Responses to opera performances can be ecstatic and overpowering. Using insights from a variety of human sciences, Joseph Cone applies a 'stereo' perspective to explore how and why opera as a living performance affects our emotions so deeply. The second part of the book, which deals with cultural evolution, is up to date with recent music psychology, philosophy of music and opera, and recent evolutionary psychological thinking. A book like no other, Seeing Opera Anew is well-researched and scholarly, and also a pleasure to read.
Ellen Dissanayake, author of What Is Art For? and Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes From and Why
Joseph Cones Seeing Opera Anew strikes out many new connections between the arts, especially music-drama, and human nature. He lucidly scans about a score of masterpieces, discerning patterns outlined by evolutionary psychology and citing recent findings in anthropology and the psychology of emotions. In effect, he sketches out an enormous sphere of influences on our experiences in this, the most ambitious of the arts. Readers new to opera and established fans alike will find much to learn and enjoy in this truly multifaceted volume.
Brett Cooke, Professor of Russian, Texas A&M University
"This innovative and illuminating collection of short essays critically explores the history of opera through new realms of connection and serendipity. Cone has assembled a diverse representation of operatic style, period, and practice; inviting the reader to devolve further. Rich in imagery, colour, and anecdote, each essay situates an enduring operatic example within contemporary modalities, providing the art form with enhanced relevance, sustainability, and impact in an increasingly complex and challenging global market. Cone's innate knowledge, passion, and humor shine through, ensuring the storytelling remains inclusive and accessible to all readers. I highly recommend this publication as a key work that affords historic operatic practice a new 'home' within contemporary locales with surprising and compelling results."
Nicole Panizza, Assistant Professor, Music, Coventry University, UK
