Part I of this book is a short review of the classical part of representation theory. The main chapters of representation theory are discussed: representations of finite and compact groups, finite- and infinite-dimensional representations of Lie groups. It is a typical feature of this survey that the structure of the theory is carefully exposed - the reader can easily see the essence of the theory without being overwhelmed by details. The final chapter is devoted to the method of orbits for different types of groups. Part II deals with representation of Virasoro and Kac-Moody algebra. The second part of the book deals with representations of Virasoro and Kac-Moody algebra. The wealth of recent results on representations of infinite-dimensional groups is presented.

For mathematicians working in group theory, the study of the many infinite-dimensional groups has been carried out in an individual and non-coherent way. For the first time, these apparently disparate groups have been placed together, in order to construct the `big picture'. This book successfully gives an account of this - and shows how such seemingly dissimilar types such as the various groups of operators on Hilbert spaces, or current groups are shown to belong to a bigger entitity. This is a ground-breaking text will be important reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate mathematicians.

Part I of this book is a short review of the classical part of representation theory. The main chapters of representation theory are discussed: representations of finite and compact groups, finite- and infinite-dimensional representations of Lie groups. It is a typical feature of this survey that the structure of the theory is carefully exposed - the reader can easily see the essence of the theory without being overwhelmed by details. The final chapter is devoted to the method of orbits for different types of groups. Part II deals with representation of Virasoro and Kac-Moody algebra. The second part of the book deals with representations of Virasoro and Kac-Moody algebra. The wealth of recent results on representations of infinite-dimensional groups is presented.