author

Millicent Schwab Bender

b. 1876

A writer and translator who helped make grand opera stories approachable for younger readers and newcomers. Her best-known work retells classic tales from old German sources in clear, inviting prose.

1 Audiobook

Great Opera Stories

Great Opera Stories

by Millicent Schwab Bender

About the author

Millicent Schwab Bender is known for Great Opera Stories, a collection of retellings drawn from old German sources. The book was originally published in 1912 and later circulated widely in reprint and digital editions, including through Project Gutenberg.

Her work centers on making opera plots easier to enjoy outside the theater. In Great Opera Stories, she presents well-known tales such as Hansel and Gretel, Lohengrin, The Flying Dutchman, and Tannhäuser in a form aimed at general readers and children.

Reliable biographical details about her life are scarce in the sources I could confirm during this search. Based on the material available, she is best remembered through this one enduring book and its role in introducing classic opera narratives to new audiences.