Opera, for those not acquainted with its conventions, can be confounding. This book contains analyses of the stories and music of nine beloved operas, presented in chronological order from the late 1700s through the early 1900s. These works are most readily approached with an understanding of the conventions of the genres, as well as the social conditions that influenced the composers and librettists. In examining each work, the various genres are explained, and the popular and intellectual movements that influenced the operas are discussed, as well as the original source material. The operas covered in the text are Mozart's The Magic Flute, Beethoven's Fidelio, Donizetti's Lucia de Lammermoor, Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, Verdi's Rigoletto, Bizet's Carmen, Leonvacallo's Pagliacci, Strauss' Salome, and Brecht's The Threepenny Opera.

Giacomo Puccini, composer of some of the world's most popular operas, including La Boheme, Tosca, and Madame Butterfly, was also a highly literary person who based his librettos on existing works of literature. This work explores that literary inheritance in an effort to enhance the listener's appreciation of the operatic experience. The author argues that the majority of Puccini's operas compose a grand cycle that finds its roots in the romance genre of 12th century France, serving to celebrate the strong, independent heroine. Via a close examination of the source works, the librettos, and the scores, this book offers fresh perspective on Puccini's legacy.