Grove Book of Operas

First published in 1996 to great critical and popular acclaim, The Grove Book of Operas brings together synopses and descriptions of over 250 leading operas, complemented by more than one hundred illustrations and halftones. Each succinct yet insightful entry is written by a leading authority on the opera and includes a full synopsis of the plot, a cast list, a note on the singers in the original production, and information on the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Contributions conclude with a brief comment on the particular work's place in operatic history. A glossary offers brief and accessible definitions of terms that may be unfamiliar to the reader. And indices of role names and of arias and ensembles allow the reader to find operas containing their favorite aria or a well-known character. This second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas and a fascinating introductory essay by David Levin on opera performance in the 21st century. Recent additions to the operatic repertory included for the first time in this edition include Nicholas Maw, Sophie's Choice; Poul Ruders, A Handmaid's Tale; John Adams, Death of Klinghoffer; and Mark Adamo, Little Women. "Should be on every opera-lover's short list of indispensable reference books. Highly recommended." --Gary Hoffman, Opera Today "This work will significantly affect not only the way opera is enjoyed in the future, but the way it is made." --The Washington Post "All inquiries into Opera begin there from now on." --The San Francisco Examiner Chronicle "Offers more detail for the seasoned operaphile.... A versatile tool for research." --Opera News

The late Stanley Sadie was a leading musicologist, music critic, and editor. The music critic for The Times (1964-1981), he edited the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
Laura Macy is Editor-in-Chief of Grove Music. An active scholar, she has published widely and has given public lectures and radio commentary on the madrigal, female composers, and opera. She lives in the UK.