Anchorage Opera is deeply committed to serving as a resource for Alaskan adults, youth, students and teachers interested in learning more about opera.

This part of our website provides a general overview of opera, with recommended reading, listening and viewing. You will also find information about what we are doing off the mainstage to make opera more accessible, understandable and enjoyable for the community.

Below are a few of the many resources recommended by OPERA America that can help introduce you to the magical world of opera.

Recommended Reading for Children and Youth

* indicates availability at Anchorage Municipal Libraries.

Infant - Pre-K
Ainger-Clark, Julie and Nadeem Zaidi. Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart: Music Is Everywhere. Baby Einstein Co., 2004.

* Weaver, Tess and Andrea Wesson. Opera Cat. Clarion Books, 2002.
West, Jim and Izen, Marshall. The Dog Who Sang Opera. Harry N Marshall, 2004.

Grades K-3
* Auch, Mary Jane. The Bantam of the Opera. Holiday House, Inc., 1997.

* Clement, Gary. The Great Poochini. Groundwood Books, 1999.

Elliott, Donald. Lambs' Tales From Great Operas. Harvard Common Press, 1984.

Mitchell, Janis. The Hamster Opera Company. W W Norton & Co. Inc., 1988.

Neidorf, Mary. Operantics with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Sunstone Press, 1987.

Thee, Christian and Robert Levine. Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel: Your Own Backstage Tour in Look-Through and Pull-Up Panels. Workman Publishing Company, 1994.

Grades 4-8
Bennett, Roy. Adventures In Music: OPERA. Cambridge University Press, 1996.

David, Ron. Opera for Beginners. Writers & Readers Publishing, 1995.

Ganeri, Anita and Nicola Barber. The Young Person's Guide to the Opera: With Music from the Great Operas on CD. Harcourt: London, England, 2001.

* Husain, Shahrukh. The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera. Barefoot Books, 1999.

* Siberell, Anne. Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera: Behind the Scenes With Composers, Cast and Crew. Frederica von Stade (Introduction) Oxford University Press Children's Books, 2001.

* The Random House Book of Opera Stories (Random House Story Collections). Random House, 1998.

Grades 9-12
* Bordman, Gerald. American Operetta : from H.M.S. Pinafore to Sweeney Todd. Oxford University Press, 1981.

* Cargher, John. How to Enjoy Opera Without Really Trying. Peregrine Smith Books, 1987.

* Davis, Peter. The American Opera Singer. Doubleday, 1997.

* DiGaetani, John Louis. An Invitation to the Opera. Facts On File Publications, 1986.

* Harewood, George. Kobbe's Illustrated Opera Book : Twenty-Six of the World's Best-Loved Operas. Putnam's, 1989.

* Matheopoulos, Helena. Diva : Great Sopranos and Mezzos Discuss Their Art. Northeastern University Press, 1992.

* Matheopoulos, Helena. Divo : Great Tenors, Baritones, and Basses Discuss Their Roles. Harper & Row, 1986.

Plotkin, Fred. Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera. Hyperion, 1994.
Sadie, Stanley, ed. The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera. Billboard Books, 2004.

College
* Davis, Peter G. The American Opera Singer : The Lives and Adventures of America's Great Singers in Opera and Concert, from 1825 to the Present. Doubleday, 1997.

* Donington, Robert. Opera and its symbols : the unity of words, music, and staging. Yale University Press, 1990.

* Goldovsky, Boris. Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen! : Intermission Scripts from the Met Broadcasts. Indiana university Press, 1984.

* Grout, Donald J. A Short History of Opera. Columbia University Press, 1965.

* Lindenberger, Herbert. Opera, the Extravagant Art. Cornell University Press, 1984.

* Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Lyric Opera Companion : the History, Lore, and Stories of the World's Greatest Operas. Andrews and McMeel, 1991.

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Recommended Listening and Viewing for Children and Youth

* Baby Neptune. Baby Einstein Co., 2003.
An inspiring classical music experience for babies featuring Handel's Water Music.

* Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy - My Favorite Opera For Children. Decca, 1994.
This volume in the Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy series includes a variety of selections from operas that are accessible to children, such as Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Flute.

The Classical Child at the Opera. Classical Child, 2001.
A selection of well-known arias that will appeal to young children. Easy to follow English translations are provided and bring to life the stories of the operas and the characters who emulate them.

The World's Very Best Opera for Kids…in English. Children's Group, 2003.
A compilation of vocal and instrumental arrangements of works from well-known operas, this CD includes excerpts from Carmen, The Magic Flute, and The Marriage of Figaro, among others.

* Mozart's Magic Fantasy: A Journey Through The Magic Flute. Children's Group, 1995.
This CD presents The Magic Flute in a way that is designed to be accessible for children. Shorter than the full-length musical work and translated into English, Mozart's Magic Fantasy provides an entertaining introduction to this classic opera.

Who's Afraid of Opera? Kultur Video, 1994.
Starring Dame Joan Sutherland and featuring a cast of puppet characters, this four-volume series of videotapes introduces children to both famous and lesser-known operas.

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Recommended Reading for All Audiences

* Douglas, Nigel. The Joy of Opera. Andre Deutsch, 2004.

* Goulding, Phil G. Ticket to the Opera : Discovering and Exploring 100 Famous Works, History, Lore, and Singers, with Recommended Recordings. Fawcett Columbine, 1996.

* Kirk, Elise K. American Opera. University of Illinois Press, 2001.
Kirk traces the history of American opera through composers born in the United States and longtime U.S. residents. She takes a chronological approach to opera in the years 1730-2000, focusing on cultural contexts, historical development, and production aspects, and including basic musical analysis.

* Osborne, Charles. The Opera Lover’s Companion. Yale University Press, 2004.
This engaging guide to the 175 most popular operas will enhance the experience of anyone attending an opera. The book consists of entries that set each opera within the context of its composer’s career, outline the plot, discuss the music, and give relevant background information.

Peattie, Antony, ed. The New Kobbé’s Opera Book. Putnam Publishing Group, 2000.
This comprehensive opera resource contains information on composers, performers, and the rich history of opera, from its beginnings in the Baroque period to modern day.

Scherer, Barrymore Laurence. Bravo! A Guide to Opera for the Perplexed. Plume, 1997.
Witty and informative, this introduction to opera is a fun, fast read.

* Walsh, Michael. Who's afraid of Opera? : a Highly Opinionated, Informative, and Entertaining Guide to AppreciatingOpera. Simon & Schuster, 1994.

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Recommended Listening and Viewing for All Audiences

Other versions may be available through Anchorage Municipal Libraries.

Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, Fiorenza Cossotto, and the New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Riccardo Muti. EMI Classics, 2001.

The Ballad of Baby Doe, by Douglas Moore
Featuring Beverly Sills, Walter Cassel, and the New York City Opera Orchestra, conducted by Emerson Buckley. Deutsche Grammophon, 1999.

La Bohème, by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Elizabeth Harwood, and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Decca, 1990.

Carmen, by Georges Bizet
Featuring José van Dam, Tatiana Troyanos, Plácido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1990.

Così fan tutte, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Renée Fleming, Anne-Sofie von Otter, Frank Lopardo, Michele Pertusi, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1996.

Don Giovanni, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Renée Fleming, Bryn Terfel, Monica Groop, Herbert Lippert, and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1997.

Faust, by Charles Gounod
Featuring Plácido Domingo, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Ghiaurov, and Orchestre du Theatre National de l'Opéra de Paris, conducted by Georges Prêtre. EMI Classics, 1990.

Madama Butterfly, by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig, and the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Decca, 1990.

Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Fritz Wunderlich, Evelyn Lear, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Roberta Peters, Franz Crass, and the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Böhm. Deutsche Grammophon, 1997.

Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Featuring Kiri Te Kanawa, Lucia Popp, Frederica von Stade, Samuel Ramey, and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1990.

* Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin
Featuring Willard White, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. EMI Classics, 1997.

Rigoletto, by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Sherrill Milnes, Dame Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Bonynge. Decca, 1990.

Der Rosenkavalier, by Richard Strauss
Featuring Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Christa Ludwig, Teresa Stich-Randall,
and the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. EMI Classics, 2001.

Tosca, by Giacomo Puccini
Featuring Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, and the Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla

Scala di Milano, conducted by Victor de Sabata. EMI Classics, 1997.

Il trovatore (The Troubador), by Giuseppe Verdi
Featuring Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, and the Orchestra del Teatro alla
Scala di Milano, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. EMI Classics, 2004.

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Classroom, Community and Cross-Cultural Outreach

In-School Education
Educators … don’t let limited budgets deprive your students of an opportunity to experience the magic of opera in your school. AO’s Opera-On-The-Go! offers affordable interactive and highly entertaining programs that use opera and its great stories as a lively tool for learning.
To learn how you can bring Opera-On-The-Go! to your school, contact Tom Getty by phone at  (907) 279-2557 or email at tgetty@anchorageopera.org.

Free Dress Rehearsals for Students
Free entertaining and educational opera treats for our youth!
Anchorage Opera’s open dress rehearsals are offered to students at no charge. Open dress rehearsals provide wonderful opportunities to observe the company as they put the final touches on performances. Due to its popularity and the high demand for tickets, we request that school groups wishing to attend RSVP at least three weeks before the specific opening performance date. To learn more, please contact our Company Intern, Ellen Crosson, at (907) 279-2557 or email at info@anchorageopera.org.

Free Brown Bag Opera lectures at Anchorage Public Library
A new collaboration with Anchorage Public Library, this program offers insights into the season’s productions from the professionals staging them.  Brown Bag Opera is based on the long-established model of “Lunch and Learn”, APL’s long-time collaboration with the Anchorage Symphony. There will be one Brown Bag Opera held at 12:00pm at the Loussac Library the day before the opening of each mainstage production.

Free Public Lessons for children and opera-inspired adult dialogues
Back Stage Bonanza: Where the Magic Begins!

A new collaboration with Barnes & Noble bookstore in Anchorage – Back Stage Bonanza: Where the Magic Begins! – will offer fun-filled, interactive lessons that will introduce youth to the world of Opera.  Back Stage Bonanza will offer a series of 5 free lessons to the public (children ages 6-13) that will culminate in a back stage tour. Participants will learn about singing, languages, costumes, stage make up and composition. 

Big Wild Wednesdays!

A second new collaboration with Barnes & Noble in Anchorage – Big Wild Wednesdays! – involving “out of the box” dialogues between staff and production personnel of AO and Alaskan celebrities from non-arts sectors such as the sports industry, the Anchorage Fire department and the Anchorage Police department is designed bring opera and the arts in Anchorage to larger, more diverse audiences.

Free Online Opera Studies
AO offers free downloadable opera study guides filled with information directly related to each mainstage production.

Community Talks: Getting into Opera, Alaskan Style
These dazzling presentations are designed to help audiences understand what it’s all about. Warning: by attending you risk becoming an opera fanatic!
To book a lunchtime, evening, or weekend “opera talk” for your organization or community, call (907) 279-2557 or email at info@anchorageopera.org.

Alaska Native Opera Program (ANOP)
AO, by virtue of its location, has an exceptional opportunity to explore the relationships between Western and Alaska Native and Native American traditions of music and story telling. Alaska's indigenous people, who are jointly called Alaska Natives, can be divided into five major groupings: Aleuts, Northern Eskimos (Inupiat), Southern Eskimos (Yuit), Interior Indians (Athabascans) and Southeast Coastal Indians (Tlingit and Haida). These groupings are based on broad cultural and linguistic similarities of peoples living contiguously in different regions of Alaska. They do not represent political or tribal units nor are they the units Native people have traditionally used to define themselves. These groups represent eleven cultures, speaking twenty languages (fifty dialects).