Recommended Reading for Youth and Children

Infant to 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. 

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. 

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 Kobbe'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 Appreciating Opera. Simon & Schuster, 1994. 

Recommended Listening and Viewing for All Audiences

• Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi
• Featuring Montserrat Caballe, Placido 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 Boheme, 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 Jose van Dam, Tatiana Troyanos, Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1990. 
• Cosi fan tutte, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Featuring Renee 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 Renee Fleming, Bryn Terfel, Monica Groop, Herbert Lippert, and the London Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Decca, 1997.
• Faust, by Charles Gounod
• Featuring Placido Domingo, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Ghiaurov, and Orchestre du Theatre National de l'Opera de Paris, conducted by Georges Pretre. 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 Zauberflote (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 Bohm. 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.

(recommendations from Opera America)