Quotable Opera: Aria Ready for a Laugh Book

	A Prelude with Leitmotifs	7
	Let's Argue! What is Opera Anyhow?	11
	That Is Supposed to be Acting?!!?	16
	Composers Pondering Their Art and Each Other	19
	Toscanini, Beecham, Other Conductors and Semi-conductors	31
	Is Diva Just Avid Spelled Backward?	43
	Caruso, Pavarotti and Others	52
	Baritones and Basses have More Testosterone	62
	Sex and Opera	69
	How to Sing	72
	National Tastes and Distastes	76
	Ploys to Land Contracts	78
	Audience Twits and Twaddle	80
	Putdowns and Snide Remarks	83
	What is this? Great Self-confidence or Shameless Vanity?	87
	A Would-have-been Prima Donna Reminiscences	89
	Critics Skewer Composers, Performers and Performances	91
	Managers, Money and Malarkey	97
	Is Opera Going to the Dogs?	102
	Don Marty, the Ultimate Impresario	103
	Zany Miscellany	107
	Opera-Mixte	115
	The Final Curtain	118
	Index	121
	Bibliography	126
	Acknowledgements	129
	About the Editors and Illustrator	130
	Other Books	131
	Copyright page	135
	Note from the Publisher	136