Mantrip: 29 books

"Rigoletto", a piece famous for the aria that compared women with reeds along bright and lively rhythms, is actually the most socially critical opera among Verdi's numerous works. Verdi created a sensation by choosing the baritone humback father character as the main character. Let's learn more about the masterpiece by Verdi, "Rigoletto".

Australia is a country that loves nature as to insert its specialty animals such as kangaroos and emus into the national crest, while pursuing convenience of civilization. This culture is deeply influenced by the philosophy of the native tribe "Aborigine" who conformed to nature and did...

Puccini's masterpiece, "La Boheme", is a love story which begins on Christmas Eve. The story of youngsters who experience all kinds of love, joy and pain throughout poverty has been loved by many people as much to be adapted as the Broadway musical "Rent". Now, we will explore...

The opera "Norma" is a pieced adored by the composer Bellini, who said "I want to protect this Norma no matter what". Evidently, it is evaluated as the piece which brought about the renaissance and the climax of bel canto operas that were losing its strength in the 20th century....

 "Carmen" is a love story between the passionate gypsie Carmen and the naïve and stubborn Don Jose at Sevilia of Spain. We now look at "Carmen", the hit work of the French composer Georges Bizet.  An icon of temptation, Carmen who is always accompanying with...

"La Traviata" is a tragic love story in which Violeta, a lady from the high society of Paris falls in love with an aristrocrat Alfredo, but break up because of the gap between the two's social rankings. Violeta dies at last. Through the famous arias of "Libiamo ne'lieti calci (Brindisi)",...

Vietnamese people tend to be gentle yet show strong independence. Also, rather than saving face, they focus on practical interests and prioritize reality to the past. Let's explore the representative symbols and culture of Vietnam, the country that values practicality and reality.

What is the reason behind elephants being considered as sacred and mystical creatures in Thailand? It is because the virtues required by almost every religion can be found in the characteristics of elephants. Thailand is a true Buddhist country with millions of Buddhist temples and monks respected...

Opera "Tosca" is about a tragic love story of a woman whose destiny is changed overnight in Rome during the Napoleon War, right after the French Revolution. Let's explore "Tosca" by Puccini, a heavy and dark story presented in a coldly beautiful melody, of the hero being executed and the heroine committing suicide.

Puccini's "Turandot" is well known for the aria named "Nesson dorma". The composer Puccini worked on this piece for years but at last died before completing it, leaving the piece to become his very last piece and an unfinished one. "Turandot" is the world's most dangerous...

"Pagliacci" is the opera famous for the aria "Vesti la giubba", lamenting about his situation to put on make-up and force a smile for the play even after witnessing his wife's betrayal. Let's take a closer look at "Pagliacci", the representative piece of verismo operas...

"L'elisir D'amore" is a dynamic opera composed of rapid intersections between major and minor notes along with mixtures of lively music and lyrical melody, without any moment to get bored, entertaining the audience from beginning to end. Listen to the magical story made possible by the pure...

"Die Zauberflote", with the famous aria of "Queen of the Night", is the last masterpiece of the genius composer Mozart with the fairytale-like plot and the beautiful music completing the enjoyable piece. As a piece composed for the German commoners who could not understand the...

Who could possible know a person better than his or her parents? We will read the letters of the great men from Chosun, who were "fathers" before they were scholars, officers and writers. What kind of letter did Lee Hwang (Toegye, 1501-1570), scholar and civil servant from the mid-Chosun...