This volume's more than 1,700 entries provide a comprehensive look at American opera and operetta from the eighteenth century through works and artists of today. In his introduction, author Wlaschin, director of creative affairs at the American Film Institute and author of The Encyclopedia of Opera on Screen (Yale, 2003), offers a very brief history of American opera, then discusses various compositional styles (e.g., folk opera and avant-garde), composers, and a few important works.