Puccini: La Bohème
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Puccini: La Bohème
Buy for $6.08
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
David Timson
-
By:
-
Thomson Smillie
About this listen
La Bohème is one of the three operas - the others are Carmen and Aida - believed to be the most popular ever written. In the case of La Bohème the reason is that it virtually defines the term "romantic". The poignant story of Mimì and Rodolfo is told in music of such tender beauty, allied, as always, to Puccini’s intuition of what works in the theatre. The result is an opera that readily appeals to our emotions and senses.
"Che gelida manina - Your tiny hand is frozen..." The moment when Mimì and Rodolfo meet and first touch is one of the very great moments of opera - created by the master hand of Giacomo Puccini, who unerringly trod the fine line between romance and sentimentality.
Thomson Smillie outlines the background to the opera, explaining how painstakingly the composer worked to achieve this effect. An absorbing introduction both for those approaching La Bohème for the first time and for those wanting to know a bit more than just the big arias.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2002 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2002 Naxos AudioBooksListeners also enjoyed...
-
Puccini: Madame Butterfly
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Madama Butterfly runs the gamut of operatic emotions. The title heroine has a fragility wonderfully expressed in her entry music, deep sexual instincts as shown in the love duet, and immense tragic stature in her last hours. The fate of Madama Butterfly - married to an American sailor and then abandoned - engages our emotions to a degree equaled by few other opera heroines. The oriental setting and the exquisite orchestral and choral writings are treasured bonuses.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent introduction to a classic opera
- By Jason Monaghan on 08-06-18
By: Thomson Smillie
-
La Traviata
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
La Traviata owes its enduring popularity to a superb story of young love and fatal sacrifice, set to music by Italy’s master melodist at the peak of his powers. Interest and poignancy are added by the fact that this is a true story - the baritone ‘heavy’ is Alexander Dumas who wrote The Count of Monte Cristo. But it is the central figure, the heroine Violetta, the archetypal ‘whore with the heart of gold’ who dominates the piece. It is her opera and we love her for it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Superb Synopsis
- By opera4steph on 02-04-21
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Tosca
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 19
Tosca is Puccini at the peak of his theatrical power. The story of the jealous, impassioned opera singer Floria Tosca and her doomed love for the painter Mario Cavaradossi is played out against backgrounds both historically and geographically overwhelming. It is set in three great and historical locations of Rome during the Napoleonic era. Spectacle, sensuality, and cruelty battle for our attention in one of the most truly "action-packed" works of theatre. Enticing us with just a couple of the "great tunes" from this deeply affecting opera, David Timson then begins setting the biographical and operatic scene.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent introduction to Tosca
- By T. Angell on 03-12-16
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Verdi: Il Trovatore
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Il Trovatore has been ruthlessly parodied. It is a tale of murder and mayhem, burned babies, roasted hags, would-be nuns, strolling minstrels, and bad baritones. And indeed the libretto does call for a willing suspension of disbelief. The reward is in the music, a score as prodigally melodic as only the mature Verdi could write: the "Anvil" chorus, the "Miserere" scene, two great tenor arias, a beautiful baritone aria - a richness without embarrassment.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 1 min
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
Pagliacci may be the most completely compelling short opera in the repertory and owes much of its impact to a brilliant story based, it is said, on true life and told through the device of a play-within-a-play. The action is set in Calabria in the deep south of Italy where the jealousies and illicit passions of a troupe of strolling actors precisely intersect with the play they are performing - to both touching and tragic effect.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
La sonnambula
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5
La sonnambula was written by Bellini as a vehicle for two of the supreme singers of his age and accordingly is a fine example of the school we call bel canto, where beauty of voice and the virtuosity of the singers is integral to conveying the emotions in the soul of the composer. The fact that Bellini was one of the great melodists, writing long, beautiful vocal lines, that he was a master orchestrator and that he could write stirringly for the chorus all conspire to make La sonnambula extremely enjoyable.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Puccini: Madame Butterfly
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Madama Butterfly runs the gamut of operatic emotions. The title heroine has a fragility wonderfully expressed in her entry music, deep sexual instincts as shown in the love duet, and immense tragic stature in her last hours. The fate of Madama Butterfly - married to an American sailor and then abandoned - engages our emotions to a degree equaled by few other opera heroines. The oriental setting and the exquisite orchestral and choral writings are treasured bonuses.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent introduction to a classic opera
