Ron David. Illustrated by Sara Woolley.
 
The History of Opera For Beginners is an illuminating book that starts with
the radical assumption that opera is simply music, rather than the highbrow,
inaccessible art form that many assume it to be. Not fluent in German or
Italian? No worries—author Ron David explains the differences between Italian
and German Opera and why you don’t have to study a new language to enjoy
it. The History of Opera For Beginners is the ideal introduction into the beautiful
poetics of opera. Written in short, humorous, and informative chapters, this
guide is laced with some of the opera world’s juiciest anecdotes, and is sure to
make anyone a true believer in the art form.