This landmark series collects compelling, useful, singer-friendly arias from a distinctly American opera tradition. Each volume includes information about every opera and an aria plot note. A majority of the music in the four volumes has never before been available outside of the opera vocal scores, and some arias in the series have never been in print at all before now. Most arias are appropriate for college-level singers. Composers such as Samuel Barber, William Bolcom, Douglas Moore, Virgil Thomson and Gian Carlo Menotti are well represented. Additionally, arias are included from important works such as Regina, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Ghosts of Versailles, The Great Gatsby, Little Women and many others. Stephen Sondheim graciously agreed to adapt new aria editions of two pieces from Sweeney Todd for the series: "The Contest" in the Tenor volume and "Epiphany" in the Baritone/Bass edition.