UK-born John Drummond became addicted to opera in his teens, so much so that he made music his career. Here he tells the story of his involvement in over sixty opera productions, some professional and some amateur, beginning in England and then, from 1976, in New Zealand where he was Blair Professor of Music at the University of Otago for nearly forty years. But this isn't just a book of reminiscences. As a scholar, a teacher, a director and a prolific opera composer he has acquired a deep understanding of the genre. This is the story of John's quest to understand the how and the why of opera. Why do people spend so much time and effort on creating opera experiences? What is the point? Is opera dead?John answers these and other questions in an entertaining and readable style that will appeal to al