Guide to Literature
Opera: A Research and Information GuideML128.O4 M28 2001 (R)
This source is an excellent survey of opera-related literature. It claims to be the "only guide to research writings on all aspects of opera." It supports that idea with a collection of over 3000 titles from a variety of print sources.
Click a category heading below to reveal its contents.
Bibliographies
Opera: A Research and Information GuideML128.O4 M28 2001 (R)
Aside from serving as a great guide to the literature, this source also contains an excellent bibliography.
Modern Drama and Opera: Reading Lists on the Works of Various AuthorsZ5781 .M65 (R)
This source is in the William T. Young Library. As the title suggests, it has a more contemporary focus than the previous suggestion. The second volume is completely available from Google Books.
One can find similiar works with a subject search for "Opera-Bibliography"
General Encyclopedias
New Encyclopedia Britannica (2003 ed.)AE5 .E363 2003 (R)
The Little Library keeps a 2003 edition of the New Encyclopedia Britannica in the reference section.
We also have subscriptions to two online encyclopediae:
Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia*
Wikipedia is a good place to get started, too.
Subject Encyclopedias
This database combines the music-oriented encyclopedic publications of Oxford University Press into one site.
Opera: An Encyclopedia of World Premieres, Singers, Composers, Arias, and ConductorsML102.O6 M45 2007
As the title suggests, it covers more than just composers and compositions. It spotlights noteworthy people involved in opera proudction and contains many terms and concepts relevant to the execution of a performance.
Penguin Concise Guide to OperaML102.O6 V55 2005 (R)
This is a lightweight source that focuses more on composer biographies and summaries of important operas.
Simon and Schuster Book of the OperaML102.O6 O63 1979 (R)
Along with good subject coverage, this selection is noticibily more illustrated than its neighbors in the reference section.
Encyclopedia of American OperaML102.O6 W53 2006
This source is recommended for researchers who are intersted in American contributions to opera. Based on this narrower focus, it includes people and topics not found in the broader works.
One can find similiar works with a subject search for "Opera-Encyclopedias"
Dictionaries
This database contains the Oxford Dictionary of Music and the New Grove Dictionary of Opera.
Dictionary of the OperaML102.O6 O8 2001 (R)
Baker’s Dictionary of OperaML102.O6 B26 2000 (R)
Directories
These sources describe the people and places behind contemporary opera production. Entries include a brief history of a company and its accomplishments. They also examine practical information like location and contact information.
Opera Companies and Houses of the United StatesML13.Z54 1995 (R)
Opera Companies and Houses of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New ZealandML12 .Z54 1999 (R)
The National Opera Center of America provides a directory of the productions of its members that one can search by performer, composer, and title.
Almanacs, Yearbooks, Handbooks, Manuals
These sources could come in handy during a performance. Each summarizes noteworthy operas, describes major characters, and provides context for the story.
New Grove Book of OperasML102.O6 N5 1997 (R)
The Grove titles from Oxford Univeristy Press are always reliable sources. This one covers more than 250 operas.
These two books provide a scene-by-scene breakdown of each included work. These are good choices for researchers who can read music; both include small examples of important parts of the score.
Opera: A Listener’s GuideML1700.S13 1997 (R)
Opera CompanionMT95.M252 1961
The Pocket Guide is the lightest of these four. Along with summaries and characters, it also describes "what to listen for" and recommends recordings.
Pocket Guide to OperaML102.O6 C37 2002 (R)
Biographical Sources
Oxford Music Online contains our largest collection of performers' biographies. Each entry typically contains a bibliography for further reading on a specific person.
Rough Guide to OperaML1700.R77 2002
A section of the Rough Guide is dedicated to a review of a few hundred contemporary performers, conductors, and composers.
If your subject is fictional, head for these sources. Both collect biographies of opera characters.
Who’s Who in OperaML102.O6 B68 1998 (R)
Who Married Figaro?ML102.O6 B68 2008 (R)
Geographical Sources
Opera is a performance art expressed around the world. Learning more about performances in your area is a simple as submitting a search like "Ohio opera" to Google Maps.
Other Ready Reference
If you only have a small piece of information, like part of a song title, these sources can lead you to the full work.
Cross Index Title Guide to Opera and OperettaML128.O4 P3 1989 (R)
Opera Plot IndexML128.O4 S8 1990 (R)
Search tip:
Call numbers marked with an (R) are in the Little Library reference section.
Links marked with an * require a link blue username and password for off-campus access.