- By Jason Monaghan on 08-06-18
By: Thomson Smillie
-
La Traviata
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
La Traviata owes its enduring popularity to a superb story of young love and fatal sacrifice, set to music by Italy’s master melodist at the peak of his powers. Interest and poignancy are added by the fact that this is a true story - the baritone ‘heavy’ is Alexander Dumas who wrote The Count of Monte Cristo. But it is the central figure, the heroine Violetta, the archetypal ‘whore with the heart of gold’ who dominates the piece. It is her opera and we love her for it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Superb Synopsis
- By opera4steph on 02-04-21
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Tosca
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 19
Tosca is Puccini at the peak of his theatrical power. The story of the jealous, impassioned opera singer Floria Tosca and her doomed love for the painter Mario Cavaradossi is played out against backgrounds both historically and geographically overwhelming. It is set in three great and historical locations of Rome during the Napoleonic era. Spectacle, sensuality, and cruelty battle for our attention in one of the most truly "action-packed" works of theatre. Enticing us with just a couple of the "great tunes" from this deeply affecting opera, David Timson then begins setting the biographical and operatic scene.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent introduction to Tosca
- By T. Angell on 03-12-16
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Verdi: Il Trovatore
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Il Trovatore has been ruthlessly parodied. It is a tale of murder and mayhem, burned babies, roasted hags, would-be nuns, strolling minstrels, and bad baritones. And indeed the libretto does call for a willing suspension of disbelief. The reward is in the music, a score as prodigally melodic as only the mature Verdi could write: the "Anvil" chorus, the "Miserere" scene, two great tenor arias, a beautiful baritone aria - a richness without embarrassment.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 1 min
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
Pagliacci may be the most completely compelling short opera in the repertory and owes much of its impact to a brilliant story based, it is said, on true life and told through the device of a play-within-a-play. The action is set in Calabria in the deep south of Italy where the jealousies and illicit passions of a troupe of strolling actors precisely intersect with the play they are performing - to both touching and tragic effect.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
La sonnambula
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5
La sonnambula was written by Bellini as a vehicle for two of the supreme singers of his age and accordingly is a fine example of the school we call bel canto, where beauty of voice and the virtuosity of the singers is integral to conveying the emotions in the soul of the composer. The fact that Bellini was one of the great melodists, writing long, beautiful vocal lines, that he was a master orchestrator and that he could write stirringly for the chorus all conspire to make La sonnambula extremely enjoyable.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Tancredi
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
Rossini’s comic operas, like The Barber of Seville, are better known than his tragedies though he wrote in fact many more tragedies than comedies. One of them, his last, William Tell, is actually credited with launching the whole age of Grand Opéra. Tancredi is an early work - indeed his first smash hit - and it established his international fame.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Mozart: The Magic Flute
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
The Magic Flute almost defines a masterpiece, because it can be enjoyed on every level. It is a superb fairy story, complete with dragons, demons, a handsome prince, and a lovely maiden seriously in need of rescue; it is a political satire, social commentary, and psychological drama; it is full of tunes from the playful to the heart-stopping, jolly songs, and deeply spiritual outpourings. It is, in short, "Mozart" - and there is no greater compliment than that.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
The sublime and the ridiculous
- By Adeliese Baumann on 04-19-13
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Verdi: Rigoletto
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Rigoletto is simply wonderful entertainment with superb music. It is also much more - a daring (for its time) attack on aristocratic privilege, a tender love story, and an impassioned appeal on behalf of the disadvantaged, all set to music of such wealth and beauty that, with its sister operas La traviata and Il trovatore, it has defined Italian opera for 150 years. Overcoming initial trouble with the censors, Verdi's Rigoletto was a smash hit at its premiere and has not been out of the repertoire since. It’s not hard to see why.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fun intro (or recap) of the opera
- By EmilyK on 05-24-18
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
Many opera-lovers would name The Marriage of Figaro as their favorite opera. It appeals to the most intellectual listener, but also to music-lovers seeking great melodies and ensembles (while it remains accessible through its fascinating plot and memorable characters) and to those seeking only entertainment. One of three operas by Mozart to libretti by Lorenzo da Ponte, it represents one of the pinnacles not just of operatic but of human achievement.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not the audio that it promised.
