Live operatic performance was once part of popular culture, yet to the modern novice it can seem exclusive, overwhelming and, often, very very long.

In 30-Second Opera, music journalist Hugo Shirley takes the reader through the many building blocks that combine to bring the medium alive: its musical history, context and language, its composers, characters, and its performers. Broken down into 50 neat and effective 300 word entries, each submitted from a respected selection of opera buffs, this book will lift the curtain on the various elements of opera and open up a more informed way to listen, to understand, and above all to enjoy your experience of a performance.