The rough guide to opera

The Rough Guide to Operais a unique handbook on the most thrilling of art forms, spanning four hundred years of music drama. Features include: Livelybiographical sketches of some 150 composers, from Claudio Monteverdi to Poul Ruders, detailing the main events of their careers and revealing their social and musical context. Entertainingaccounts of hundreds of operas, both the famous and neglected, each with a clear synopsis and a lively essay. IncisiveCD reviews, covering the latest digital recordings as well as dozens of classic historical sets. A who's whoof the finest singers and conductors on record, from historical figures like Caruso, Callas and Toscanini to present-day stars like Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming and Daniel Barenboim. Superbphotographs, drawings and CD cover images.