- By Chelsea on 01-22-16
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Orfeo: Opera Explained
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Monteverdi’s Orfeo, first performed in 1607, generates a special excitement because it is the first unquestioned masterpiece of opera. Notable for its precise orchestration and powerful drama it was a groundbreaking work. It concerns the legend of Orpheus, the demigod whose music had the power to conquer the forces of Hell and to bring his wife back, briefly, to life. The extracts used in this introduction are from Naxos’ full recording; it uses authentic period instruments, which serve to evoke the early Baroque period of the opera’s composition.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Carmen
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18
Carmen is among the most popular operas for all the obvious reasons: great characters, a gripping story, and fabulous music. But what sets it on a pinnacle is an amazing combination of three factors: a sizzling Gipsy heroine (one of the most psychologically complex and compelling characters in all theatre), great atmosphere (Spain, hot sun, the bull-ring), and the prodigality of melodic invention - one great tune after another, at least a dozen of which are the staples of Madison Avenue and the animated cartoon.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Passion, power, and truth
- By Adeliese Baumann on 12-08-13
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Die Fledermaus
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 9
Die Fledermaus is one of the few operatic works to which the phrase "never a dull moment" can be truthfully applied. From the explosive opening of the famous overture - reminiscent of a volley of champagne corks - through the surging energy of the "Fledermaus Waltz" and the many comic numbers, of which the accelerando trio is the finest, up to such huge concerted numbers as the "Duidu" finale to Act II, this is an operetta which almost incarnates nostalgia. Thomson Smillie and David Timson infuse their exploration of Die Fledermaus with as much life as the operetta itself.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Revenge of the bat
- By Adeliese Baumann on 12-08-13
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Verdi: Aida
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Ancient Egypt and the war with Ethiopia is the setting for Verdi’s grandest opera. It is the story of the love between Rhadames, the Egyptian general, and Aida, an Ethiopian slave, and the jealousy of Amneris, daughter of the King of Egypt. It was written in 1871 to a commission from the Khedive of Egypt to inaugurate the new opera house in Cairo. Aida generally is considered one of the most spectacular of Verdi’s operas.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Verdi: Falstaff
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 18 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 6
Verdi’s Falstaff repays careful study with real pleasure. It is opera’s happiest irony that the great Italian master should cap a career - distinguished for its blood-and-thunder tragic masterpieces - with the greatest comic opera in the Italian repertory. The genius of Shakespeare is harnessed (in a miracle of compression) by master-librettist Boito to give the 80-year-old Verdi a superb libretto, on which he lavished more wonderful tunes than most composers manage in a lifetime.
