This guide covers 180 operas and operettas, from Monteverdi's "Orfeo" to John Adam's "Nixon in China", via the works of Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and Puccini, all arranged in alphabetical order. The entry for each opera includes: composer, librettist and first performance; principal characters, plot synopsis, musical approach and highlights; a "Did You Know?" section of facts and recommended recording. Potted biographies of the composers and lists of their output, plus an introduction on the history and development of the opera and operetta and a glossary of terms, are also provided.