Stars of the Opera A Description of Operas & a Series of Personal Interviews with Marcela Sembrich, Emma Eames, Emma Calvé, Lillian Nordica, Lilli Lehmann, Geraldine Farrar & Nellie Melba

The book opens a window onto the world of turn‑of‑the‑century grand opera, guiding listeners through the glittering yet demanding universe that lives behind the curtain. Through candid conversations with celebrated divas such as Marcella Sembrich, Emma Calvé and Nellie Melba, the author reveals how singers balance rigorous training, personal temperament, and the pressure of a thousand expectant eyes.

Interwoven with these interviews are lively sketches of the operas themselves—Verdi’s Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and Wagner’s Lohengrin—offering clear explanations of plot and musical structure for those new to the art form. Accompanied by period photographs, the narrative captures the orchestra’s role, the conductor’s authority, and the collective effort that makes each performance unforgettable, inviting listeners to hear the music as much as feel its drama.