The young person's guide to the opera

Opera's colorful history is rich with exciting stories. Through conversational text, informative sidebars, and full-color photographs, young readers will learn about the talented people-composers, singers, musicians, stagehands, set and costume designers, makeup crews-and the technical wizardry that go into staging opera's lavish performances. There are even behind-the-scenes glimpses of many of today's great opera companies, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the San Diego Opera. Created in association with London's Royal Opera House and the San Diego Opera, this book-and-CD package is a sumptuous introduction to the world of opera. The accompanying CD captures memorable moments from some of the most famous operas.