At the beginning of the 21st century, opera remains §as popular a genre as it has ever been. While §masterpieces of the past continue to fascinate §spectators around the world, newly created works §are trying to shape a different type of audience. §Particular interest is invested in adaptations of §provocative literature, as well as in musical §symbolism and theatrical effects. This book provides §insight into the creative process, presenting the §various elaboration stages of an original musical §work. The Piano Teacher is an opera in one act, §composed with the aim of setting to music a §fantastic tale, and also of adopting a personal §approach to the operatic genre. A thorough §discussion of the nature, influences, and vocabulary §of the opera is included along with the full music §score. The book addresses problems of musical §adaptation, relationship of music and text, stage §production, contemporary aesthetics and art §reception. Both the score and the analysis should be §useful to musicians, dramatic artists, theatre §directors and others who may be interested in §staging an opera.