{"product_id":"2940169900835","title":"Seven Classic Plays, Vol. 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eSeven great plays in one volume: Euripides' \u003ci\u003eMedea\u003c\/i\u003e, Shakespeare's \u003ci\u003eThe Tempest\u003c\/i\u003e, Moliere's \u003ci\u003eThe Imaginary Invalid\u003c\/i\u003e, Dumas' \u003ci\u003eCamille\u003c\/i\u003e, Ibsen's \u003ci\u003eAn Enemy of the People\u003c\/i\u003e, Shaw's \u003ci\u003eArms and the Man\u003c\/i\u003e, and Chekhov's \u003ci\u003eUncle Vanya\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese productions illustrate the development of European drama from ancient times to the threshold of the modern theater. A superb repertory company has been assembled for these recordings, all under the direction of veteran producer Yuri Rasovsky, who has won both the Audie Award for book production and the George Foster Peabody Award for broadcasting.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese are not mere readings. Rather, they are full performances using all the resources of audio to full advantage. Just as stage plays are \"opened up\" when adapted to film, so these selections create greater intimacy. \"Staginess\" is avoided, lively theatrics enhanced, while the substance of the works remains intact. For instance, in \u003ci\u003eArms and the Man\u003c\/i\u003e, audio makes possible the judicious integration of the author's witty scene settings, written for the published version of the play, with the play itself. This is the play that established Shaw's reputation as one of the greatest wits of the London drama scene.    \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMusic accounts for another noteworthy aspect of these productions. \u003ci\u003eThe Imaginary Invalid\u003c\/i\u003e employs the score that Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed for Moliere's own premiere. It is conducted by Steven Ovitsky, artistic director of the Milwaukee Symphony.    \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Tempest\u003c\/i\u003e, composed by Shakespeare as a multi-sensory theater experience, features music on Elizabethan instruments still extant from Shakespeare's own production, resulting in lyrical textual passages, overflowing with exotic images, tantalizing sounds, and a palpable lushness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Blackstone Audio production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blackstone Audio, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47150372258032,"sku":"2940169900835","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940169900835_p0.jpg?v=1769902239","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940169900835","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}