The New Penguin Opera Guide (Penguin Reference Books)
In this update of her compact but thorough guide, first  published in 1993, opera translator Holden casts her net to  include operetta and musical theater. Ranging from opera's  beginnings in the 16th century to ventures that premiered as  late as the end of 2000, she offers about 850 articles arranged  alphabetically by composer. A tenth of these articles are new,  representing previously unexplored territory or operas that have  appeared since the earlier title. Familiar operas are addressed,  as are those on the fringes of the repertoire and contributions  by composers probably recognized only in their homelands (e.g.,  C.L. Dieter, P. Hadjiev, and J. Ruzitska). Performers are,  however, excluded. After giving biographical information and  background on musical training, the book presents major operas  individually in chronological order, offering text sources,  premiere dates, character names with voice types, synopses, and  some critical remarks. Following are discographical  recommendations, sources for scores and occasionally libretti,  and bibliographic citations. Other operas and related works are  listed at the end of each article. The operas of key figures  like Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Puccini receive  separate treatment, while those of lesser-known creators or  where opera was not necessarily a main focus are mentioned  within the bio-musical sketch. Each entry is initialed by a  leading music scholar or practitioner, often among the most  highly regarded in their respective areas-chiefly British with a  sprinkling of American and Canadian names. The scattered  illustrations add interest, presenting either portraits of  composers or scenes/costumes from operas, evoking a period or  genre. There are useful indexes of librettists and titles, as  well as a glossary and contributor biographies. This  comprehensive title is highly recommended as an update to  relevant portions of The New Grove Dictionary of Opera at a  bargain price.Barry Zaslow, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OHCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.