OPERA, COMPOSER, WORKS, PERFORMERS

338 comprehensive articles on the most important works in the history of the opera written by 16 international experts;
1,500 illustrations, most of them in color: historical sketches, photographs of performances and famous singers, etc.;
Previously unpublished set designs;
Detailed information on the content of acts and scenes;
History of the performance and reception of the works up to the present;
Excerpts of the musical notation for central musical themes and motifs;
Biographies of 124 opera composers;
The most important stages in the history of opera;
A subject index and an index of names;
A chronology of premieres, a catalog of works, and a glossary.

A book to browse through and discover new things in for anyone who enjoys opera: on over nine hundred beautifully illustrated pages, editor András Batta presents over 300 of the most important operas in the history of music.

Opera portrays the pieces included in their historical context and highlights key events in the history of music as well as important performances and interpretations. All important details including everything from the characters, sequences of scenes, and premieres through to examples of the sheet music for important motifs and popular songs can be researched.