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Cavalleria Rusticana
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9
Cavalleria rusticana is the short opera that has all the elements of a grand opera compressed into a single highly dramatic time span. The story of love, lust, blood-feud, and betrayal played out against the pageantry of the Easter celebrations in a Sicilian village delivers an emotional wallop because of the youthful vigor and musical wealth of its great score which includes the glorious "Easter Hymn" and the deeply moving "Intermezzo". Mascagni was never to repeat his youthful success but this brief work is enough to ensure his immortality.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enjoy the opera as it was meant to be
- By Essam on 04-05-15
By: Thomson Smillie
-
The Barber of Seville
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
The Barber of Seville is Rossini’s most popular opera. Its effervescent overture (written originally for another work!) presents a perfect platform for the amusing plot in which the barber, Figaro, stage-manages a romance between Count Almaviva and Rosina, and puts to flight the old suitor, Dr Bartolo. "Largo al Factotum" is one of the most popular arias in opera - nearly 200 years after its first performance it is still one of the great show-stoppers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
To the point with a nice narrator
- By Jimena on 03-07-22
By: Thomson Smillie
-
Puccini: Turandot
- By: Thomson Smillie
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18
Puccini’s swansong has a claim to being the last great popular opera. Its melodies have enchanted audiences since its posthumous premiere in 1926, two years after Puccini’s death. It involves a chilling story of love and cruelty, an intriguing cast of characters against the exotic backdrop of Imperial China, magnificent choruses and ensembles, and dazzling orchestration in an exotic score that comprises a string of remarkable arias - among which the great tenor aria "Nessun dorma" is the jewel. It is more than Puccini’s last opera: It is the last word, in every sense, on Italian opera.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fire and ice, hope and blood
- By Adeliese Baumann on 12-05-13
By: Thomson Smillie
Editorial reviews
One of the most popular operas to ever be written, La Bohème combines high-spirited antics with one of the most tender and romantic scenes ever performed onstage. Through narrator David Timson's graceful performance, Thomson Smillie outlines the background to the opera, explaining how Puccini created its exquisite moments of beauty, expertly treading the fine line between romance and sentimentality. Listeners approaching La Bohème as novices will find themselves experiencing a moment of frisson when Mimì and Rodolfo meet for the first time.
Related to this topic
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 627
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 587
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 587
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
- By: Lorraine Hansberry
- Narrated by: Oscar Isaac, Rachel Brosnahan, Gus Birney, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 41
Fresh off the success of her groundbreaking first play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window tells the tragicomic story of a young bohemian couple in New York's Greenwich Village, struggling to do what's right in a world that rewards everything that's wrong. Sidney is a dreamer who wants his own Walden Pond; Iris is a budding actress whose own backstory is a performance. They're caught in a moment where, "the world is about to crack right down the middle," as the play tackles racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, liberal complacency, and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Reflection of our 20th Century Past in America
- By Robert on 11-21-24
-
The Godfather: A Film We Can't Refuse
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Rebecca Keegan
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 229
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 208
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 208
With exclusive insights from the legendary cast, including Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire, and commentary from a diverse array of film experts and ardent aficionados, we dissect the film’s magnetic allure and its pervasive influence across our culture. Journey alongside Rebecca Keegan, acclaimed senior film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, as she explores the heart of this cinematic masterpiece through a new lens.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Deep dive into The Godfather
- By C.F. on 08-28-24
-
Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 86
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 77
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Masterful weave of the personal and political
- By Trevor M. on 10-26-24
By: David Hare, and others
-
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Marvelous Land of Oz Bundle (Annotated)
- By: Lyman Frank Baum
- Narrated by: Whitney Gardner
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 101
Book 1: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known and loved today as simply The Wizard of Oz, is a tale that has been cherished by readers and listeners throughout the years. This timeless story has inspired Broadway shows, cartoon series, and many films over the past few generations. I hope that this book has inspired your sense of creativity and wonder as much as it has mine.
