Opera

About the Book

"Opera: You Never Knew You Loved It!" was written in direct response to people who have attended opera courses and lectures given by the author, Gerry Brody. In addition, many felt "cheated" that they could not pick-up Gerry's popular radio program "The Joy of Opera." The book's title emanated from a comment of one of Mr. Brody's students who wrote that he "…never knew he loved opera" until he took the course and suggested that the "…next best thing" be a book. Though this 123 page primer weaves a historical time-line and relevant auto-biographical vignettes together in a down-to-earth fashion, it is a comprehensive and scholarly work incorporating recommendations of CD recordings and corresponding videos, simple tips for audio equipment maintenance, a reader-friendly glossary of terms and a basic bibliography for further study. The book concludes with a projection of the nebulous future of Opera within the context of the rapidly changing demographic shift in the United States. "Opera: You Never Knew You Loved It!" should be the very first step in what could be a memorable journey through a unique vocal art form.

About the Author

Gerry Brody is known to his radio audience as "Opera's Regular Guy," a title bestowed on him by a listener who was pleasantly surprised that a "real person" could also be an "opera expert." Mr. Brody was a childhood piano prodigy who gradually took primary liking to the human voice in full glory, a.k.a. Opera. "The Joy of Opera," which incorporates "predominately vintage vinyl," shares recordings from Gerry's enormous personal collection: the very popular weekly program, one of the longest running Opera shows in Florida, began in 1993. With his book, the author seeks to reach and "convert" an audience beyond the scope of his radio frequency and area courses. Gerry also has a piano CD, including original compositions, called "Uniquely Gerry Brody: The Orchestral Piano."