Act one : origins, 1735-1836. The Garciás at the park ; England and Italy ; New Orleans ; Buildings and audiences ; Philadelphia ; Three American theaters ; A Columbia professor
Interlude : Maria Malibran
Act two : Expansion 1836-1863. The Bohemian girl ; William Fry and the American muse ; Gold rush ; New Orleans and Havana ; The song of the nightingale ; Mario and three divas ; Boston ; Gardens and academies ; A letter from Max Maretzek ; Sweet Adeline
Act three : monopoly 1863-1903. Erie, Eros and Offenbach ; Gilbert and Sullivan : from Gérolstein to Graustark ; The building of the Metropolitan Opera house ; The queen of song ; Leopold Damrosch and the triumph of Wagner ; Chicago ; On tour ; Local glories ; End of the century
Interlude : Lillian Nordica
Act four : Modernism, 1903-1921. The Wagnerian aftermath ; Oscar and Goliath ; Whiskey per tutti ; Virtuoso conductors ; Boston renaissance ; The American muse again ; Treemonisha
Interlude : Enrico Caruso and Geraldine Farrar
Act five : technology, 1921-1950. Chicago and Samuel Insull ; Otto Kahn and the Metropolitan ; After the crash ; The Nordic winged victory ; Four saints and Porgy and Bess ; New Deal America in peace and war
Act six : Empire, 1950- The new audience ; Marian Anderson ; New York opera ; The new places ; The song of the thrush ; Three operatic monuments ; Sarah Caldwell presents ; Mozart in America
