From Booklist
Operas, operettas, singers, conductors, and related entries (Carnegie Hall, the all-male Gran Scena Opera, Rome, Worst Opera on Film) are interfiled in one alphabet. When there are multiple screen versions of a particular opera, they are listed chronologically within the entry for that opera. In addition, there are entries for films that are related to the opera in some way. There are nearly 80 entries under Carmen, including the 1995 film Babe, in which "The Toreador Song" makes a brief appearance, performed by a trio of mice. Under individual performers are listed films and videos that do not have their own entries. There are 14 concert videos and documentaries listed under Placido Domingo, with cross-references to entries for his screen operas. Unfortunately, titles are treated inconsistently. Most are in their original language except for "very popular operas" and operettas better known by their English titles (Threepenny Opera rather than Die Dreigroschenoper, but Orphee aux enfers rather than Orpheus in the Underworld). Entries for videos indicate the distributing company when known. Concluding the work is a one-page list of operas on CD-ROM and a 12-page classified bibliography of books, periodicals, and catalogs, most of which are in English. There is no index.
Opera on Screen is not for every library, but it will find use where opera and operetta lovers want to locate visual representations of musical performance. The Board suspects that some users will be disturbed by the poor editing throughout, especially in the spelling of personal names and titles. Nevertheless, this specialized source does what it sets out to do. It is also available in a CD-ROM version for $55. Sample entries can be viewed at the Beachwood Press Web site: http://home.earthlink.net/beachwoodprs; or ask Alta Vista for Opera on Screen.
