In Ticket to the Opera, Phil G. Goulding finally makes the magic and mystique of opera accessible to all. Here he offers a complete operatic education, including history, definitions of key musical terms, opera lore and gossip, portraits of famous singers and the roles they immortalized, as well as pithy introductions to the greatest operas of Europe and America and their composers. The books centerpiece is what Goulding terms “the collection”85 classics, among them Aida, The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, and Madama Butterfly, that have been packing the worlds opera houses for years. This entertaining, meticulously researched book also includes a fascinating chapter on American opera from George Gershwins Porgy and Bess to Philip Glasss Einstein on the Beach and a discussion of the gems of twentieth-century opera featuring works like Leos Janceks The Cunning Little Vixen, Alban Bergs Lulu, and Serge Prokofievs The Love for Three Oranges.

Whether youre a curious neophyte, a music lover interested in branching out, or an aficionado eager to compare notes with a brilliant fellow opera buff, youll prize Ticket to the Opera as an essential volume in your music library.