Taking the reader through the tangled web of opera's opulent history, this book traces its roots back to Ancient Greek music dramas, through the medieval Christian and secular musical plays, to the Renaissance and to the prolific 17th century. It continues with detailed accounts of the 18th century - when opera became a household word - the High Baroque, the French and German heroic and romantic comedies, the great Italian period and the contemporary works of, amongst others, Glass and Birtwistle. This anecdotal study frequently touches on other aspects of opera, including its settings and economics and the social, political and even religious or philosophical elements.