Author: Simon Morrison

Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953), arguably the most popular composer of the twentieth century, led a life of triumph and tragedy. The story of his prodigious childhood in tsarist Russia, maturation in th …

On a freezing night in January 2013, an assailant hurled acid in the face of the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, Sergei Filin. The crime, organized by a lead soloist, dragged one of Russia’s …

Sergey Prokofiev was one of the twentieth century’s greatest composers–and one of its greatest mysteries. Until now. In The People’s Artist, Simon Morrison draws on groundbreaking research to illumi …

Funeral Games in Honor of Arthur Vincent Louri? explores the varied aesthetic impulses and ever-evolving personal motivations of Russian composer Arthur Louri?. A St. Petersburg native allied with th …

Sergey Prokofiev was one of the twentieth century’s greatest composers–and one of its greatest mysteries. Until now. In The People’s Artist, Simon Morrison draws on groundbreaking research to illumi …

This account of the renowned composer’s neglected wife—including her years in a Soviet prison—is “a story both riveting and wrenching” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). …

From Las Vegas to Moscow and from New York to Bolton, these are 50 unbelievably true tales of high living and low-cost slumming with a cast that includes Paul Oakenfold, Fatboy Slim, Coolio, Dave Cou …

As heard on Radio 4 Book of the Week Lina Prokofiev was alone in her Moscow apartment one night when the telephone rang. The caller insisted that she come downstairs to collect a parcel, but when she …

In this “incredibly rich” (New York Times) definitive history of the Bolshoi Ballet, visionary performances onstage compete with political machinations backstage. A critical triumph, Simon Morrison’s …

An innovative contribution to Scriabin studies, covering aspects of Scriabin’s life, personality, beliefs, training, creative output, and interaction with contemporary Russian culture. This book is a …

An aesthetic, historical, and theoretical study of four scores, Russian Opera and the Symbolist Movement is a groundbreaking and imaginative treatment of the important yet neglected topic of Russian …

A stunning musical biography of Stevie Nicks that paints a portrait of an artist, not a caricature of a superstar. Reflective and expansive,   Mirror in the Sky situates Stevie Nicks as one …

Os segredos do balé russo desde o regime tsarista até os dias de hoje. Em uma noite gelada de janeiro de 2013, um homem encapuzado atirou ácido no rosto do diretor artístico do Balé Bolshoi. O crime …

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel The Gambler is one of the most profound literary works to treat the phenomenon of gambling with a remarkable depth of psychological analysis and a wide-ranging cultural and …

Acclaimed for treading new ground in operatic studies of the period, Simon Morrison’s influential and now-classic text explores music and the occult during the Russian Symbolist movement. Including p …