In his "middle period," Verdi was responsible for the creation of three of opera's great works, Rigoletto, Trovatore, and Traviata. This volume examines the history of composition, of performance, and the sourcing of each of these masterpieces. The author provides analyses of the musical and dramatic accompaniments for each work as well as the ways in which their presentation has changed over time. Also included are discographies and videographies with critical analyses.