By: Lyman Frank Baum
-
The Energy Curfew Music Hour
- By: Chris Thile, Claire Coffee, Punch Brothers
- Narrated by: Chris Thile, Punch Brothers
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 29
It’s time to unplug with the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers, fronted by singer-mandolinist Chris Thile, as they bring you a multi-episode musical variety show with dazzling musical guests, like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, James Taylor, and many more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gifted musicians and storytellers right in their element and at the height of their powers
- By Megan G Kahl on 10-27-24
By: Chris Thile, and others
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 627
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 587
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 587
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
- By: Lorraine Hansberry
- Narrated by: Oscar Isaac, Rachel Brosnahan, Gus Birney, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 41
Fresh off the success of her groundbreaking first play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window tells the tragicomic story of a young bohemian couple in New York's Greenwich Village, struggling to do what's right in a world that rewards everything that's wrong. Sidney is a dreamer who wants his own Walden Pond; Iris is a budding actress whose own backstory is a performance. They're caught in a moment where, "the world is about to crack right down the middle," as the play tackles racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, liberal complacency, and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Reflection of our 20th Century Past in America
- By Robert on 11-21-24
-
The Godfather: A Film We Can't Refuse
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Rebecca Keegan
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 229
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 208
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 208
With exclusive insights from the legendary cast, including Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire, and commentary from a diverse array of film experts and ardent aficionados, we dissect the film’s magnetic allure and its pervasive influence across our culture. Journey alongside Rebecca Keegan, acclaimed senior film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, as she explores the heart of this cinematic masterpiece through a new lens.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Deep dive into The Godfather
- By C.F. on 08-28-24
-
Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 86
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 77
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Masterful weave of the personal and political
- By Trevor M. on 10-26-24
By: David Hare, and others
-
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Marvelous Land of Oz Bundle (Annotated)
- By: Lyman Frank Baum
- Narrated by: Whitney Gardner
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 101
Book 1: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known and loved today as simply The Wizard of Oz, is a tale that has been cherished by readers and listeners throughout the years. This timeless story has inspired Broadway shows, cartoon series, and many films over the past few generations. I hope that this book has inspired your sense of creativity and wonder as much as it has mine.
By: Lyman Frank Baum
-
The Energy Curfew Music Hour
- By: Chris Thile, Claire Coffee, Punch Brothers
- Narrated by: Chris Thile, Punch Brothers
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 29
It’s time to unplug with the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers, fronted by singer-mandolinist Chris Thile, as they bring you a multi-episode musical variety show with dazzling musical guests, like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, James Taylor, and many more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gifted musicians and storytellers right in their element and at the height of their powers
- By Megan G Kahl on 10-27-24
By: Chris Thile, and others
-
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 825
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 692
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 695
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
-
A Streetcar Named Desire
- By: Tennessee Williams
- Narrated by: Carla Gugino, Audra McDonald
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,229
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,086
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,078
With Emmy, Grammy, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Blanche DuBois alongside Carla Gugino as Stella, O’Hara takes a fresh and visceral look at the emotionally charged relationship between these two iconic sisters. Haunted by her past, Blanche seeks refuge with Stella and Stanley (Ariel Shafir) in New Orleans, where she wrestles with the nature of her sister’s husband, her sister’s denial, and her own unraveling mind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Classic With Fresh Insight
- By Talia Shafir on 12-04-20
-
Song of the Northwoods
- By: Jessica Huang
- Narrated by: Michele Selene Ang, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Emma Kikue, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 3,899
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 3,574
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 3,563
After a betrayal at work costs Song Kuan her job, she retreats to her friend Lucy’s idyllic family cabin on a lake in Minnesota to lick her wounds. She devotes herself to recording Ice Cold Cases, a true-crime podcast that she and Lucy cohost with the gleeful energy of obsessed fans—until an anonymous tip about a missing-person case disrupts their equilibrium. Then Lucy disappears, leaving Song alone in an unfriendly and unfamiliar town where locals don’t take kindly to strangers asking questions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Asians in MN! I loved it. The vivid sounds of Northern Minnesota totally took me there, and I was hooked into the mystery.
- By Sheila Morris on 04-26-22
By: Jessica Huang
-
Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,920
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,640
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,635
In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,067
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,839
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,835
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
The Chris Farley Show
- A Biography in Three Acts
- By: Tom Farley, Tanner Colby
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer, L. J. Ganser, Mark Boyett
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,381
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,115
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,102
The New York Times best-selling biography of an American comedy legend. After three years of sobriety, Chris Farley's life was at its creative peak until a string of professional disappointments chased him back to drugs and alcohol. He fought hard against them, but it was a fight he would lose in December 1997. Farley's fans immediately drew parallels between his death and that of his idol, John Belushi. Without looking deeper, however, many failed to see that Farley was much more than just another Hollywood drug overdose. In this officially authorized oral history, Farley's friends and family remember his work and life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Incredibly sad....
- By Marie B on 04-12-15
By: Tom Farley, and others