"'Opera as Opera' - already just the title, but also the book - captures the hope and frustration felt by so many of us who are convinced of the form's present and future value, yet unconvinced by the currents of thought guiding it lately. Opera as opera is what we want: opera is its own thing, needful of being grasped whole, ill-served alike by nostalgia for its glorious past, competitive separation of its constituent elements, and anxious reaching after some other thing. No previous author has addressed these issues from the level of sheer competence CLO brings to both the musical and theatrical sides. That makes the book unique; his wide reading, revelatory sense of historical connections, and keen observations on live performance make it essential for every opera-lover who cares 'what comes next.' That it is also frequently entertaining, even hilarious, doesn't hurt a
bit. Can't remember ever learning more from a book about my own field."