Amadeus Press, LLC
Classes in classical ballet. (reprint, 1972)
Asaf Messerer helped found the Bolshoi school of Ballet. This manual for instructors, originally published in 1972, comprises plans for six distinct and complete classes that vary technical emphasis to the benefit of the dancer's skill and well-roundedness. Each class begins with barre exercises and concludes with exercises for the center, and some b&w photographs demonstrate techniques. Additional material includes a reflection on classes by the author, a biographical sketch of Messerer by Ella Bocharnikova, photographs from the Bolshoi, and a complete list of the author's credits. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Debussy; the quiet revolutionary. (CD included)
Aimed at general readers, this book describes the music of Claude Debussy, including chapters on listening to his music, influences, and his life. Lederer discusses Debussy's orchestral pieces, piano works, his opera Pelléas et Mélisande, songs, and chamber works, with discussion of their origins, character, musical inspiration, and narrative descriptions of specific parts of the works. Selections on the CD include Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, excerpts from Pelléas et Mélisande, the piano preludes, and the Cello Sonata in D minor. There is no index. Lederer is a critical writer on music and other cultural issues. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
How to rehearse when there is no rehearsal; acting and the media.
Spivak, an actress and coach, presents a guide to developing and building a character when there is no real rehearsal, providing 11 steps for character development that are based on the Stanislavsky System. She describes the system, the importance of rehearsal, and strategies for reading the script, developing relationships, writing a character background, and other elements to use when developing a character. The final section presents a condensed description of the steps and tips on working with directors, doing camera takes, and auditions. Indexes are by name, films and television programs, and plays. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Producing theatre; a comprehensive legal and business guide, 3d rev.ed.
Theatrical attorney Farber explains the legal and business issues involved in producing for the theatre. Fourteen chapters address such topics as obtaining performance rights, finding investors, and negotiating with unions. A number of sample legal forms and contracts are provided in the appendix, which accounts for more than half of the volume. Included are a Literary Purchase Agreement, an Approved Production Contract for Musical Plays, and a Preliminary Offering Circular, among others. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Sibelius; the orchestral music, an owner's manual. (CD included)
For music lovers, this volume surveys the orchestral works of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), accompanied by two CDs of some of the pieces discussed. These include Symphonies No. 3 and 7. Hurwitz describes in detail the composer's musical language and use of instruments, the symphonies and Violin Concerto, and in briefer discussions, the tone poems, short works and vocal settings with orchestra, and theatrical works and suites. Throughout the book, he provides brief introductions to the work of other Finnish composers, some of which are provided on the second CD for comparison and to demonstrate Sibelius' unique style. There is no index or bibliography. The title on the cover and spine is Sibelius: The Orchestral Works, while that on the title page is Sibelius: The Orchestral Music. Hurwitz is founder and executive editor of Classicstoday.com and has commentated for NPR. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
