Opera is at its most steamy when passion trumps reason. In this edition of Opera in Brief, we consider three of opera’s sexiest librettos.

In this edition of Opera in Brief, we explore three operatic portraits of every day life in the mid 19th century, by Britten, Smetana and Delius.

When a great operatic chorus is sung by a gifted group of singers, the choristers often play a starring role. Sometimes they even steal the show.

In anticipation of a new film version of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables starring Hugh Jackman, we explore three operatic settings of the French writer's novels.

Most opera lovers are familiar with Tatyana in Eugene Onegin and Lisa in The Queen of Spades, but Tchaikovsky also wrote some fabulous music for several other heroines.

Other than Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), how many operas can you name that begin with the letter Z? Consult our Zagat-style guide to find out more.

Verdi's musical transformation of Shakespeare's Macbeth shines the spotlight so brightly on his ruthless and ambitious wife that perhaps the opera should be renamed in her honor.

Wagner’s Rienzi is an opera that hardly ever gets produced by major companies. On this edition of Opera in Brief, F. Paul Driscoll names its challenges.

So what if the plot is a little bit far fetched? In this edition of Opera in Brief, we explore three show-stopping moments from Verdi’s masterpiece.

In this edition of Opera in Brief, Driscoll explains the dynamic between the main characters in Carmen, and he identifies four memorable interpreters of the fiery gypsy.

Beethoven was never a man of the theater. He struggled to write his first opera against many odds. But Fidelio is worth hearing with fresh ears, writes Midge Woolsey.

Beethoven was never a man of the theater. He struggled to write his first opera against many odds. But Fidelio is worth hearing with fresh ears, writes Midge Woolsey.

Verdi's late opera is often described as an "autumnal comedy," reflecting a certain warmth and color that has the flavor of the composer's age and place in life. Find out why.

"I don’t think Verdi had much of a sense of humor," F. Paul Driscoll, editor in chief of Opera News tells us. Yet he went on to create one of opera's most important comedies.

Quick: name the three one-act operas included in Puccini’s Il Trittico. Give up? Now is your chance to learn with this, the first of a series of introductions to major operas, hosted by Midge Woolsey.

Quick: name the three one-act operas included in Puccini’s Il Trittico. Give up? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. No, we're not talking about Pagliacci – that’s by Leoncavallo. Cavalleria Rusticana isn’t one of them either – that’s by Mascagni.

The seventh annual Opera News Awards took place Sunday night at the Plaza Hotel. Host Midge Woolsey caught up with the winners.

F. Paul Driscoll, the editor in chief of Opera News magazine, gives us the inside scoop on this year's honorees. They are two sopranos, two baritones and a stage director.

Host Midge Woolsey has just returned from Georgia's Savannah Music Festival, which she describes as "a wonderful example of the kind of event that can be created when musical borders are blurred."

Adam Abeshouse has a job description that charts many paths: therapist and coach for hyper-sensitive artists; a "microphone junkie" who knows his gear; and a facilitator who understands how music should sound.