Now available in an affordable paperback format, "The Story of Opera" celebrates the 400-year history of opera. With separate chapters devoted to the great national schools of opera - Italian, German, French, and Russian - it tells the stories of composers, librettists, impresarios, singers, conductors, and even audiences. Beautifully illustrated with historical images and a wealth of photographs from notable contemporary productions, this book offers both an introduction to the general reader and fresh insights for longtime buffs.