Through 50 personal essays, maestro Patrick Summers has woven a tapestry showcasing opera's many threads and colors across the centuries into today.

It might seem strange to think in terms of fabric art to describe musical performance art, but this collection shows how many different arts comprise the whole. The author has devoted his career to opera, so he understands not only backstage logistics and onstage glory but the myriad connections in between.

His stories include profiles of opera stars past and present, along with composers, teachers, and the works behind them. He also reveals how American Broadway musicals link to the European opera tradition.

Each essay-thread stands on its own and can be read in any order. Combined, they form an enlightening picture of an artistic life.