Behind the scenes with Placido Domingo, the reader discovers the blood, sweat and tears which go into the staging of an opera. Productions at four of the world's great opera houses are featured: Wagner's Die Walkure at the Vienna State Opera; Giordano's Fedora at La Scala in Milan; Puccini's La Boheme at the Los Angeles Opera; and Verdi's Stiffelio at the New York Metropolitan. We follow Domingo from the initial auditions through the sheer hard work of rehearsal and the hours spent alone at the piano, to costume fittings and the final triumphant performance, with ecstatic plaudits from audience and critics alike. Into this framework Snowman has woven a portrait of Domingo the man, from his early years in Spain and his operatic debut, to his rapid rise to the position of international superstar. The author also examines many questions about opera. How does Domingo compare with Carreras and Pavarotti? Why does opera cost so much to put on? Is opera merely a museum art? What will Domingo do when he can no longer sing? All this combines to bring the reader a guide to the world of opera today