The story of opera

A concise historical and practical survey that defines opera and traces its development from early experiments through the major national schools and stylistic shifts. It profiles influential reformers and composers, contrasts forms such as opera buffa, grand opera, and romantic/national traditions, and discusses the changing relationship between music and drama. Chapters explain how to listen to and appreciate operatic works, and appendices assemble reference material, repertory information, and comparative data on institutional support for opera.