Stravinsky's opera-oratorio Oedipus rex is widely acknowledged as one of the most powerful and original music-theatre works of the twentieth century. This clear, concise guide is the first ever to be written on this work, and it describes the music and its staging in close detail.

Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. The exile finds a new home; 2. Of masks, masses and magic; 3. In which the music unfolds; 4. How it all came to be known; Appendix A. The libretto; Appendix B. The Latin text and its setting; Appendix C. Cast and orchestra; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.