This book details original case studies that represent five different social positions or characterisations of opera: namely, opera as social showcase from Bayreuth (1748), social distinction from Ljubljana (1887), social conflict from Brno (1920), social status from Mantua (1999) and social manifest from Belgrade (2005). These positions, which indicate opera’s social diversity in local, regional, provincial, and peripheral terms, as well as its social mutuality in international, transnational, global, or metropolitan terms, generally promote the idea of opera as a social venue, cultural practice, theatrical scene, lyrical site, musical place, artistic experience, or transgenerational phenomenon through which people not only produce and consume the art of music, theatre, and spectacle, but also show off their lifestyle as well as economic, social, cultural and symbolic determination, identification, and structuration. The selected case studies of peripheral opera worlds are different in terms of the chosen places, times, and problems they tackle, but they all have something meaningful in common. They convincingly address the idea that opera peripheries produce compellingly powerful meanings and messages of their different social worlds. Through its analysis, this book creates a fruitful interpretative encounter of the academic domains of opera studies, historical sociology, cultural sociology and social and cultural anthropology.

Using techniques of erasure, Metres seeks rhythm or language within the spare, bleak testimonies of those tortured at Abu Ghraib.

2019 HUGO AWARD FINALIST, BEST NOVEL The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets the joy and glamour of Eurovision in bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente's science fiction spectacle, where sentient races compete for glory in a galactic musical contest…and the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth. A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented—something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding. Once every cycle, the great galactic civilizations gather for the Metagalactic Grand Prix—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Species far and wide compete in feats of song, dance and/or whatever facsimile of these can be performed by various creatures who may or may not possess, in the traditional sense, feet, mouths, larynxes, or faces. And if a new species should wish to be counted among the high and the mighty, if a new planet has produced some savage group of animals, machines, or algae that claim to be, against all odds, sentient? Well, then they will have to compete. And if they fail? Sudden extermination for their entire species. This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny—they must sing. Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes have been chosen to represent their planet on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.

This book addresses the need to rethink the concept and enactment of professionalism in music, and how such concepts underpin professional higher music education. There is an urgent imperative to enable the potential of professional musicians in our contemporary societies to be more fully realised, recognising both intense challenges that are currently threatening some traditional music practices, and significant scope for new practices to be imagined in response to deep veins of societal need. Professionalism encompasses the conduct, aims, values, responsibilities and ongoing development of a practising professional in the field. Professional higher music education engages both with providing future professionals with relevant education in particular craft skills, and with nurturing their visions for their work as artists in future societies. The major focus of the book is on performance traditions that have dominated professional higher education, notably western classical music.

"The fourth edition incorporates new scholarship that traces the most important developments in the evolution of musical drama. After surveying anticipations of the operatic form in the lyric theater of the Greeks, medieval dramatic music, and other forerunners, the book reveals the genre's beginnings in the seventeenth century and follows its progress to the present day."--Jacket.

The Space Opera Megapack collects 20 classic and modern stories, ranging from galaxy-spanning epics by E.E. "Doc" Smith and John W. Campbell, Jr. to modern interpretations by Jay Lake, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Tim Sullivan, and more! Included are: BREATH'S DUTY, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller SPAWN OF JUPITER, by E. C. Tubb KILLER ADVICE, by Kristine Kathryn Rusch THE WORLD WITH A THOUSAND MOONS by Edmond Hamilton THE SKYLARK OF SPACE, by E.E. “Doc” Smith DEADLINE IN SPACE, by John Russell Fearn PLANETESIMAL DAWN, by Tim Sullivan THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY, THE LIGHTNESS OF THE FUTURE, by Jay Lake BIG PILL, by Raymond Z. Gallun WHERE ARE YOU, MR. BIGGS?, by Nelson S. Bond THE SKY TRAP, by Frank Belknap Long CHANGE OF COMMAND, by Jean Lorrah TULAN, by C.C. MacApp THE BLACK STAR PASSES, by John W. Campbell, Jr. THE GALAXY PRIMES, by E.E. “Doc” Smith TARRANO THE CONQUEROR, by Ray Cummings THE SARGASSO OF SPACE, by Edmond Hamilton SALVAGE IN SPACE, by Jack Williamson THE ULTIMATE WEAPON, by John W. Campbell, Jr. INVADERS FROM THE OUTER SUNS, by Frank Belknap Long, Jr. And if you enjoy this volume, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see all the other entries in this great series, covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, westerns, classics -- and much, much more!