600 tracks of both standard and rare repertoire. Over 800 new CDs are added to the library every month. Many of the titles are accessible directly from the library catalogue, but search the NML directly to see the newest additions.
- Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall This link opens in a new windowFeatures live concerts in high definition along with hundreds of full-length archival recordings, performances, interviews, and documentaries.
Books:
Guide to Operatic Duets by Call Number: ML102 .O6 B64 1994Boldry, Richard. Guide to Operatic Duets. Dallas: Pst...Inc., 1994. (Reference)- Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias by Call Number: ML102 .O6 B65 1994Boldry, Richard. Guide to Operatic Roles & Arias. Dallas: Pst…Inc., 1994. (Reference)
Performing Opera by Call Number: MT956 .E93 2016Ewans, Michael. Performing Opera: A Practical Guide for Singers and Directors. New York: Bloomsbury, 2016. (Stacks)
Opera Magazines and Journals:
The most recent issues are on the open shelves right beside the reference desk, alphabetical by title. Back issues are bound and on the regular shelves. The library provides electronic access to many of these.